AsIretiredtomynookandlaydown，Ireflectedthatwhatthebigpeasanthadsaidwasappositeenough-thattheyoungfellow’sfacedidinverytruthresembleanoldandshabbywoollenmitten。
PresentlyIdreamtthatIwaspaintingabelfry，andthat，asI
didso，huge，goggle-eyedjackdawskeptflyingaroundthebelfry’sgables，andflappingatmewiththeirwingsandhinderingmywork:until，asIsoughttobeatthemoff，Imissedmyfooting，felltoearth，andawoketofindmybreathchokingamidadull，sick，painfulfeelingoflassitudeandweakness，andakaleidoscopicmistquaveringbeforemyeyestillitrenderedmedizzy。Frommyhead，behindthecar，athinstreamofbloodwastrickling。
Risingwithsomedifficultytomyfeet，Isteppedafttoapump，washedmyheadunderajetofcoldwater，bounditwithmyhandkerchief，and，returning，inspectedmyresting-placeinastateofbewildermentastowhatcouldhavecausedtheaccidenttohappen。
OnthedecknearthespotwhereIhadbeenasleep，therewasstandingstackedapileofsmalllogspreparedforthecook’sgalley；while，intheprecisespotwheremyheadhadrestedtherewasreposingabirchfaggotofwhichthewithy-tiehadcomeunfastened。AsIraisedthefallenfaggotIperceivedittobecleanandcomposedofsilkyloppingsofbirch-barkwhichrustledasIfingeredthem；and，consequently，Ireflectedthattheceaselessvibrationofthesteamermusthavecausedthefaggottobecomejerkedontomyhead。
Reassuredbythisplausibleexplanationoftheunfortunate，butabsurd，occurrenceofwhichIhavespoken，Inextreturnedtothestern，wheretherewerenooppressiveodourstobeencountered，andwhenceagoodviewwasobtainable。
Thehourwastheturnofthenight，thehourofmaximumtensionbeforedawn，thehourwhenalltheworldseemsplungedinaprofundityofslumberwhencetherecanbenoawakening，andwhenthecompletenessofthesilenceattunesthesoultospecialsensibility，andwhenthestarsseemtobehangingstrangelyclosetoearth，andthemorningstar，inparticular，tobeshiningasbrightlyasaminiaturesun。Yetalreadyhadtheheavensbeguntogrowcoldlygrey，tolosetheirnocturnalsoftnessandwarmth，whiletheraysofthestarsweredroopinglikepetals，andthemoon，hithertogolden，hadturnedpaleandbecomedustedoverwithsilver，andmovedfurtherfromtheearthasintangiblythewateroftheriverslougheditsthick，viscousgleam，andswiftlyemittedandwithdrew，stray，pearlyreflectionsofthechangesoccurringintheheavenlytints。
Intheeasttherewasrising，andhangingsuspendedovertheblackspearsofthepineforest，athinpinkmistthesensuoushueofwhichwasglowingeverbrighter，andassumingadensityevergreater，andstandingforthmoreboldlyandclearly，evenasawhisperoftimidprayermergesintoasongofexultantthankfulness。Anothermoment，andthespikedtopsofthepinesblazedintopointsofredfireresemblingfestivalcandlesinasanctuary。
Next，anunseenhandthrewoverthewater，drewalongitssurface，atransparentandmany-colourednetofsilk。Thiswasthemorningbreeze，heraldofdawn，aswithacoatingoftissue-like，silveryscalesitrippledtheriveruntiltheeyegrewwearyoftryingtofollowtheplayofgoldandmother-of-pearlandpurpleandbluish-greenreflectedfromthesun-renovatedheavens。
Next，likeafanthereunfoldedthemselvesthefirstsword-shapedbeamsofday，withtheirtipsblindinglywhite；
whilesimultaneouslyoneseemedtoheardescendingfromaniilimitableheightadensesound-waveofsilverbells，asound-waveadvancingtriumphantlytogreetthesunashisroseaterimbecamevisibleovertheforestliketherimofacupthat，filledwiththeessenceoflife，wasabouttoemptyitscontentsupontheearth，andtopourabounteousfloodofcreativepuissanceuponthemarsheswhenceareddishvapourasofincensewasarising。Meanwhileonthemoreprecipitousofthetwobankssomeofthetreesneartheriver’smarginwerethrowingsoftgreenshadowsoverthewater，whilegilt-likedewwassparkling。ontheherbage，andbirdswereawakening，andasawhitegullskimmedthewater’ssurfaceonlevelwings，thepaleshadowofthosewingsfollowedthebirdoverthetintedexpanse，whilethesun，suspendedinflamebehindtheforest，liketheImperialbirdofthefairy-tale，rosehigherandhigherintothegreenish-bluezenith，untilsilveryVenus，expiring，herselflookedlikeabird。
Hereandthereontheyellowstripofsandbytheriver’smargin，long-leggedsnipewerescurryingabout。Twofishermenwererockinginaboatinthesteamer’swashastheyhauledtheirtackle。Floatingfromtheshoretherebegantoreachussuchvocalsoundsofmorningasthecrowingofcocks，thelowingofcattle，andthepersistentmurmurofhumanvoices。
Similarlythebuff-colouredbalesinthesteamer’sstemgraduallyreddened，asdidthegreytintsinthebeardofthelargepeasantwhere，sprawlinghisponderousformoverthedeck，hewaslyingasleepwithmouthopen，nostrilsdistendedwithstertoroussnores，browsraisedasthoughinastonishment，andthickmoustacheintermittentlytwitching。
Someoneamidthepilesofbaleswaspantingashefidgeted，andasIglancedinthatdirectionIencounteredthegazeofapairofsmall，narrow，inflamedeyes，andbeheldbeforemetheragged，mitten-likeface，thoughnowitlookedeventhinnerandgreyerthanithaddoneonthepreviousevening。Apparentlyitsownerwasfeelingcold，forhehadhunchedhischinbetweenhisknees，andclaspedhishirsutearmsaroundhislegs，ashiseyesstaredgloomily，withahuntedair，inmydirection。Thenwearily，lifelesslyhesaid:
“Yes，youhavefoundme。Andnowyoucanthrashmeifyouwishtodoso——youcangivemeablow，forIgaveyouone，and，consequently，it’syourturntodothehitting。“
Stupefiedwithastonishment，Iinquiredinanundertone。
“Itwasyou，then，thathitme？“
“Itwasso，butwhereareyourwitnesses？“
Thewordscameinhoarse，croaked，suppressedaccents，withaseparationofthehands，andanupthrowoftheheadandprojectingcarswhichhadsuchacomicallookofbeingcrushedbeneaththeweightofthebattened-downcap。Next，thrustinghishandsintothepocketsofhispea-jacket，themanrepeatedinatoneofchallenge:
“Where，Isay，areyourwitnesses？Youcangotothedevil！“
Icoulddiscerninhimsomethingatoncehelplessandfroglikewhichevokedinmeastrongfeelingofrepulsion；andsince，withthat，Ihadnorealwishtoconversewithhim，oreventorevengemyselfuponhimforhiscowardlyblow，Iturnedawayinsilence。
ButamomentlaterIlookedathimagain，andsawthathewasseatedinhisformerposture，withhisarmsembracinghisknees，hischinrestinguponthem，andhisred，sleeplesseyesgazinglifelesslyatthebargewhichthesteamerwastowingbetweenwideribbonsoffoamingwater——ribbonssparklinginthesunlightlikemashinabrewer’svat。
Andthoseeyes，thatdead，alienatedexpression，thegaycheerfulnessofthemorning，andtheclearradianceoftheheavens，andthekindlytintsofthetwobanks，andthevocalsoundsoftheJuneday，andthebracingfreshnessoftheair，andthewholescenearoundusservedbuttothrowintothemoretragicrelief。
JustasthesteamerwasleavingSundirthemanthrewhimselfintothewater；inthesightofeverybodyhesprangoverboard。
Uponthatallshouted，jostledtheirneighboursastheyrushedtotheside，andfelltoscanningtheriverwherefrombanktobankitlaywrappedinblindingglitter。
Thewhistlesoundedinfitfulalarm，thesailorsthrewlifebeltsoverboard，thedeckrumbledlikeadrumunderthecrowd’ssurgingrush，steamhissedafflightedly，awomanventedanhystericalcry，andthecaptainbawledfromthebridgetheimperiouscommand:
“Avastheavinglifebelts！Bynowthefoolwillhavegotone！
Damnyou，calmthepassengers！“
Anunwashed，untidypriestwithtimid，staringeyesthrustbackhislong，dishevelledhair，andfelltorepeating，ashisfatshoulderjostledallandsundry，andhisfeettrippedpeopleup。
“Amuzhik，isit，orawoman？Amuzhik，eh？“
BythetimethatIhadmademywaytothesternthemanhadfallenfarbehindthesternofthebarge，andhisheadlookedassmallasaflyontheglassysurfaceofthewater。However，towardsthatflyafishing-boatwasalreadydartingwiththeswiftnessofawaterbeetle，andcausingitstwooarstoshowquiveringlyredandgrey，whilefromthemarshierofthetwobankstherebeganhastilytoputoutasecondboatwhichleaptinthesteamer’swashwiththegaietyofayoungcalf。
Suddenlytherebrokeintothepainfulhubbubonthesteamer’sdeckafaint，heartrendingcryof“A-a-ah！“
Inanswertoitasharp-nosed，black-bearded，well-dressedpeasantmutteredwithasmackofhislips:
“Ah！Thatishimshouting。Whatamadmanhemusthavebeen！Andanuglycustomertoo，wasn’the？“
Thepeasantwiththecurlybeardrejoinedinatoneofconvictionengulfingallotherutterances:
“Itishisconsciencethatiscatchinghim。Thinkwhatyoulike，butnevercanconsciencebesuppressed。“
Therewith，constantlyinterruptingoneanother，thepairbetookthemselvestoapublicrecitalofthetragicstoryofthefair-hairedyoungfellow，whomthefishermenhadnowliftedfromthewater，andwereconveyingtowardsthesteamerwithoarsthatoscillatedattopspeed。
Thebeardedpeasantcontinued:
“Assoonasitwasseenthathewasbutrunningafterthesoldier’swife。“
“Besides，“theotherpeasantinterrupted，“thepropertywasnottobedividedafterthedeathofthefather。“
Withwhichthebeardedmuzhikeagerlyrecountedthehistoryofthemurderdonebythebrother，thenephew，andason，whilethespruce，spare，well-dressedpeasantinterlardedthegeneralbuzzofconversationwithwordsandcommentscheerfullyandstridentlydelivered，muchasthoughheweredrivinginstakesfortheerectionofafence。
“Everymanisdrawnmostinthedirectionwhitherhefindsiteasiesttogo。“