Getbacktowork，there！“Indeed，he，theforeman，hadoutdoneallinhismanifestationsofdislikeforourfriendship，andasmonotonouslyasthoughhehadbeenmindedtorivaltherivuletasasongster，hehadhummedhispiousditties，orelseraisedhissnufflingvoicetosingthemwithanever-importunatemeasureofinsistence，sothatalldaylongthosedittieshadbeencoursingtheirwayinamurky，melancholy-compellingflood。Indeed，astheforemanhadsteppedcautiouslyonthinlegsfromstonetostoneduringhisceaselessinspectionoftheworkofhismen，hehadcometoseemtohaveforhisobjectthedescribingofaninvisible，circularpath，asameansofsegregatingusmoresecurelythaneverfromthesocietyofthecarpenters。
Personally，however，Ihadnodesiretoconversewithhim，forhisfrozeneyeschilledandrepelledmeandfromthemomentwhenIhadapproachedhim，andseenhimfoldhishandsbehindhim，andrecoilastepasheinquiredwithsuppressedsternness，“Whatdoyouwant？“therehadfallenawayfrommeallfurtherambitiontolearnthenatureofthesongswhichhesang。
Theex-soldiergazedathimresentfully，thensaidwithanoath:
“Theoldwizardandpilferer！Takemywordforitthatalumpofpietylikethathasgotaprettystoreputawaysomewhere。“
Whereafter，ashelithispipeandsquintedinthedirectionofthecarpenters，headdedwithstifledwrath:
“Theairsthatthe’elect’givethemselves——thesonsofbitches！“
“Itisalwaysso，“commentedVasiliwitharesentmentequaltothelastspeaker’s。“Yes，nosooner，withus，doesamanaccumulatealittlemoneythanhestickshisnoseintheair，andfallstothinkinghimselfarealbarin。“
“Whyisitthatyoualwayssay’Withus，’and’Amongus，’andsoon？“
“AmongusRussians，then，ifyoulikeitbetter。“
“Idolikeitbetter。ForyouarenotaGerman，areyou，noraTartar？“
“No。ItismerelythatIcanseethefaultsinourRussianfolk。“
Uponthatnotforthefirsttimethepairplungedintoadiscussionwhichhadcomesotowearythemthatnowtheyspokeonlyindifferently，withouteffort。
“Theword’faults’is，Iconsider，aninsult，“begantheex-
soldierashepuffedathispipe。“Besides，youdon’tspeakconsistently。OnlythismomentIobservedachangeinyourterms。“
“Towhat？“
“Totheterm’Russians。’“
“Whatshouldyouprefer？“
AnewsoundfloatedintothedefileasfromsomepointonthesteppethesoundofabellsummoningfolktotheusualSaturdayvigilservice。Removinghispipefromhismouth，theex-soldierlistenedforamomentortwo。Then，atthethirdandlaststrokeofthebell，hedoffedhiscap，crossedhimselfwithpunctiliouspiety，andsaid:
“Therearenotverymanychurchesintheseparts。“
Whereafterhethrewaglanceacrosstheriver，andaddedvenomously:
“ThosedevilsTHEREdon’tcrossthemselves，theaccursedSerbs！“
Vasililookedathim，twistedaleft-handmoustache，smootheditagain，regardedforamomenttheskyandthedefile，andsankhishead。
“Thetroublewithme，“heremarkedinanundertone，“isthatI
canneverremainverylonginoneplace——alwaysIkeepfancyingthatIshallmeetwithbetterthingselsewhere，alwaysIkeephearingabirdsinginginmyheart，’Doyougofurther，doyougofurther。’“
“ThatbirdsingsintheheartofEVERYman，“theex-soldiergrowledsulkily。
Withaglanceatusboth，Vasililaughedasubduedlaugh。
“’Intheheartofeveryman’？“herepeated。“Why，suchastatementisabsurd。Foritmeans，doesitnot，thateveryoneofusisanidler，everyoneofusisconstantlywaitingforsomethingtoturnup——that，infact，nooneofusisanybetterthan，orabletodoanybetterthan，thefolkwhosesoleutteranceis’Giveuntous，praygiveuntous’？Yes，ifthatbethecase，itisanunfortunatecaseindeed！“
Andagainhelaughed。Yethiseyesweresorrowful，andasthefingersofhisrighthandlayuponhiskneetheytwitchedasthoughtheywerelongingtograspsomethingunseen。
Theex-soldierfrownedandsnorted。Formyownpart，however，I
felttroubledfor，andsorryfor，Vasili。Presentlyherose，brokeintoasoftwhistle，andmovedawaybythesideofthestream。
“Hisheadisnotquiteright，“mutteredtheex-soldierashewinkedinthedirectionoftheretreatingfigure。“Yes，Itellyouthatstraight，forfromthefirstitwascleartome。
Otherwise，whatcouldhiswordsindepredationofRussiamean，whenofRussianothingtheleasthardordefinitecanbesaid？
Whoreallyknowsher？Whatissheinreality，seeingthateachofherprovincesisasoultoitself，andnoonecouldstatewhichofthetwoHolyMothersstandsnearesttoGod——theHolyMotherofSmolensk，ortheHolyMotherofKazan？“
Forawhilethespeakersatscrapinggreasydepositfromthebottomandsidesofthekettle；andallthatwhilehegrumbledasthoughhehadagrudgeagainstsomeone。Atlength，however，heassumedanattitudeofattention，withhisneckstretchedoutasthoughtolistentosomesound。
“Hist！“washisexclamation。
Whatthenfollowed，followedasunexpectedlyaswhen，likeanevilbird，asummerwhirlwindsuddenlysweepsupfromthehorizon，anddischargesabluish-blackcloudintorrentsofrainandhail，untileverythingisoverwhelmedandbatteredtomud。
Thatistosay，withmuchdinofwhistlingandothersoundstherenowcamepouringintothedefile，andbegantoascendthetrailbesidethestream，astragglingprocessionofsomethirtyworkmenwith，gleamingdullyinthehandsoftheirleadingfiles，flagonsofvodka，and，suspendedonthebacksandshouldersofothers，walletsandbagsofbreadandothercomestibles，and，intwoinstances，poisedontheheadsofyetotherprocessionists，largeblackcauldronstheeffectofwhichwastomaketheirbearerslooklikemushrooms。
“Avedro[23/4gallons]andahalftothecauldron！“whisperedtheex-soldierwithacomputativegruntashegainedhisfeet。
“Yes，avedroandahalf，“herepeated。Ashespokethetipofhistongueprotrudeduntilitrestedontheunder-lipofhishalf-openedmouth。Inhisfacetherewasacuriouslythirsty，grossexpression，andhisattitude，ashestoodthere，wasthatofonewhohadjustreceivedablow，andwasabouttocryoutinconsequence。
Meanwhilethedefilerumbledlikeabarrelintowhichheavyweightsarebeingdropped，foroneofthenewcomerswasbeatinganemptytinpail，andanotheronewhistlinginamannerthetossedechoesofwhichdrownedeventherivulet’smurmurasnearerandnearercamethemobofmen，amobcladvariouslyinblack，grey，orrusset，withsleevesrolledup，andheads，inmanycases，baresavefortheirowntowsled，dishevelledlocks，andbodiesbentwithfatigue，orcarriedstumblinglyalongonlegsbowedoutwards。Meanwhile，asthedull，polyphonousroarofvoicessweptthroughtheneckofthedefile，amanshoutedinbroken，buttruculent，accents:
“Isayno！Fiddlesticks！Notamanistherewhocoulddrinkmorethanavedroof’blood-and-sweat’inaday。“
“Amancoulddrinkalakeofit。“
“No，avedroandahalf。Thatistheproperreckoning。“
“Aye，avedroandahalf。“Andtheex-soldier，asherepeatedthewords，spokebothasthoughhewereanexpertinthematterandasthoughhefeltforthematteratouchofrespect。Then，lurchingforwardlikeamanpushedbythescruffoftheneck，hecrossedtherivulet，interceptedthecrowd，andbecameswallowedupinitsmidst。
Aroundthebarraquethecarpenterstheforemaneverglimmeringamongthemwerehurriedlycollectingtools。PresentlyVasilireturned——hisrighthandthrustintohispocket，andhisleftholdinghiscap。
“Beforelongthosefellowswillbeproperlydrunk！“hesaidwithafrown。“Ah，thatvodkaofours！Itisaperfectcurse！“
Thentome:“DoYOUdrink？“
“No，“Ireplied。
“ThankGodforthat！Ifonedoesnotdrinkonewillneverreallygetintotrouble。“
Foramomenthegazedgloomilyinthedirectionofthenewcomers。
Thenhesaidwithoutmoving，withoutevenlookingatme:
“Youhaveremarkableeyes，youngfellow。Also，theyseemfamiliartome——Ihaveseenthemsomewherebefore。Possiblythathappenedinadream，thoughIcannotbesure。Wheredoyoucomefrom？“
Ianswered，but，afterscanningmeperplexedly，heshookhishead。
“No，“heremarked。“Ihavenevervisitedthatpartofthecountry，orindeed，beensofarfromhome。“
“Butthisplaceisfurtherstill？“
“Furtherstill？“
“Yes——fromKursk。“
Helaughed。
“Imusttellyouthetruth，“hesaid。“IamnotaKurskanatall，butaPskovian。ThereasonwhyItoldtheex-soldierthatI
wasfromKurskwasthatIneitherlikedhimnorcaredtotellhimthewholetruth-hewasnotworththetrouble。Andasformyrealname，itisPaul，notVasili——PaulNikolaevSilantiev——andissomarkedonmypassportforapassport，andapassportquiteinorder，Ihavegot。“
“Andwhyareyouonyourtravels？“
“ForthereasonthatIamso——Icansaynomore。Ilookbackfromagivenplace，andwavemyhand，andamgoneagainasafeatherfloatsbeforethewind。“