Yes，atsuchtimesonedesirestotastelifetothefull，andsotolivethattheancientrocksshallsmile，andthesea’swhitehorsesprancethehigher，asone’smouthacclaimstheearthinsuchapaeanthat，intoxicatedwiththelaudation，itshallunfolditsricheswithaddedbountifulnessanddisplaymoreandmoremanifestbeautyunderthespuroftheloveexpressedbyoneofitscreatures，expressedbyahumanbeingwhofeelsfortheearthwhathewouldfeelforawoman，andyearnstofertilisethesametoever-increasingsplendour。
Nevertheless，wordsareasheavyasstones，andafterfellingfancytotheground，servebuttoheaphergreycoffin-lid，andcauseone，asonestandscontemplatingthetomb，tolaughinsheerself-derision……
Suddenly，plungedindreamsasIwalkedalong，Iheardthroughtheplashofthewavesandthesizzleofthefoamtheunfamiliarwords:
“Hymen，Demon，Igamon，andZmiulan。Gooddevilsarethese，notbad。“
“HowdoesChristgetonwiththem？“Iasked。
“Christ？Hedoesnotenterintothematter。“
“IsHehostiletothem？“
“IsHeHOSTILEtothem？HowcouldHebe？Devilsofthatkindaredevilstothemselves-devilsofadecentsort。Besides，tonooneisChristhostile“
[IntheRussianthishiatusoccursasmarked。]
Asthoughunableanylongertobravetheassaultofthebillows，thepathsuddenlyswervedtowardsthebushesonourright，and，indoingso，causedthecloud-wrappedmountainstoshiftcorrespondinglytoourimmediatefront，wherethemassesofvapourweredarkeningasthoughrainwereprobable。
Kalinin’sdiscourseprovedinstructiveaswithhisstickhefromtimetotimeknockedthetrackclearofclingingtendrils。
“Thelocalityisnotwithoutitsperils，“onceheremarked。
“Forhereaboutstherelurksmalaria。ItdoessobecauselongagoMaliarofKostromabanishedhisevilsister，Fever，totheseparts。Probablyhewaspaidtodoso，buttheexactcircumstancesescapemymemory。“
Sothicklywasthesurfaceoftheseastreakedwithcloud-shadowsthatitboretheappearanceofbeinginmourning，ofbeingdeckedinthefuneralcoloursofblackandwhite。Afaroff，Gudaoutlaylashedwithfoam，whileconstantlyobjectslikesnowdriftskeptglidingtowardsit。
“Tellmemoreaboutthosedevils，“Isaidatlength。
“Well，ifyouwish。ButwhatexactlyamItotellyouaboutthem？“
“Allthatyoumayhappentoknow。“
“Oh，IknowEVERYTHINGaboutthem。“
Tothismycompanionaddedawink。Thenhecontinued:
“IsaythatIknoweverythingaboutthosedevilsforthereasonthatformymotherIhadamostremarkablewoman，awomancognisantofeachandeveryspeciesofproverb，anathema，anditemofhagiology。Youmustknowthat，afterspreadingmybedbesidethekitchenstoveeachnight，andherownbedonthetopofthestovefor，afterherwet-nursingofthreeoftheGeneral’schildren，shelivedalifeofabsoluteease，anddidnoworkatall——“
HereKalininhalted，and，drivinghisstickintotheground，glancedbackalongthepathbeforeresuminghiswaywithfirm，lengthystrides。
“ImaytellyouthattheGeneralhadaniecenamedValentinaIgnatievna。Andshetoowasamostremarkablewoman。“
“Remarkableforwhat？“
“RemarkableforEVERYTHING。“
Atthismomenttherecamefloatingoverourheadsthroughthedamp-saturatedairacormorant——oneofthosevoraciousbirdswhichsomarkedlylackintelligence。Andsomehowthewhistlingofitspowerfulpinionsawokeinmeanunpleasantreminiscentthought。
“Praycontinue，“Isaidtomyfellowtraveller。
Andeachnight，asIlayonthefloorImaymentionthatneverdidIclimbontothestove，andtothisdayIdisliketheheatofone，itwashercustomtositwithherlegsdanglingovertheedgeofthetop，andtellmestories。Andthoughtheroomwouldbetoodarkformetoseeherface，Icouldyetseethethingsofwhichshewouldbespeaking。Andattimes，asthesetalescamefloatingdowntome，Iwouldfindthemsohorribleastobeforcedtocryout，’Oh，Mamka，Mamka，DON’T！……’TothishourIhavenoloveforthebizarre，andambutapoorhandatrememberingit。Andasstrangeasherstorieswasmymother。
Eventuallyshediedofanattackofblood-poisoningand，thoughbutforty，hadbecomegrey-headed。Yes，andsoterriblydidshesmellafterherdeaththateveryoneinthekitchenwasconstrainedtoexclaimattheodour。“
“Yes，butwhatofthedevils？“
“Youmustwaitaminuteortwo。“
Everasweproceeded，clinging，fantasticbrancheskeptclosinginuponthepath，sothatweappearedtobewalkingthroughaseaofmurmuringverdure。Andfromtimetotimeaboughwouldflickusasthoughtosay:“Speed，speed，ortherainwillbeuponyou！“
Ifanything，however，mycompanionslackenedhispaceasinmeasured，sing-songaccentshecontinued:
“WhenJesusChrist，God’sSon，wentforthintothewildernesstocollectHisthoughts，SatansentdevilstosubjectHimtotemptation。Christwasthenyoung；andasHesatontheburningsandinthemiddleofthedesert，Heponderedupononethingandanother，andplayedwithahandfulofpebbleswhichHehadcollected。Untilpresentlyfromafar，theredescriedHimthedevilsHymen，Demon，Igamon，andZmiulan——devilsofequalagewiththeSaviour。
“DrawingnearuntoHim，theysaid，’PraysufferustosportwithThee。’WhereuponChristansweredwithasmile:’Praybeseated。’
Thenallofthemdidsitdowninacircle，andproceedtobusiness，whichbusinesswastoseewhetherornotanymemberofthepartycouldsothrowastoneintotheairastopreventitfromfallingbackupontheburningsand。
[IntheoriginalRussianthishiatusoccursasgiven。]
“ChristHimselfwasthefirsttothrowastone；whereuponHisstonebecamechangedintoasix-wingeddove，andflutteredawaytowardstheTempleofJerusalem。And，next，theimpotentdevilsstrovetodothesame；untilatlength，whentheysawthatChristcouldnotinanywisebetempted，Zmiulan，theseniorofthedevils，cried:
“’0hLord，wewilltemptTheenomore；forofasuretydoweavailnot，and，thoughwebedevils，nevershalldoso！’
“’Aye，nevershallye！’Christdidagree。’And，therefore，I
willnowfulfilthatwhichfromthefirstIdidconceive。ThatyebedevilsIknowrightwell。Andthat，whileyetafaroff，yedid，onbeholdingme，havecompassionuponmeIknowrightwell。
Whilealsoyedidnotinanywiseseektoconcealfrommethetruthasconcerningyourselves。Henceshallye，fortheremainderofyourlives，beGOODdevils；sothatatthelastshallmattersberenderedeasierforyou。Dothou，Zmiulan，becomeKingoftheOcean，andsendthewindsoftheseatocleansethelandoffoulair。Anddothou，Demon，seetoitthatthecattleshalleatofnopoisonousherb，butthatallherbsofthesortbecoveredwithprickles。Dothou，Igamon，comfort，bynight，allcomfortlesswidowswhoshallbeblamingGodforthedeathoftheirhusbands？
Anddothou，Hymen，astheyoungestdeviloftheband，chooseforthyselfwhereinshallliethycharge。’
“’0hLord，’repliedHymen，’Idolovebuttolaugh。’
“AndtheSaviourreplied:
“’Thencausethoufolktolaugh。Only，markthou，seetoitthattheylaughnotINCHURCH。’
“’YeteveninchurchwouldIlaugh，0hLord，’thedevilobjected。
“’JesusChristHimselflaughed。
“’Godgowithyou！’atlengthHesaid。’Thenletfolklaugheveninchurch——butQUIETLY。’
“InsuchwisedidChristconvertthosefourevildevilsintodevilsofgoodness。“
Soaringoverthegreen，bushyseawereanumberofoldoaks。Onthemtheyellowleavesweretremblingasthoughchilled；hereandthereasturdyhazelwasdoffingitswitheredgarments，andelsewhereawildcherrywasquivering，andelsewhereanalmostnakedchestnutwaspolitelyrenderingobeisancetotheearth。
“Didyoufindthatstoryofmineagoodone？“mycompanioninquired。
“Idid，forChristwassogoodinit。“
“AlwaysandeverywhereHeisso，“Kalininproudlyrejoined。“ButdoyoualsoknowwhatanoldwomanofSmolenskusedtosingconcerningHim？“
“Idonot。“
Halting，mystrangetravellerchantedinafeignedlysenileandtremulousvoice，ashebeattimewithhisfoot:
Intheheavensaflow’rdothblow，ItistheSonofGod。
Fromitallourjoysdoflow，ItistheSonofGod。
Inthesun’sredraysHedwellsHe，theSonofGod。
Hislightoureveryilldispels。