gaintheimpressionthatthepairofusaresittingplungedinavoidofdarknesswherelifedoesnotexist，yetwherewearedestinedtobeginlife。
“However，themanwasalibertineandadrunkard，andmanyariotousnightdidhespendwithhiscroniesintheporter’slodgeoftheconvent。Also，hetriedtoarouseasimilartasteinmyself；andthoughforatimeIresistedthetendency，Iatlength，onhistakingtobeatingme，yielded。Onlyforoneman，however，hadIreallyaliking；andwithhimitwas，andnotwithmyhusband，thatIfirstlearntthemeaningofspousehood……
Unfortunately，myloverhimselfwasmarried；andintimehiswifecametohearofme，andprocuredmyhusband’sdismissal。Thechiefreasonwasthatthelady，apersonofgreatwealth，washerselfhandsome，albeitstout，anddidnotcaretoseeherplaceassumedbyanobody。Next，myhusbanddiedofdrink；andasmyfatherhadlongbeendead，andIfoundmyselfalone，Iwenttoseeandconsultmystepmother。Allthatshesaid，however，was:
’Whycometome？Goandthinkthingsoutforyourself。’AndItoothenreflected:’Yes，whyshouldIhavegonetoher？’andrepairedtotheconvent。Yeteventherethereseemedtobenoplaceleftforme，andeventuallyoldMotherTaisia，whohadoncebeenmygoverness，said:’Tatiana，doyoureturntotheworld，forthere，andonlythere，willyouhaveachanceofhappiness。
SototheworldIreturned——andstillamroamingit。“
“Yourquestofhappinessisnotfollowinganeasyroad！“
“Itisfollowingtheroadthatitbestcan。“
Bynowthedarknesshasceasedtokeepspreadoverus，asitwere，thestretchedwebofaheavycurtain，buthasgrownthinnerandmoretransparentwiththetension，savethat，inplacesforinstance，inthewindowofthehut，itstillliesinthickfoldsorclotsasitpeersatuswithitssightlesseyes。
Overthehummock-likeroofsofthehutsrisethechurch’ssteepleandthepoplartrees；whilehitherandthitheronthewallofthehut，thecracksandholesinthecrumblingplasterhavecausedthewalltoresemblethemapofanunknowncountry。
Glancingatthewoman’sdarkeyes，Iperceivethemtobeshiningaspensively，innocentlyastheeyesofayoungmaiden。
“Youareindeedacuriouswoman！“Iremark。
“PerhapsIam，“sherepliesasshemoistensherlipswithaslender，almostfelinetongue。
“Whatareyoureallyseeking？“
“Ihaveconsideredthematter，andknow，atlast，mymind。Itisthis:Ihopesomedaytofallinwithagoodmuzhikwithwhomtogoinsearchofland。Probablylandofthekind，Imean，istobefoundintheneighbourhoodofNewAthos，[AmonasteryintheCaucasus，builtonthereputedsiteofacavetenantedbySimeontheCanaanite]forIhavebeentherealready，andknowofalikelyspotforthepurpose。Andthereweshallsetourplaceinorder，andlayoutagardenandanorchard，andprepareasmuchploughlandaswemayneedforourworking。“
Herwordsarenowfirmer，moreassured。
“Andwhenwehaveputeverythinginorder，otherfolkmayjoinus；andthen，astheoldestsettlersintheplace，weshallholdthepositionofhonour。Andthusthingswillcontinueuntilanewvillage，reallyafinesettlement，willhavebecomeformed——asettlementofwhichmyhusbandwillbeselectedthewardenuntilsuchtimeasIshallhavemadeofhimabarin[Gentlemanorsquire]outright。Also，childrenmayonedayplayinthatgarden，andasummer-housebebuiltthere。Ah，howdelightfulsuchalifeappears！“
Infact，shehasplannedoutthefuturesothoroughlythatalreadyshecandescribethenewestablishmentinasmuchdetailasthoughshehaslongbeenaresidentinit。
“Yes，Iyearnindeedforanicehome！“shecontinues。“Ohthatsuchahomecouldfalltomylot！Butthefirstrequisite，ofcourse，isamuzhik。“
Hergentlefaceandeyespeerintothewaningnightasthoughtheyaspiretocaresseverythinguponwhichtheymaylight。
AndallthewhileIamfeelingsorryforher——sorryalmosttotears。ToconcealthefactImurmur:
“ShouldImyselfsuityou？“
Shegivesafaintlaugh。
“No。“
“Whynot？“
“Becausetheideasinyourmindaredifferentfrommine。“
“Howdoyouknowwhatmyideasare？“
Sheedgesawayfrommealittle，thensaysdrily:
“BecauseIcanseetheminyoureyes。Tobeplain，Icouldneverconsent。“
Withafingertappinguponthemouldy，gnarledoldoakenstumponwhichwearesitting，sheadds:
“TheCossacks，forinstance，livecomfortablyenough；yetIdonotlikethem。“
“Whatinthemisitthatdispleasesyou？“
“Somehowtheyrepelme。True，muchofeverythingistheirs；yetalsotheyhavewayswhichalienateme。“
Unableanylongertoconcealfromhermypity，Isaygently:
“Never，Ifear，willyoudiscoverwhatyouareseeking。“
Sheshakesherheadprotestingly。
“Andneveroughtawomantobediscouraged，“sheretorts。
“Woman’sproperroundistowishforachild，andtonurseit，and，whenithasbeenweaned，togetherselfreadytohaveanotherone。Thatishowwomanshouldlive。Sheshouldliveaspassspringandsummer，autumnandwinter。“
Ifinditapleasuretowatchtheplayofthewoman’sintellectualfeatures；andthough，also，Ilongtotakeherinmyarms，Ifeelthatmybetterplanwillbetoseekoncemorethequiet，emptysteppe，and，bearinginmetherecollectionofthiswoman，toresumemylonelyjourneytowardstheregionwherethesilverwallofthemountainsmergeswiththesky，andthedarkravinesgapeatthesteppewiththeirchillyjaws。Atthemoment，however，Icannotsodo，fortheCossackshavetemporarilydeprivedmeofmypassport。
“Whatareyouyourselfseeking？“sheaskssuddenlyasagainsheedgestowardsme。
“Simplynothing。Myonedesireistoobservehowfolklive。“
“Andareyoutravellingalone？“
“Iam。“
“EvenasamI。OhGod，howmanylonelypeoplethereareintheworld！“
Bythistimethecattleareawakeningfromslumber，and，withtheirsoftlowings，remindingoneofapipewhichIusedtohearplayedbyacertainblindoldman。Next，fourtimes，withunsteadytouch，thedrowsywatchmanstrikeshisgong——twicesoftly，oncewithavigourthatclangsthemetalagain，andafourthtimewithameretapoftheironhammeragainstthecopperplate。
“Whatsortoflivesdothemajorityoffolklead？“
“Sorrylives。“
“Yes，thatiswhatItoohavefound。“
Apausefollows。Thenthewomansaysquietly:
“See，dawnisbreaking，yetneverthisnighthavemyeyesclosed。OftenIamlikethat；oftenIkeepthinkingandthinkinguntilIseemtobetheonlyhumanbeingintheworld，andtheonlyhumanbeingdestinedtore-orderit。“
“Manyfolkliveunworthylives。Theylivethemamiddiscord，abasement，andwrongsinnumerable，wrongsbornofwantandstupidity。“
AndasthewordsleavemylipsmymindlosesitselfinrecollectionsofallthedarkandharrowingandshamefulscenesthatIhavebeheld。
“Listen，“Isay。“Youmayapproachamanwithnothingbutgoodinyourheart，andbepreparedtosurrenderbothyourfreedomandyourstrength；yetstillhemayfailtounderstandyouaright。
Andhowshallhebeblamedforthis，seeingthatnevermayhehavebeenshownwhatisgood？“
Shelaysahanduponmyshoulder，andlooksstraightintomyeyesasshepartshercomelylips。
“True，“sherejoins——“But，dearfriend，itisalsotruethatgoodnessneverbargains。“
TogethersheandIseemtobedriftingtowardsavistawhichiscomingtolook，asitsloughstheshadowofnight，everclearerandclearer。Itisavistaofwhitehuts，silverytrees，aredchurch，anddew-bespangledearth。Andasthesunrisesherevealstousclustered，transparentcloudswhich，likethousandsofsnow-whitebirds，goglidingoverourheads。
“Yes，“shewhispersagainasgentlyshegivesmeanudge。“Asonepursuesone’slonelywayonethinksandthinks——butofwhat？Dearfriend，youhavesaidthatnoonereallycareswhatisthematter。Ah，HOWtruethatis！“
Hereshespringstoherfeet，and，pullingmeupwithher，gluesherselftomybreastwithavehemencewhichcausesmemomentarilytopushheraway。Uponthis，burstingintotears，shetendstowardsmeagain，andkissesmewithlipssodryasalmosttocutme——shekissesmeinawaywhichpenetratestomyverysoul。