Oppositethewharftherewasstuckinthewidegableofatwo-storiedbuildingalanternwhich，flickering，diffusedbutadull，anaemiclightfromitsdirtypanes，whileoverthelongstripofthebrokensignboardofthebuildingtherecouldbeseenstraggling，andexecutedinlargeyellowletters，thewords，“Tavernand-“Nomoreofthelegendthanthiswasvisible。
Lanternswerehangingintwoorthreeotherspotsinthedrowsylittletown；andwherevertheirmurkystainsoflighthungsuspendedintheairtherestoodoutinreliefamedleyofgables，drab-tintedtrees，andfalsewindowsinwhitepaint，onwallsofadullslatecolour。
SomehowIfoundcontemplationofthescenedepressing。
Meanwhilethevesselcontinuedtoemitsteamassherockedtoandfrowithacreakingofwood，aslap-slappingofwater，andascrubbingofhersidesagainstthewharf。Atlengthsomeoneejaculatedsurlily:
“Fool，youmustbeasleep！Thewinch，yousay？Why，thewinchisatthestern，damnyou！“
“Offagain，thanktheLord！“addedtheraspingvoicealreadyheardfrombehindthebales，whiletoitanequallyfamiliarvoicerejoinedwithayawn:
“It’stimeweWEREoff！“
Saidahoarsevoice:
“Lookhere，youngfellow。Whatwasitheshouted？“
Hastilyandinarticulately，withagreatdealofsmackingofthelipsandstuttering，someonereplied:
“Heshouted:’Kinsmen，donotkillme！Havesomemercy，forChrist’ssake，andIwillmakeovertoyoueverything——yes，everythingintoyourgoodhandsforever！Onlyletmegoaway，andexpiatemysins，andsavemysoulthroughprayer。Aye，I
willgoonapilgrimage，andremainhiddenmylifelong，totheveryend。Nevershallyouhearofmeagain，norseeme。’ThenUnclePetercaughthimablowonthehead，andhisbloodsplashedoutuponme。AshefellI——well，Iranaway，andmadeforthetavern，whereIknockedatthedoorandshouted:
’Sister，theyhavekilledourfather！’Uponthat，sheputherheadoutofthewindow，butonlysaid:’Thatmerelymeansthattherascalismakinganexcuseforvodka。’……Aye，aterribletimeitwas——wasthatnight！AndhowfrightenedIfelt！Atfirst，Imadeforthegarret，butpresentlythoughttomyself:’No；
theywouldsoonfindmethere，andputmetoanendaswell，forIamtheheirdirect，andshouldbethefirsttosucceedtotheproperty。’SoIcrawledontotheroof，andtherelayhiddenbehindthechimney-stack，holdingonwitharmsandlegs，whileunabletospeakforsheerterror。“
“Whatwereyouafraidof？“abrusquevoiceinterrupted。
“WhatwasIafraidof？“
“Atallevents，youjoinedyouruncleinkillingyourfather，didn’tyou？“
“Insuchanhouronehasnottimetothink——onejustkillsamanbecauseonecan’thelponeself，orbecauseitseemssoeasytokill。“
“True，“thehoarservoicecommentedindullandponderousaccents。“Whenoncebloodhasflowedthefactleadstomoreblood，andifamanhasstartedouttokill，hecaresnothingforanyreason——hefindsgoodenoughthereasonwhichcomesfirsttohishand。“
“Butifthisyoungfellowisspeakingthetruth，hehadaBUSINESSreason——though，properlyspeaking，evenpropertyoughtnottoprovokequarrels。“
“Similarlyoneoughtnottokilljustwhenonechooses。Folkwhocommitsuchcrimesshouldhavejusticemetedouttothem。“
“Yes，butitisdifficultalwaystoobtainsuchjustice。Forinstance，thisyoungfellowseemstohavespentoverayearinprisonfornothing。“
“’Fornothing’？Why，didhenotenticehisfatherintothehut，andthenshutthedooruponhim，andthrowacoatoverhishead？Hehassaidsohimself。’Fornothing，’indeed！“
Uponthistherapidstreamofsobbed，disconnectedwords，whichI
hadheardbeforefromsomespeakerpouredforthanew。Somehow，I
guessedthatitcamefromthemaninthedirtyboots，asoncemoreherecountedthestoryofthemurder。
“Idonotwishtojustifymyself，“hesaid。“Isaymerelythat，inasmuchasIwaspromisedareprieveatthetrial，Itoldeverything，andwasthereforeallowedtogofree，whilemyuncleandmybrotherweresentencedtopenalservitude。“
“ButyouKNEWthattheyhadagreedtokillhim？“
“Well，itismyideathatatfirsttheyintendedonlytogivehimagoodfright。Neverdidmyfatherrecognisemeashisson——alwayshecalledmeaJesuit。“
Thegrufferofthetwovoicespulledupthespeaker。
“Tothink，“itsaid，“thatyoucanactuallytalkaboutitall！“
“Whyshouldn’tI？Myfatherbroughttearstotheeyesofmanyaninnocentperson。“
“Afigforpeople’stears！Ifourcausesoftearswereoneandalltobemurdered，whatwouldthestateofthingsbecome？Shedtears，butneverblood；forbloodisnotyourstoshed。Andevenifyoushouldbelieveyourownbloodtobeyourown，knowthatitisnotso，thatyourblooddoesnotbelongtoyou，buttoSomeoneElse。“
“Thepointinquestionwasmyfather’sproperty。Itallshowshowamanmayliveawhile，andearnhisliving，andthensuddenlygoamiss，andlosehiswits，andevenconceiveagrudgeagainsthisownfather……NowImustgetsomesleep。“
Behindthebalesallgrewquiet。PresentlyIrosetopeerinthatdirection。Thepassengerinthebuffpea-jacketwassittinghuddledupagainstacoilofrope，withhishandsthrustintohissleeves，andhischinrestinguponhisarms。Asthemoonwasshiningstraightintohisface，Icouldseethatthelatterwasaslividasthatofacorpse，andhaditsbrowsdrawndownoveritsnarrow，insignificanteyes。
Besidehim，andclosetomyhead，therewaslyingstretchedonthetopofthecoilofropeabroad-shoulderedpeasantinashortsmockandapairofpatchedbootsofwhitefelt。Theringletsofthewearer’scurlybeardwerethrustupwards，andhishandsclaspedbehindhishead，andwithox-likeeyeshestaredatthezenithwhereafewstarswereshining，andthemoonwasbeginningtosink。
Atlength，inatrumpet-likevoicethoughheseemedtodohisbesttosoftenitthepeasantasked:
“Youruncleisonthatbarge，Isuppose？“
“Heis。Andsoismybrother。“
“Yetyouarehere！Howstrange！“
Thedarkbarge，towedagainstthesteamer’sblue-silverwashoffoam，wascleavingitlikeaplough，whileunderthemoonthelightsofthebargeshowedwhite，andthehullandtheprisoners’cagestoodraisedhighoutofthewaterastoourrighttheblack，indentatedbankglidedpastinsinuousconvolutions。
Fromthewhole，soft，liquescentfluidscene，theimpressionwhichIderivedwasmelancholy。
Itevokedinmyspiritasenseofinstability，alackofrestfulness。
“Whyareyoutravelling？“
“BecauseIwishtohaveawordwithhim。“
“Withyouruncle？“
“Yes。“
“Abouttheproperty？“
“Whatelse？“
“Thenlookhere，myyoungfellow。Dropitall——bothyouruncleandtheproperty，andbetakeyourselftoamonastery，andthereliveandpray。Forifyouhaveshedblood，andespeciallyifyouhaveshedthebloodofakinsman，youwillstandforeverestrangedfromall，while，moreover，bloodshedisadangerousthing——itmayatanytimecomebackuponyou。“
“Buttheproperty？“theyoungfellowaskedwithaliftofhishead。
“Letitgo，“thepeasantvouchsafedasheclosedhiseyes。
Ontheyoungerman’sfacethedowntwitchedasthoughawindhadstirredit。Heyawned，andlookedabouthimforamoment。Then，descryingmyself，hecriedinatoneofresentment:
“Whatareyoulookingat？Andwhydoyoukeepfollowingmeabout？“
Herethebigpeasantopenedhiseyes，and，withaglancefirstattheman，andthenatmyself，growled:
“Lessnoisethere，youmitten-face！“