Losinghistemper，andopeningagreatmouth，untilhelookedlikeanoldrookwhichisabouttocaw，theCouncillorwouldstamphisfootseveraltimes，asthoughpreparingtodancetotheboys’shouting，andlowerhishead，grasphisumbrellalikeabayonet，andchargeattheladswithapantingshoutof:
“I’lltellyourfathers！Oh，I’lltellyourmothers！“
AsfortheMadameSukhinikh，referredto，shewasanoldbeggar-womanwho，theyearround，andinallweathers，satonalittlebenchbesidethecemeterywicket，andstucktoitlikeastone。Herlargeface，afacerenderedbricklikebyyearsofinebriety，wascoveredwithdarkblotchesbornoffrostbite，alcoholicinflammation，sunburn，andexposuretowind，andhereyeswereperpetuallyinastateofsuppuration。Neverdidanyonepassherbutsheprofferedawoodencupinasupplianthand，andcriedhoarsely，ratherasthoughshewerecursingthepersonconcerned:
“GivesomethingforChrist’ssake！Giveinmemoryofyourkinsfolkthere！“
Onceanunexpectedstormblewinfromthesteppes，andbroughtadownpourwhich，overtakingtheoldwomanonherwayhome，causedher，hersightbeingpoor，tofallintoapond，whencePraotzevattemptedtorescueher，andintowhich，intheend，heslippedhimself。Fromthatdayonwardshewastwittedonthesubjectbytheboysofthetown。
OtherfrequentersofthecemeteryIseebeforeme——dark，silentfigures，figuresofpersonswhomstillunseveredcordsofmemoryseemedtohaveboundtotheplacefortherestoftheirlives，andcompelledtowander，likeunburiedcorpses，inquestofsuitabletombs。Yes，theywerepersonswhomlifehadrejected，anddeath，asyet，refusedtoaccept。
Also，attimestherewouldemergefromthelonggrassahomelessdogwithlarge，sulleneyes，eyesstartlingatonceintheirintelligenceandintheirabsoluteIshmaelitism——untilonealmostexpectedtohearissuefromtheanimal’smouthreproachescouchedinhumanlanguage。
Andsometimesthedogwouldstillremainhaltedinthecemeteryas，withtaillowered，itswayeditsshelterless，shaggyheadtoandfrowithanairofprofoundreflection，whileoccasionallyventingasubdued，long-drawnyelporhowl。
Again，amongthedenseoldlimetrees，therewouldbescurryinganunseenmobofstarlingsandjackdawswhoseyoungwould，meanwhile，maintainasoft，hungrypiping，asortofgentlypersuasive，chirrupingchorus；untilinautumn，whenthewindhadstrippedbaretheboughs，thesebirds’blacknestswouldcometolooklikemouldy，rag-swathedheadsofhumanbeingswhichsomeonehadtornfromtheirbodiesandflungintothetrees，tohangforeveraroundthewhite，sugarloaf-shapedchurchofthemartyredSt。Barbara。Duringthatautumnseason，indeed，everythinginthecemetery’svicinitylookedsadandtarnished，andthewindwouldwailabouttheplace，andsighlikealoverwhohasbeendrivenmadthroughbereavement……
Suddenlytheoldmanhaltedbeforemeonthepath，and，sternlyextendingahandtowardsawhitestonemonumentnearus，readaloud:
“’UnderthiscrossthereliesburiedthebodyoftherespectedcitizenandservantofGod，DiomidPetrovitchUssov，’“etc。，etc。
Whereaftertheoldmanreplacedhishat，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhispea-jacket，measuredmewitheyesdarkincolour，butexceptionallyclearforhistimeoflife，andsaid:
“Itwouldseemthatfolkcouldfindnothingtosayofthismanbeyondthathewasa’servantofGod。’Now，howcanaservantbeworthyofhonouratthehandof’citizens’？“
“Possiblyhewasanascetic，“wasmyhazardedconjecture；
whereupontheoldmanrejoinedwithastampofhisfoot:
“Theninsuchcaseoneoughttowrite——“
“Towritewhat？“
“TowriteEVERYTHING，infullestpossibledetail。“
Andwiththelong，firmstrideofasoldiermyinterlocutorpassedonwardstowardsamoreremoteportionofthecemetery——myselfwalking，thistime，besidehim。Hisstatureplacedhisheadonalevelwithmyshoulderonly，andcausedhisstrawhattoconcealhisfeatures。Hence，sinceIwishedtolookathimashediscoursed，Ifoundmyselfforcedtowalkwithheadbent，asthoughIhadbeenescortingawoman。
“No，thatisnotthewaytodoit，“presentlyhecontinuedinthesoft，civilvoiceofonewhohasacomplainttopresent。
“Anysuchproceedingismerelyamarkofbarbarism——ofacompletelackofobservationofmenandlife。“
Withahandtakenfromoneofhispockets，hetracedalargecircleintheair。
“Doyouknowthemeaningofthat？“heinquired。
“Itsmeaningisdeath，“wasmydiffidentreply，madewithashrugoftheshoulders。
Ashakeofhisheaddisclosedtomeakeen，agreeable，finelycutfaceashepronouncedthefollowingSlavonicwords:
“’Smertusmertvsekonechniepogublenabwist。’“[Deathhathbeenforeveroverthrownbydeath。“]
“Doyouknowthatpassage？“headdedpresently。
Yetitwasinsilencethatwewalkedthenexttenpaces——hethreadinghiswayalongtherough，grassypathatconsiderablespeed。Suddenlyhehalted，raisedhishatfromhishead，andprofferedmeahand。
“Youngman，“hesaid，“letusmakeoneanother’sbetteracquaintance。IamLieutenantSavvaYaloylevKhorvat，formerlyoftheStateRemountEstablishment，subsequentlyoftheDepartmentofImperialLands。Iamamanwho，afterneverhavingbeenfoundofficiallyremiss，amlivinginhonourableretirement——amanatonceahouseholder，awidower，andapersonofhastytemper。“
Then，afterapause，headded:
“Vice-GovernorKhorvatofTambovismybrother——ayoungerbrother；hebeingfifty-five，andIsixty-one，si-i-ixtyone。“
Hisspeechwasrapid，butaspreciseasthoughnomistakewaspermissibleinitsdelivery。
“Also，“hecontinued，“asamancognisantofeverypossiblespeciesofcemetery，Iammuchdissatisfiedwiththisone。Infact，neversatisfiedwithsuchplacesamI。“
Herehebrandishedhisfistintheair，anddescribedalargearcoverthecrosses。
“Letussitdown，“hesaid，“andIwillexplainthings。“
So，afterthatwehadseatedourselvesonabenchbesideawhiteoratory，andLieutenantKhorvathadtakenoffhishat，andwithabluehandkerchiefwipedhisforeheadandthethicksilveryhairwhichbristledfromtheknobsofhisscalp，hecontinued:
“Markyouwellthewordkladbistche。“[Theword，thoughcustomarilyusedforcemetery，means，primarily，atreasure-house。]Herehenudgedmewithhiselbow——continuing，thereafter，moresoftly:“Inakladbisicheonemightreasonablylookforkladi，fortreasuresofintellectandenlightenment。
Yetwhatdowefind？Onlythatwhichisoffensiveandinsulting。
Allofusdoesitinsult，fortherebyisaninsultpaidtoallwho，inlife，arebearingstilltheir’crossandburden。’Youtoowill，oneday，beinsultedbythesystem，evenasshallI。
Doyouunderstand？Irepeat，’theircrossandburden’——thesenseofthewordsbeingthat，lifebeinghardanddifficult，weoughttohonournonebutthosewhoSTILLarebearingtheirtrials，orbearingtrialsforyouandme。Now，THESEfolkherehaveceasedtopossessconsciousness。“
Eachtimethattheoldmanwavedhishatinhisexcitement，itssmallshadow，bird-like，flewalongthenarrowpath，andoverthecross，and，finally，disappearedinthedirectionofthetown。
Next，distendinghisruddycheeks，twitchinghismoustache，andregardingmecovertlyoutofboylikeeyes，theLieutenantresumed:
“Probablyyouarethinking，’ThemanwithwhomIhavetodealisoldandhalf-witted。’Butno，youngfellow；thatisnotso，forlongbeforeYOURtimehadItakenthemeasureoflife。
Regardthesememorials。AREtheymemorials？Forwhatdotheycommemorateasconcernsyouandmyself？Theycommemorate，inthatrespect，nothing。No，theyarenotmemorials；theyaremerelypassportsortestimonialsconferreduponitselfbyhumanstupidity。UnderagivencrosstheremaylieaMaria，andunderanotheroneaDaria，oranAlexei，oranEvsei，orsomeoneelse——all’servantsofGod，’butnototherwiseparticularised。Anoutragethis，sir！Forinthisplacefolkwhohavelivedtheirdifficultportionoflifeonearthareseenrobbedofthatrecordoftheirexistences，whichoughttohavebeenpreservedforyourandmyinstruction。Yes，ADESCRIPTIONOFTHELIFE
LIVEDBYAMANiswhatmatters。Atombmightthenbecomeevenmoreinterestingthananovel。Doyoufollowme？“
“Notaltogether，“Irejoined。
Heheavedaveryaudiblesigh。
“Itshouldbeeasyenough，“washisremark。“Tobeginwith，I
amNOTa’servantofGod。’Rather，Iamamanintelligently，ofsetpurpose，keepingGod’sholycommandmentssofaraslieswithinmypower。Andnoone，notevenGod，hasanyrighttodemandofmemorethanIcangive。Thatisso，isitnot？“
Inodded。
“There！“theLieutenantcriedbrisklyas，cockinghishat，heassumedastillmoretruculentair。Then，spreadingouthishands，hegrowledinhisflexiblebass:
“Whatisthiscemetery？Itismerelyaplaceofshow。“
Atthismoment，forsomereasonoranother，thereoccurredtomeanincidentwhichinvolvedthefigureofIrakleiVirubov，thefigurewhichhadcarpetslippersonitsponderousfeet，thicklips，agreedymouth，deceitfuleyes，andaframesohugeandcavernousthatthedapperlittleLieutenantcouldhavesteppedintoitcomplete。