“Idonotknowforcertain，since，thoughmenwhotookanactualpartintheexpedition’sengagementshavesaidthattheyweresotheChechintzeisaviciousbrute，andnevergivesin，Imyselfknowbutlittleoftheaffair，sinceIspentmywholetimeinthereserve，andneveroncedidmycompanyadvancetotheassault。
No，itmerelylayaboutonthesand，andfiredatlongrange。Infact，nothingbutsandwastobeseenthereabouts；nordidweeversucceedinfindingoutwhatthefightingwasfor。True，ifapieceofcountrybegood，itisinourinteresttotakeit；butinthepresentcasethecountrywaspoorandbare，withneverariverinsight，andaclimatesohotthatallonethoughtofwasone’smortalneedofadrink。Infact，someofourfellowsdiedofthirstoutright。Moreover，inthosepartstheregrowsasortofmilletcalleddzhugar——milletwhichnotonlyhasahorribletaste，butprovesabsolutelydelusive，sincethemoreoneeatsofit，thelessonefeelsfilled。“
Astheex-soldiertoldmethetalecolourlesslyandreluctantly，withfrequentpausesbetweenthesentencesasthougheitherhefounditdifficulttorecalltheexperienceorhewerethinkingofsomethingelse，heneveroncelookedmestraightintheface，butkepthiseyesshamefacedlyfixedupontheground。
Unwieldilyandunhealthilystout，healwaysconveyedtometheimpressionofbeingchargedwithavaguediscontent，asortofcaptiousinertia。
“Absolutelyunfitforsettlementisthiscountry“hecontinuedasheglancedaroundhim。“Itisfitonlytodonothingin。Forthatmatter，onedoesn’tWANTtodoanythinginit，savetolivewithone’seyesbulginglikeadrunkard’s——fortheclimateistoohot，andtheplacesmellslikeachemist’sshoporahospital。“
Nevertheless，forthepasteightyearshadhebeenroamingthis“toohot“country，asthoughfascinated！
“WhynotreturntoRiazan？“Isuggested。
“Nothingwouldtherebethereformetodo，“herepliedthroughhisteeth，andwithanodddivisionofhiswords。
MyfirstencounterwithhimhadbeenattherailwaystationatArmavir，where，purpleinthefacewithexcitement，hehadbeenstampinglikeahorse，and，withdistendedeyes，hissing，or，rather，snarling，atacoupleofGreeks:
“I’lltearthefleshfromyourbones！“
Meanwhilethetwolean，withered，ragged，identicallysimilardenizensofHellashadbeenbaringtheirsharpwhiteteethatintervals，andsayingapologetically:
“Whathasangeredyou，sir？“
Finally，regardlessoftheGreeks’words，theex-soldierhadbeathisbreastlikeadrum，andshoutedinaccentsofincreasedvenom:
“Now，whereareyouliving？InRussia，doyousay？Thenwhoissupportingyouthere？Aha-a-a！Russia，itissaid，isagoodfoster-mother。Iexpectyousaythesame。“
And，lastly，hehadapproachedafat，grey-headed，bemedalledgendarme，andcomplainedtohim:
“EveryonecursesusbornRussians，yeteveryonecomestolivewithus——Greeks，Germans，Songs，andthelot。Andwhiletheygettheirlivelihoodhere，andcatanddrinktheirfill，theycontinuetocurseus。Ascandal，isitnot？“
ThethirdmemberofourpartywasamanofaboutthirtywhoworeaCossackcapoverhisleftear，andhadaCossackforelock，roundedfeatures，alargenose，adarkmoustache，andaretrousselip。Whenthevolatileyoungengineeringstudentfirstbroughthimtousandsaid，“Hereisanothermanforyou，“thenewcomerglancedatmethroughthelashesofhiselusiveeyes——thenplungedhishandsintothepocketsofhisTurkishoveralls。Justasweweredeparting，however，hewithdrewonehandfromthelefttrouserpocket，passeditslowlyoverthedarkbristlesofhisunshavenchin，andaskedinmusicaltones:
“DoyoucomefromRussia？“
“Whenceelse，Ishouldliketoknow？“snappedtheex-soldiergruffly。
Uponthisthenewcomertwistedhisright-handmoustachethenreplacedhishandinhispocket。Broad-shouldered，sturdy，andwell-builtthroughout，hewalkedwiththestrideofamanwhoisaccustomedtocoverlongdistances。Yetwithhimhehadbroughtneitherwalletnorgripsack，andsomehowhissupercilious，retrousseupperlipandthicklyfringedeyesirritatedme，andinclinedmetobesuspiciousof，andevenactivelytodislike，theman。
Suddenly，whilewewereproceedingalongthecausewaybythesideoftherivulet，heturnedtous，andsaid，ashenoddedtowardsthesportivelycoursingwater:
“Lookatthematchmaker！“
Theex-soldierhoistedhisbleachedeyebrows，andgazedaroundhimforamomentinbewilderment。Thenhewhispered:
“Thefool！“
But，formyownpart，Iconsideredthatwhatthemanhadsaidwasapposite；thattherugged，boisterouslittleriverdidindeedresemblesomefussy，light-heartedoldladywholovedtoarrangeaffairesducoeurbothforherownprivateamusementandforthepurposeofenablingotherfolktorealisethejoysofaffectionamidwhichshewasliving，andofwhichshewouldnevergrowweary，andtowhichshedesiredtointroducetherestoftheworldasspeedilyaspossible。
Similarly，whenwearrivedatthebarraquethismanwiththeCossackfaceglancedattherivulet，andthenatthemountainsandthesky，and，finally，appraisedthesceneinonepregnant，comprehensiveexclamationof“Slavno！“[Howsplendid！]
Theex-soldier，whowasengagedinriddinghimselfofhisknapsack，straightenedhimself，andaskedwithhisarmssetakimbo:
“WHATisitthatissosplendid？“
Foramomentortwothenewcomermerelyeyedthesquatfigureofhisquestioner——afigureuponwhichhungdrabshredsaslichenhangsuponastone。Thenhesaidwithasmile:
“Cannotyouseeforyourself？Takethatmountainthere，andthatcleftinthemountain——aretheynotgoodtolookat？“
Andashemovedaway，theex-soldiergapedafterhimwitharepeatedwhisperof:
“Thefool！“
Towhichpresentlyheaddedinalouder，aswellasamysterious，tone:
“Ihaveheardthatoccasionallytheysendfeverpatientshitherfortheirhealth。“
Thesameeveningsawtwosturdywomenarrivewithsupperforthecarpenters；whereupontheclatteroflabourceased，andthereforetherustlingoftheforestandthemurmuringoftherivuletbecamethemoredistinct。
Next，deliberately，andwithmanycoughs，theex-soldiersettoworktocollectsometwigsandchipsforthepurposeoflightingafire。Afterwhich，havingarrangedakettleovertheflames，hesaidtomesuggestively:
“Youtooshouldcollectsomefirewood，forinthesepartsthenightsaredarkandchilly。“
Isetforthinsearchofchipsamongthestoneswhichlayaroundthebarraque，and，insodoing，stumbledacrossthenewcomer，whowaslyingwithhisbodyrestingonanelbow，andhisheadonhishand，asheconnedamanuscriptspreadoutbeforehim。Asheraisedhiseyestogazevaguely，inquiringlyintomyface，Isawthatoneofhiseyeswaslargerthantheother。
Evidentlyhedivinedthatheinterestedme，forhesmiled。YetsotakenabackbythiswasI，thatIpassedonmywaywithoutspeaking。
Meanwhilethecarpenters，disposedintwocirclesaroundthebarraqueacircletoeachwoman，partookofasilentsupper。
Deeperanddeepergrewtheshadowofnightoverthedefile。
Warmerandwarmer，denseranddenser，grewtheair，untilthetwilightcausedtheslopesofthemountainstosofteninoutline，andtherockstoseemtoswellandmergewiththebluish-
blacknesswhichoverhungthebedofthedefile，andthesuperimposedheightstoformasingleapparentwhole，andthesceneingeneraltoresolveitselfinto，becomeunitedinto，onecompactbulk。
Quietlythendidtintshithertoredextinguishtheirtremulousglow——softlythereflaredup，dustedpurpleinthesunset’ssheen，thepeakofKaraDagh。Viceversa，thefoamoftherivuletnowblushedtored，and，seemingly，assuageditsvehemence——flowedwithadeeper，amorepensive，note；whilesimilarlytheforesthusheditsvoice，andappearedtostooptowardsthewaterwhileemittingevermorepowerful，intoxicatingodourstominglewiththeresinous，cloyinglysweetperfumeofourwoodfire。
Theex-soldiersquatteddownbeforethelittleblaze，andrearrangedsomefuelunderthekettle。
“Whereistheotherman？“saidhe。“Goandfetchhim。“
Idepartedforthepurpose，and，onmyway，heardoneofthecarpentersintheneighbourhoodofthebarraquesayinathick，unctuous，sing-songvoice。
“Agreatworkisitindeed！“
WhereafterIheardthetwowomenfalltodrawlinginlow，hungryaccents:
“WiththefleshI’llconquerpain；
Thespiritshallmylustrestrain；
All-supremethesoulshallreign；
Andcarnalviceslureinvain。“
True，thewomenpronouncedtheirwordsdistinctlyenough；yetalwaystheyprolongedthefinal“u“soundofthestanza’sfirstandthirdlinesuntil，asthemelodyfloatedawayintothedarkness，and，asitwere，sanktoearth，itcametoresemblethelong-drawnhowlofawolf。
Inanswertomyinvitationtocometosupper，thenewcomersprangtohisfeet，foldeduphismanuscript，stuffeditintooneofthepocketsofhisraggedcoat，andsaidwithasmile: