Underahillapartyoffishermenhadlitawoodfire，theflamesofwhichcouldbeseenplayingupon，andpickingout，thewhitehullofaboat——thedarkfigureofamantherein，afishingnetsuspendedfromsomestakes，andawomaninayellowbodicewhowassittingbesidethefire。Also，amidthegoldenradiancetherecouldbedistinguishedaquiveringoftheleavesonthelowerbranchesofthetreewhereunderthewomansatshaded。
Alltheriverwascalm，andnotasoundoccurredtobreakthestillnessashore，whiletheairundertheawningofthethird-classportionofthevesselfeltasstiflingasduringtheearlierpartoftheday。Bythistimetheconversationofthepassengers，dampedbytheshadowofdusk，hadmergedintoasinglesoundwhichresembledthehummingofbees；andamiditonecouldnotdistinguishnordivinewhowasspeaking，northesubjectofdiscussion，sinceeverywordthereinseemeddisconnected，eventhoughallappearedtobetalkingamicably，andinorder，concerningacommontopic。Atonemomentasuppressedlaughfromayoungwomanwouldreachtheear；inthecabin，apartywhohadagreedtosingasongofgeneralacceptationwerefailingtohituponone，anddisputingthepointinlowanddispassionateaccents；andineach，suchsoundtherewassomethingvespertinal，gentlysad，softlyprayer-like。
Frombehindthefirewoodnearmeathick，raspingvoicesaidindeliberatetones:
“Atfirsthewasausefulyoungfellowenough，andcleanandspruce；butlately，hehasbecomeshabbyanddirty，andisgoingtothedogs。“
Anothervoice，loudandgruff，replied:
“Aha！Avoidtheladies，oroneisboundtogoamiss。“
“Thesayinghasitthatalwaysafishmakesfordeeperwater。“
“Besides，heisafool，andthatisworsestill。Bytheway，heisarelativeofyours，isn’the？“
“Yes。Heismybrother。“
“Indeed？Thenprayforgiveme。“
“Certainly；but，tospeakplainly，heisafool。“
AtthismomentIsawthepassengerinthebuffpea-jacketapproachthesally-port，graspwithhislefthandastanchion，andstepontothegratingunderwhichoneofthepaddle-wheelswaschurningthewatertofoam。Therehestoodlookingoverthebulwarkswithaswingingmotionakintothatofabatwhen，grapplingsomeobjectoranotherwithitswings，ithangssuspendedintheair。Thefactthattheman’scapwasdrawntightlyoverhisearscausedthelattertostickoutalmosttothepointofabsurdity。
Presentlyheturnedandpeeredintothegloomundertheawning，though，seemingly，hefailedtodistinguishmyselfreposingonthefirewood。Thisenabledmetogainaclearviewofafacewithasharpnose，sometuftsoflight-colouredhaironcheeksandchin，andapairofsmall，muddy-lookingeyes。Hestoodthereasthoughhewerelisteningtosomething。
Allofasuddenhesteppedfirmlytothesally-port，swiftlyunlashedfromtheirontop-railamop，andthrewitoverboard。
Thenhesetaboutunlashingasecondarticleofthesamespecies。
“Hi！“Ishoutedtohim。“Whatareyoudoingthere？“
Withastartthemanturnedround，clappedahandtohisforeheadtodiscovermywhereabouts，andrepliedsoftlyandrapidly，andwithastammerinhisvoice:
“Howisthatyourbusiness？Getawaywithyou！“
UponthisIapproachedhim，forIwasastonishedandamusedathisimpudence。
“Forwhatyouhavedonethesailorswillmakeyoupayrightenough，“Iremarked。
Hetuckedupthesleevesofhispea-jacketasthoughhewerepreparingforafight。Then，stampinghisfootupontheslipperygrating，hemuttered:
“Iperceivedthemoptohavecomeuntied，andtobeindangeroffallingintothewaterthroughthevibration。UponthatI
triedtosecureit，andfailed，foritslippedfrommyhandsasIwasdoingso。“
“But，“Iremarkedinamazement，“mybeliefisthatyouWILLFULLYuntiedthemop，tothrowitoverboard！“
“Come，come！“heretorted。“WhyshouldIhavedonethat？Whatanextraordinarythingitwouldhavebeentodo！Howcouldithavebeenpossible？“
Herehedodgedmewithadexterousmovement，and，rearranginghissleeves，walkedaway。Thelengthofthepea-jacketmadehislegslookabsurdlyshort，andcausedmetonoticethatinhisgaittherewasatendencytoshuffleandhesitate。
Returningtomyretreat，Istretchedmyselfuponthefirewoodoncemore，inhaleditsresinousodour，andfelltolisteningtotheslow-movingdialogueofsomeofthepassengersaroundme。
“Ah，goodsir，“agruff，sarcasticvoicebeganatmyside——butinstantlyayetgruffervoiceintervenedwith:
“Well？“
“Oh，nothing，exceptthattoaskaquestioniseasy，andtoansweritmaybedifficult。“
“True。“
Fromtheravinesamistwasspreadingovertheriver。
Atlengthnightfell，andasfolkrelapsedintoslumberthebabeloftonguesbecamestilled。Thecar，asitgrewusedtotheboisterousroaroftheenginesandthemeasuredrhythmofthepaddle-wheels，didnotatfirstnoticethenewsoundbornofthefactthatintothesoundspreviouslymadefamiliartherebegantointrudethesnoresofslumberers，andthepaddingofsoftfootsteps，andanexcitedwhisperof:
“Isaidtohim——yes，Isaid:’Yasha，youmustnot，youshallnot，dothis。’“
Thebankshaddisappearedfromview。Indeed，onecontinuedtoberemindedoftheirexistenceonlybytheslowpassageofthescatteredfiresashore，andthefactthatthedarknesslayblackeranddenseraroundthosefiresthanelsewhere。Dimlyreflectedintheriver，thestarsseemedtobeabsolutelymotionless，whereasthetrailing，goldenreproductionsofthesteamer’slightsneverceasedtoquiver，asthoughstrivingtobreakadrift，andfloatawayintotheobscurity。Meanwhile，foamliketissuepaperwaslickingourdarkhull，whileatourstern，andsometimesovertakingit，theretrailedabargewithacoupleoflanternsinherprow，andathirdonhermast，whichatonemomentmarkedthereflectionsofthestars，andatanotherbecamemergedwiththegleamsoffirelightononeortheotherbank。
OnabenchunderalanternnearthespotwhereIwaslyingastoutwomanwasasleep。Withonehandrestinguponasmallbundleunderherhead，shehadherbodicetornunderthearmpit，sothatthewhitefleshandatuftofhaircouldbeseenprotruding。Also，herfacewaslarge，darkofbrow，andfullofjowltoapointthatcausedthecheekstorolltoherveryears。
Lastly，herthicklipswerepartedinanungainly，corpselikesmile。
Frommyownpositiononalevelhigherthanhers，Ilookeddreamilydownuponher，andreflected:“Sheisalittleoverfortyyearsofage，andprobablyagoodwoman。Also，sheistravellingtovisiteitherherdaughterandson-in-law，orhersonanddaughter-in-law，andthereforeistakingwithhersomepresents。Also，thereisinherlargeheartmuchoftheexcellentandmaternal。“
Suddenlysomethingnearmeflashedasthoughamatchhadbeenstruck，and，openingmyeyes，Iperceivedthepassengerinthecuriouspea-jackettobestandingnearthewomanspokenof，andengagedinshieldingalightedmatchwithhissleeve。Presently，heextendedhishandandcautiouslyappliedtheparticleofflametothetuftofhairunderthewoman’sarmpit。Therefollowedafainthiss，andanoxioussmellofburninghairwaswaftedtomynostrils。
Ileaptup，seizedthemanbythecollar，andshookhimsoundly。
“Whatareyouat？“Iexclaimed。
Turninginmygrasphewhisperedwithascarcelyaudible，butexceedinglyrepulsive，giggle:
“Haven’tIgivenheragoodfright，eh？“
Thenheadded:
“Now，letmego！Letgo，Isay！“
“Haveyoulostyourwits？“Iretortedwithagasp。
Foramomentortwohisblinkingeyescontinuedtoglanceatsomethingovermyshoulder。Thentheyreturnedtome，whilehewhispered:
“Prayletmego。Thetruthisthat，unabletosleep，I
conceivedthatIwouldplaythiswomanatrick。Wasthereanyharminthat？See，now。Sheisstillasleep。“
AsIthrusthimawayhisshortlegs，legswhichmightalmosthavebeenamputated，staggeredunderhim。MeanwhileIreflected:
“No，IwasNOTwrong。HeDIDofsetpurposethrowthemopoverboard。Whatafellow！“
Abellsoundedfromtheengine-room。
“Slow！“someoneshoutedwithacheerfulhail。
Uponthat，steamissuedwithsuchresoundingshrillnessthatthewomanawokewithajerkofherhead；andassheputupherlefthandtofeelherarmpit，hercrumpledfeaturesgatheredthemselvesintowrinkles。Thensheglancedatthelamp，raisedherselftoasittingposition，and，fingeringtheplacewherethehairhadbeendestroyed，saidsoftlytoherself:
“Oh，holyMotherofGod！“
Presentlythesteamerdrewtoawharf，and，withaloudclattering，firewoodwasdraggedforthandcastintothestokeholewithuncouth，warningcriesof“Tru-us-sha！“[Thewordmeansship’sholdorstokehole，buthereis，probably，equivalenttotheEnglish“Headsbelow！“]
Overalittletownwhichhaditsbackpressedagainstahillthewaningmoonwasrisingandbrighteningalltheblackriver，causingittogatherlifeastheradiancelaved，asitwere，thelandscapeinwarmwater。
Walkingaft，Iseatedmyselfamongsomebalesandcontemplatedthetown’sfrontage。Overoneendofitrose，taperinglikeawalking-stick，afactorychimney，whileattheotherend，aswellasinthemiddle，rosebelfries，oneofwhichhadagildedsteeple，andtheotheroneasteepleeithergreenorblue，butlookingblackinthemoonlight，andshapedlikearaggedpaint-brush。