Yetwhereaswewereout-at-elbows，thecarpentersweresleek，respectable，monied，well-cladfellows。Also，therewassomethingdourandirritatingaboutthem，since，foronething，theyhadfailedtorespondtoourgreetingonourfirstappearance，andeyeduswithnothingbutdislikeandsuspicion。Hence，hurtbytheirchillyattitude，wehadwithdrawnfromtheirimmediateneighbourhood，constructedacausewayofsteppingstonestotheeasternbankoftherivulet，andtakenupourabodebeneaththechaoticgreymistswhichenvelopedthemountainsideinthatdirection。
Also，overthecarpenterstherewasaforeman——amanwhosebonyframe，cladinawhiteshirtandapairofwhitetrousers，lookedalwaysasthoughitwereready-attiredfordeath。Moreover，heworenocaptoconcealtheyellowpatchofbaldnesswhichcoveredmostofhishead，and，inaddition，hisnosewassquatandgrey，hisneckandfacehadoverthemskinofaporous，pumice-likeconsistency，hiseyesweregreenanddim，anduponhisfeaturestherewasstampedadeadanddisagreeableexpression。Tobecandid，however，behindthedarklipslayasetoffine，closeteeth，whilethehairsofthegreybeardabeardtrimmedaftertheTartarfashionwerethickand，seemingly，soft。
Neverdidthismanputahandactuallytothework；alwayshekeptroamingaboutwiththelarge，rigid-lookingfingersofhishandstuckedintohisbelt，andhisfixedandexpressionlesseyesscanningthebarraque，themen，andtheworkashislipsventedsomesuchlinesas:
OhGodourFather，boundhastThouAcrownofthornsuponmybrow！
Listentomyhumbleprayer！
LightentheburdenwhichIbear！
“Whatonearthcanbeintheman’smind？“onceremarkedtheex-
soldier，withafrowningglanceatthesinger。
Asforourduties，mymatesandIhadnothingtodo，andsoonbegantofindthetimetedious。Forhispart，themanwiththeCossackphysiognomyscaledthemountainside；whencehecouldbeheardwhistlingandsnappingtwigswithhisheavyfeet，whiletheex-soldierselectedaspacebetweentworocksforashelteroface-roseboughs，and，stretchinghimselfonhisstomach，felltosmokingstrongmountaintobaccoinhislargemeerschaumpipeasdimly，dreamilyhecontemplatedtheplayofthemountaintorrent。
Lastly，Imyselfselectedaseatonarockwhichoverhungthebrook，dippedmyfeetinthecoolnessofthewater，andproceededtomendmyshirt。
Atintervals，thedefilewouldconveytoourearsadullechoofsoundssowhollyatvariancewiththelocalityasmuffledhammer-
blows，ascreechingofsaws，araspingofplanes，andaconfusedmurmurofhumanvoices。
Also，amoistbreezeblewconstantlyfromthedark-bluedepthsofthedefile，andcausedthestiff，uprightlarchesontheknollbehindthebarraquetorustletheirboughs，anddistilledfromtheranksoilthevoluptuousscentsoface-roseandpitch-pine，andevokedinthetrees’quietgloomasoft，crooning，somnolentlullaby。
Aboutasazhen[Fathom]belowthelevelofthebarraquetherecoursednoisilyoveritsbedofstonesarivuletwhitewithfoam。
Yetthoughofothersoundsinthevicinitytherewerebutfew，thegeneraleffectwastosuggestthateverythingintheneighbourhoodwasspeakingorsingingataleofsuchsortastoshamethehumanspeciesintosilence。
Onourownsideofthevalleythegroundlaybathedinsunshine——
layscorchedtothepointofseemingtohavespreadoveritatissue-cloth。Oldgoldincolour，whilefromeverysidearosethesweetperfumeofdriedgrasses，andindarkcleftstherecouldbeseensproutingthelong，straightspearsandfiery，reddish，cone-shapedblossomsofthatbold，hardyplantwhichisknowntousassaxifrage——theplantofwhichthecontemplationmakesonelongtoburstintomusic，andfillsone’swholebodywithsensuouslanguor。
Lacedwithpalpitating，snow-whitefoam，thebeautifulrivuletpursueditssportivewayovertessellatedstoneswhichflashedthroughtheeddiesoftheglassy，sunlit，amber-colouredwaterwiththesilkensheenofapatchworkcarpetorcostlyshawlofCashmir。
ThroughthemouthofthedefileonecouldreachthevalleyoftheSunzha，whence，sincemenwerether，buildingarailwaytoPetrovskontheCaspianSea，therekeptissuingandbreakingagainstthecragsadullrumbleofexplosions，ofironraspedagainststone，ofwhistlesofworkslocomotives，andofanimatedhumanvoices。
Fromthebarraquethedistancetothepointwherethedefiledeboucheduponthevalleywasaboutahundredpaces，andasoneissuedthenceonecouldsee，awaytotheleft，thelevelsteppesoftheCis-Caucasus，withaboundarywallofbluehills，toppedbythesilver-hewnsaddleofMountElburzbehindit。True，forthemostpartthesteppeshadadry，yellow，sandylook，withmerelyhereandtheredarkpatchesofgardensorblackpoplarclumpswhichrenderedthegoldenglaremoreglaringstill；yetalsotherecouldbediscernedontheexpansefarmbuildingsshapedlikelumpsofsugarorbutter，with，intheirvicinity，toylikehumanbeingsanddiminutivecattle——thewholeshimmeringandmeltinginamiragebornoftheheat。Andatthemeresightofthosesteppes，withtheirembroideryofsilkundertheblueofthezenith，one’smusclestightened，andonefeltinspiredwithalongingtospringtoone’sfeet，closeone’seyes，andwalkforeverwiththesoft，mournfulsongofthewastecrooninginone’sears。
TotherightalsoofthedefilelaythewindingvalleyoftheSunzha，withmorehills；andabovethosehillshungthebluesky，andintheirflankswerecleftswhich，fullofgreymist，keptemittingaceaselessdinoflabour，asoundofdullexplosions，asagreatpuissantforceattainedrelease。
Yetalmostatthesamemomentwouldthathurly-burlysomergewiththeechoofourdefile，sobecomeburiedinthedefile’sverdureandrockcrevices，thatoncemoretheplacewouldseemtobesingingonlyitsowngentle，gracioussong。
And，shouldoneturntoglanceupthedefile，itcouldbeseentogrownarrowerandnarrowerasitascendedtowardsthemists，andthelattertogrowthickerandthickeruntilthewholedefilewasswathedinadarkbluepall。Higheryettherecouldbediscernedthebrilliantgleamofbluesky。Higheryetonecoulddistinguishtheice-cappedpeakofKaraDagh，floatinganddissolvingamidthefromhereinvisiblesunlight。Highestofallagainbroodedtheserene，steadfastpeaceofheaven。
Also，everythingwasbathedinastrangetintofbluishgrey:towhichcircumstancemusthavebeenduethefactthatalwaysone’ssoulfeltfilledwithrestlessness，one’sheartstirredtodisquietude，andfiredaswithintoxication，chargedwithincomprehensiblethoughts，andconsciousasofasummonstosetforthforsomeunknowndestination。
Theforemanofthecarpentersshadedhiseyestogazeinourdirection；andashedidso，hedrawledandraspedoutintediousfashion:
“Someshalltotheleftbesent，AndinthepitofHellliepent。
Whileothers，holdingpalminhand，ShallonGod’srighttakeuptheirstand。“
“DIDyouhearthat？“theex-soldiergrowledthroughclenchedteeth。“’Palminhand’indeed！Why，thefellowmustbeaMennoniteoraMolokan，thoughthetwo，really，areone，andabsolutelyindistinguishable，aswellasequallyfoolish。Yes，’palminhand’indeed！“
SimilarlycouldIunderstandtheex-soldier’sindignation，for，likehim，Ifeltthatsuchdreary，monotonoussingingwasaltogetheroutofplaceinaspotwhereeverythingcouldtrollasongsodelightfulastoleadonetowishtohearnothingmore，tohearonlythewhisperingoftheforestandthebabblingofthestream。Andespeciallyoutofplacedidtheterms“palm“and“Mennonite“appear。
YetIhadnogreatlovefortheex-soldier。Somehowhejarreduponme。Middle-aged，squat，square，andbleachedwiththesun，hehadfadedeyes，flattened-outfeatures，andanexpressionofrestlessmoroseness。NevercouldImakeoutwhathereallywanted，whathewasreallyseeking。Forinstance，once，afterreviewingtheCaucasusfromKhassav-UrttoNovorossisk，andfromBatumtoDerbent，and，duringthereview，crossingthemountainrangebythreedifferentroutesatleast，heremarkedwithadisparagingsmile:
“IsupposetheLordGodmadethecountry。“
“Youdonotlikeit，then？HowshouldI？GoodfornothingiswhatIcallit。“
Then，withafurtherglanceatme，andatwistofhissinewyneck，headded:
“However，notbadaltogetherareitsforests。“
AnativeofKaluga，hehadservedinTashkend，and，infightingwiththeChechintzesofthatregion，hadbeenwoundedintheheadwithastone。Yetashetoldmethestoryofthisincident，hesmiledshamefacedly，and，throughout，kepthisglassyeyesfixedupontheground。
“ThoughIamashamedtoconfessit，“hesaid，“onceawomanchippedapieceoutofme。Yousee，thewomenofthatregionareshriekingdevils——thereisnootherwordforit；andwhenwecapturedavillagecalledAkhal-Tiapaanumberofthemhadtobecutup，sothattheylayaboutinheaps，andtheirbloodmadewalkingslippery。Justasourcompanyofthereserveenteredthestreet，somethingcaughtmeonthehead。Afterwards，Ilearntthatawomanonaroofhadthrownastone，and，liketherest，hadhadtobeputoutoftheway。“
Here，knittinghisbrows，theex-soldierwentoninmoreseriousvein:
“Yetallthatfolkusedtosayaboutthosewomen，abouttheirhavingbeardstoshave，turnedouttobesomuchgossip，asI
ascertainedformyself。Ididsobyliftingthewoman’sskirtonthepointofmybayonet，whenIperceivedthat，thoughshewaslean，andsmeltlikeagoat，shewasquiteasregularas，as——“
“Thingsmusthavebeenindeedterribleonthatexpedition！“I
interposed。