“Thendon’trunafterme。Awomanwhorunsafteraman，andplaysthewhorewithhim，is——“
“Lessnoise，please——lessnoise，Ibegofyou，orweshallbeheard，andIshallbeputtoshame！“
“Doesn’titputyoutoshametobeofferingyourselftomelikethis？“
Asilenceensues，savethattheyoungfellowgoesonsnortingandfidgeting，andtheraindropscontinuetofallwiththesamereluctance，thesameindolence，asever。Thenoncemorethewoman’svoiceisheardthroughthepattering。
“Perhaps，“saysthevoice，“youhaveguessedthatIamseekingahusband？Yes，IAMseekingone——agood，steadymuzhik。“
“ButIamNOTagood，steadymuzhik。“
“Fie，fie！“
“What？“hesniggers。“Ahusbandforyou？Theimpudenceofyou！
A’husband’！Goalong！“
“Listentome。Iamtiredoftramping。“
“Thengohome。“
Thistimethereensuesalongpause。Thenthewomansaysverysoftly:
“Ihaveneitherhomenorkindred。“
“Alie！“ejaculatestheyoungfellow。
“No，byGoditisnotalie！TheMotherofGodforgetmeifitis。“
IntheselastwordsIcandetectthenoteoftears。Bythistimethesituationhasbecomeintolerable，forIamyearningtoriseandkicktheyoungfellowoutofthehut，andthentohavealongandearnesttalkwithhiscompanion。“OhthatIcouldtakehertomyarms，“Ireflect，“andcherishherasIwouldapoorlostchild！“
Afterawhilethesoundsofanewstrugglebetweenthepairareheard。
“Don’tputmeofflikethat！“growlstheyoungfellow。
“Anddon’tyoumakeanyattemptuponme！Iamnotthesortofwomantobeforced。“
Thenextmomenttherearisesacryofpainandastonishment。
“Whatwasthatfor？Whatwasthatfor？“thewomanwails。
WithanansweringexclamationIspringtomyfeet，formyfeelingshavebecomethoseofawildbeast。
Atonceeverythinggrowsquietagain，savethatsomeone，crawlsoverthefloorand，inleavingthehut，jarsthelatchofthecrazy，single-hingedportal。
“Itwasnotmyfault，“grumblestheyoungfellow。“Itallcameofthatstinkingwomanofferingherselftome。Besides，theplaceisfullofbugs，andIcannotsleep。“
“Beast！“pantssomeoneinthevicinity。
“Holdyourtongue，bitch！“isthefellow’sretort。
Bynowtherainhasceased，andsuchairasfiltersthroughthewindowseemsincreasedlystifling。Momentarilythehushgrowsdeeper，untilthebreastfeelsfilledwithasenseofoppression，andthefaceandeyesasthoughtheyweregluedoverwithaweb。
EvenwhenIstepintotheyardIfindtheplacetobelikeacellaronasummer’sday，whentheveryicehasmeltedinthedarkretreat，andthelatter’sblackcavityischargedwithhot，viscoushumidity。
Somewherenearmeawomanisgulpingoutsobs。ForamomentortwoIlisten；thenIapproachher，andcomeuponherseatedinacornerwithherheadinherhands，andherbodyrockingtoandfroasthoughsheweredoingmeobeisance。
YetIfeelangry，somehow，andremainstandingbeforeherwithoutspeaking——untilatlengthIask:
“Areyoumad？“
“Goaway，“is，afterapause，heronlyreply。
“Iheardallthatyousaidtothatyoungfellow。“
“Oh，didyou？Thenwhatbusinessisitofyours？Areyoumybrother？“
Yetshespeaksthewordsabsent-mindedlyratherthanangrily。
Aroundusthedim，blurredwallsarepeeringinourdirectionwithsightlesseyes，whileinthevicinityabullockisdrawingdeepbreaths。
Iseatmyselfbyherside。
“Shouldyouremainmuchlongerinthatposition，“Iremark，“youwillhaveaheadache。“
Therefollowsnoreply。
“AmIdisturbingyou？“Icontinue。
“Ohno；notatall。“And，loweringherhands，shelooksatme。
“Whencedoyoucome？“
“FromNizhniNovgorod。“
“Oh，fromalongwayoff！“
“Doyoucareforthatyoungfellow？“
Notforamomentortwodoessheanswer；andwhenshedoessosheanswersasthoughthewordshavebeenrehearsed。
“Notparticularly。Itisthatheisastrongyoungfellowwhohaslosthisway，andistoomuchofafoolasyoutoomusthaveseentofinditagain。SoIamverysorryforhim。Agoodmuzhikoughttobewellplaced。“
Onthebellofthechurchtherestrikesthehouroftwo。Withoutinterruptingherself，thewomancrossesherbreastateachstroke。
“Always，“shecontinues，“IfeelsorrywhenIseeafineyoungfellowgoingtothedogs。IfIwereable，Iwouldtakeallsuchyoungmen，andrestorethemtotherightroad。“
“ThenyouarenotsorryFORYOURSELF？“
“Notformyself？Ohyes，formyselfaswell。“
“Thenwhyflauntyourselfbeforethisbooby，asyouhavebeendoing？“
“BecauseImightreformhim。Doyounotthinkso？Ah，youdonotknowme。“
Asighescapesher。
“Hehityou，Ithink？“Iventure。
“No，hedidnot。Andinanycaseyouarenottotouchhim。“
“Yetyoucriedout？“
Suddenlysheleanstowardsme，andsays:
“Yes，hedidstrikeme——hestruckmeonthebreast，andwouldhaveoverpoweredmehaditnotbeenthatIcannot，Iwillnot，dothingsheartlessly，likeacat。Oh，thebrutesthatmencanbe！“
Heretheconversationundergoesaninterruptionthroughthefactthatsomeonehascomeouttothehutdoor，andiswhistlingsoftly，asforadog。
“Thereheis！“whispersthewoman。
“ThenhadInotbestsendhimabouthisbusiness？“
“No，no！“sheexclaims，catchingatmyknees。“Noneedisthereforthat，noneedisthereforthat！“
Thenwithalowmoansheadds:
“OhLord，howIpityourfolkandtheirlives！OhGodourFather！“
Hershouldersheave，andpresentlysheburstsintotears，withawhisper，betweenthepitifulsobs，of:
“How，onsuchanightasthis，oneremembersallthatonehaseverseen，andthefolkthateveronehasknown！Andoh，howwearisome，wearisomeitallis！AndhowIshouldliketocrythroughouttheworld——Buttocrywhat？Iknownot——Ihavenomessagetodeliver。“
ThatfeelingIcanunderstandaswellasshe，foralltoooftenhasitseemedtocrushmysoulwithvoicelesslonging。
Then，asIstrokeherbowedheadandquiveringshoulder，Iaskherwhosheis；andpresently，ongrowingalittlecalmer，shetellsmethehistoryofherlife。
Sheis，itappears，thedaughterofacarpenterandbee-keeper。
Onhermother’sdeath，thismanmarriedayoungwoman，andallowedher，asstepmother，topersuadehimtoplacethenarrator，Tatiana，inaconvent，wheresheTatianalivedfromtheageofninetilladolescence，and，meanwhile，wastaughtherletters，andalsoacertainamountofmanuallabour；until，later，herfathermarriedherofftoafriendofhis，awell-to-
doex-soldier，whowasactingasforesterontheconvent’sestate。
Asthewomanrelatesthis，IfeelvexedthatIcannotseeherface——onlyadim，roundbluramidwhichthereloomswhatappearstobeapairofclosedeyes。Also，socompleteisthestillness，thatshecannarrateherstoryinabarelyaudiblewhisper；andI