“ThenitwillbetheDevilthatwillbedrawinghim，sincethedirectionofHellisalwaystheeasiest。“
“Well，YOUwillnotbegoingthatway，Isuppose？Youdon’taltogetherfancyit？“
“WhyshouldI？“
“Becauseyouhavedeclaredittobetheeasiestway。“
“Well，Iamnotasaint。“
“No，ha-ha！youarenot。“
“Andyoumeanthat——？“
“Imeannothing。Ifadog’schainbeshort，heisnottobeblamed。“
Whereupon，settingnosetonose，thepairplungedintoaquarrelstillmoreheatedastheyexpoundedinsimple，butoftencuriouslyapposite，languageopinionsintelligibletothemselvesalone。Theonepeasant，aleanfellowwithlengthylimbs，cold，sarcasticeyes，andadark，bonycountenance，spokeloudlyandsonorously，withfrequentshrugsoftheshoulders，whiletheotherpeasant，amanstoutandbroadofbuildwhountilnowhadseemedcalm，self-assuredofdemeanour，andamanofsettledviews，breathedheavily，whilehisoxlikeeyesglowedwithanardourcausinghisfacetoflushpatchily，andhisbeardtostickoutfromhischin。
“Lookhere，forinstance，“hegrowledashegesticulatedandrolledhisdulleyesabout。“Howcanthatbe？DoesnotevenGodknowwhereinamanoughttorestrainhimself？“
“IftheDevilbeone’smaster，Goddoesn’tcomeintothematter。“
“Liar！Forwhowasthefirstwhoraisedhishandagainsthisfellow？“
“Cain。“
“Andthefirstmanwhorepentedofasin？“
“Adam。“
“Ah！Yousee！“
Heretherebrokeintothedisputeashoutof:“Theyarejustgettinghimaboard！“andthecrowd，rushingawayfromthestern，carriedwithitthetwodisputants——thesparerpeasant；
loweringhisshoulders，andbuttoninguphisjacketashewent；
whilethebeardedpeasant，followingathisheels，thrusthisheadforwardinasurlymannerasheshiftedhiscapfromtheoneeartotheother。
Withaponderousbeatingofpaddlesagainstthecurrentthesteamerheavedto，andthecaptainshoutedthroughaspeaking-trumpet，withaviewtopreventingacollisionbetweenthebargeandthestemofthevessel:
“Putherover！Puthero-o-ove-r！“
Soonthefishing-boatcamealongside，andthehalf-drownedman，withaformaslimpasahalf-emptysack，andwaterexudingfromeverystitch，andhishithertohaggardfacegrownsmoothandsimple-looking，washoistedonboard。
Next，onthesailorslayinghimuponthehatchwayofthebaggagehold，hesatup，leanedforward，smoothedhiswethairwiththepalmsofhishands，andaskeddully，withoutlookingatanyone:
“Havetheyalsorecoveredmycap？“
Someoneamongthethrongaroundhimexclaimedreprovingly:
“Itisnotaboutyourcapthatyououghttobethinking，butaboutyoursoul。“
Uponthishehiccupedloudlyandfreely，likeacamel，andemittedastreamofturgidwaterfromhismouth。Then，lookingatthecrowdwithlack-lustreeyes，hesaidinanapathetictone:
“Letmebetakenelsewhere。“
Inanswer，theboatswainsternlybadehimstretchhimselfout，andthistheyoungfellowdid，withhishandsclaspedunderhishead，andhiseyesclosed，whiletheboatswainaddedbrusquelytotheonlookers:
“Moveaway，moveaway，goodpeople。Whatistheretostareat？
Thisisnotashow……Hi，youmuzhik！Whydidyouplayussuchatrick，damnyou？“
Thecrowdhowever，wasnottobesuppressed，butindulgedincomments。
“Hemurderedhisfather，didn’the？“
“What？THATwretchedcreature？“
Asfortheboatswain，hesquatteduponhisheels，andproceededtosubjecttherescuedmantoacourseofstrictinterrogation。
“Whatisthedestinationmarkedonyourticket？“
“Perm。“
“ThenyououghttoleavetheboatatKazan。Andwhatisyourname？“
“Yakov。“
“Andyoursurname？“
“Bashkin——thoughweareknownalsoastheBukolovfamily。“
“YourfamilyhasaDOUBLEsurname，then？“
Withthefullpowerofhistrumpet-likelungsthebeardedpeasantevidentlyhehadlosthistemperbrokein:
“Thoughhisuncleandhisbrotherhavebeensentencedtopenalservitudeandaretravellingtogetheronthatbarge，he——well，hehasreceivedhisdischarge！Thatisonlyapersonalmatter，however。Inspiteofwhatjudgesmaysay，oneoughtnevertokill，sinceconsciencecannotbearthethoughtofblood。Evennearlytobecomeamurdereriswrong。“
Bythistimemoreandmorepassengershadcollectedastheyawakenedfromsleepandemergedfromthefirst-andsecond-classcabins。Amongthemwasthemate，amanwithablackmoustacheandrubicundfeatureswhoinquiredofsomeoneamidtheconfusion:“Youarenotadoctor，Isuppose？“
andreceivedtheastonished，high-pitchedreply:“No，sir，noreverhavebeenone。“
Tothissomeoneaddedwithadrawl:
“Whyisadoctorneeded？Surelythemanisafellowofnoparticularimportance？“
Overtherivertheradianceofthesummerdaylighthadgatheredincreasedstrength，and，sincethedatewasaSunday，bellsweresoundingseductivelyfromahill，andacoupleofwomeningalaapparelwhowerefollowingthemarginoftheriverwavedhandkerchiefstowardsthesteamer，andshoutedsomegreeting。
Meanwhiletheyoungfellowlaymotionless，withhiseyesclosed。
Divestedofhispea-jacket，andwrappedaboutwithwet，clingingunderclothing，helookedmoresymmetricalthanpreviously——hischestseemedbetterdeveloped，hisbodyplumper，andhisfacemorerotundandlessugly。
Yetthoughthepassengersgazedathimwithcompassionordistasteorseverityorfear，asthecasemightbe，alldidsowithoutceremony，asthoughhehadnotbeenalivingmanatall。
Forinstance，agauntgentlemaninagreyfrock-coatsaidtoaladyinayellowstrawhatadornedwithapinkribbon:
“Atourplace，inRiazan，whenacertainmaster-watchmakerwentandhangedhimselftoaventilator，hefirstofallstoppedeverywatchandclockinhisshop。Now，thequestionis，whydidhestopthem？“
“Anabnormalcaseindeed！“
Ontheotherhand，adark-browedwomanwhohadherhandshiddenbeneathhershawlstoodgazingattherescuedmaninsilence，andwithhersideturnedtowardshim。Asshedidsotearswerewellinginhergrey-blueeyes。
Presentlytwosailorsappeared。Oneofthembentovertheyoungfellow，touchedhimontheshoulder，andsaid:
“Hi！Youaretogetup。“
Whereupontheyoungfellowrose，andwasremovedelsewhither。
When，afteraninterval，hereappearedondeck，hewascleananddry，andcladinacook’swhitejumperandasailor’sbluesergetrousers。Claspinghishandsbehindhisback，hunchinghisshoulders，andbendinghisheadforward，hewalkedswiftlytothestern，withathrongofidlers——atfirstonebyone，andtheninpartiesoffromthreetoadozen——followinginhiswake。
Themanseatedhimselfuponacoilofrope，and，craninghisneckinwolf-likefashiontoeyethebystanders，frowned，letfallhistemplesuponhandsthrustintohisflaxenhair，andfixedhisgazeuponthebarge。
Standingorsittingaboutinthehotsunshine，peoplestaredathimwithoutstint。Evidentlytheywouldhaveliked，butdidnotdare，toengagehiminconversation。Presentlythebigpeasantalsoarrivedonthescene，and，afterglancingatallpresent，tookoffhishat，andwipedhisperspiringface。Next，agrey-headedoldmanwitharednose，athinwispofbeard，andwateryeyesclearedhisthroat，andinhoneyedtonestooktheinitiative。
“Wouldyoumindtellingushowitallhappened？“hebegan。
“WhyshouldIdoso？“retortedtheyoungfellowwithoutmoving。
Takingaredhandkerchieffromhisbosom，theoldmanshookitoutandapplieditcautiouslytohiseyes。Thenhesaidthroughitsfoldsinthequietaccentsofamanwhoisdeterminedtopersevere:
“Why，yousay？Forthereasonthattheoccasionisonewhenalloughttoknowthetru——“