Theraindropsnowwerefallingmoregently，andinfinerlinesandmoretransparentnetwork，sothatonecouldoncemoredescrythegreattrunksoftheblackenedoaks，withthegreenandgoldoftheirleaves。Also，ourownhollowhadgrownlessdark，andtherecouldbediscerneditssmoky，satin-brightwalls。FromthosewallsKalininpickedabitofcharcoalwithfingerandthumb，saying:
“Itwasshepherdsthatfiredtheplace。Seewheretheydraggedinhayanddeadleaves！Ashepherd’sfifehereaboutsmustbeatrulygloriousone！“
Lastly，claspinghisheadasthoughhewereabouttofallasleep，hesankhischinbetweenhisknees，andrelapsedintosilence。
Presentlyabrilliant，sinuouslittlerivuletwhichhadlongbeenlavingthebarerootsofourtreebroughtfloatingpastusaredandfawnleaf。
“Howpretty，“Ithought，“thatleafwilllookfromadistancewhenreposingonthesurfaceofthesea！For，likethesunwhenheisinsolitarypossessionoftheheavens，thatleafwillstandoutagainsttheblue，silkyexpanselikealonelyredstar。“
Afterawhilemycompanionbegan，catlike，topurrtohimselfasong。Itsmelody，themelodyof“themoonwithdrewbehindacloud，“wasfamiliarenough，butnotsothewords，whichran:
0hValentina，wondrousmaid，Morecomelythouthane’eraflow’r！
Thenurse’ssondothpineforthee，Andyearntoservetheeeveryhour！
“Whatdoesthatdittymean？“Iinquired。
Kalininstraightenedhimself，gaveawriggletoaformthatwasaslitheasalizard’s，andpassedonehandoverhisface。
“Itisacertaincomposition，“herepliedpresently。“Itisacompositionthatwascomposedbyamilitaryclerkwhoafterwardsdiedofconsumption。Hewasmyfriendhislifelong，andmyonlyfriend，andatrueone，besidesbeingamanoutofthecommon。“
“AndwhowasValentina？“
“Myone-timemistress，“Kalininspokeunwillingly。
“Andhe，theclerk——washeinlovewithher？“
“Ohdearno！“
EvidentlyKalininhadnoparticularwishtodiscussthesubject，forhehuggedhimselftogether，buriedhisfaceinhishands，andmuttered:
“Ishouldliketokindleafire，wereitnotthateverythingintheplaceistoodampforthepurpose。“
Thewindshookthetrees，andwhistleddespondently，whilethefine，persistentrainstillwhippedtheearth。
“Ibuthumbleam，andpoor，Norfatedtobeotherwise，“
sangKalininsoftlyas，flinginguphisheadwithanunexpectedmovement，headdedmeaningly:
“Yes，itisamournfulsong，asongwhichcouldmovetotears。
Onlytotwopersonshasiteverbeenknown；tomyfriendtheclerkandtomyself。Yes，andtoHER，thoughIneedhardlyaddthatatoncesheforgotit。“
AndKalinin’seyesflashedintoasmileasheadded:
“Ithinkthat，asayoungman，youhadbetterlearnforthwithwherethegreatestdangerlurksinlife。Letmetellyouastory。“
Anduponthataveryhumantalefilteredthroughthesilkenmonotonousswishofthedownpour，with，forlistenerstoit，onlytherainandmyself。
“LukianovwasNEVERinlovewithher，“henarrated。“OnlyIwasthat。AllthatLukianovdidinthematterwastowrite，atmyrequest，someverses。WhenshefirstappearedonthesceneI
meanValentinaIgnatievnaIwasjustturnednineteenyearsofage；andtheinstantthatmyeyesfelluponherformIrealisedthatinheralonelaymyfate，andmyheartalmoststoppedbeating，andmyvitalitystretchedouttowardsherasaspeckofdustfliestowardsafire。YetallthisIhadtoconcealasbestImight；withtheresultthatinthecompany’spresenceIfeltlikeasentrydoingguarddutyinthepresenceofhiscommandingofficer。Butatlast，thoughIstrovetopullmyselftogether，tosteadymyselfagainstthefermentthatwasraginginmybreast，somethinghappened。ValentinaIgnatievnawasthenagedabouttwenty-five，andverybeautiful——marvellous，infact！Also，shewasanorphan，sinceherfatherhadbeenkilledbytheChechentzes，andhermotherhaddiedofsmallpoxatSamarkand。AsregardsherkinshipwiththeGeneral，shestoodtohimintherelationofniecebymarriage。Golden-locked，andasskin-fairasenamelledporcelain，shehadeyeslikeemeralds，andafigurewhollysymmetrical，thoughasslimasawafer。ForbedroomshehadalittlecornerapartmentsituatednexttothekitchentheGeneralpossessedhisownhouse，ofcourse，while，inaddition，theyallottedherabrightlittleboudoirinwhichshedisposedhercuriosandknickknacks，fromcut-glassbottlesandgobletstoacopperpipeandaglassringmountedoncopper。Thisring，whenturned，usedtoemitshowersofglitteringsparks，thoughshewasinnowayafraidofthem，butwouldsingasshemadethemdance:
“Notformethespringwilldawn！
NotformetheBugwillspate！
Notformelove’ssmilewillwait！
Notforme，ah，notforme！
“Constantlywouldshewarblethis。
“Also，oncesheflashedanappealatmewithhereyes，andsaid:
“’Alexei，pleasenevertouchanythinginmyroom，formythingsaretoofragile。’
“Sureenough，inHERpresenceANYTHINGmighthavefallenfrommyhands！
“Meanwhilehersongabout’Notforme’usedtomakemefeelsorryforher。’Notforyou？’Iusedtosaytomyself。’OughtnotEVERYTHINGtobeforyou？’Andthisreflectionwouldcausemyhearttoyearnandstretchtowardsher。Next，Iboughtaguitar，aninstrumentwhichIcouldnotplay，andtookitforinstructiontoLukianov，theclerkoftheDivisionalStaff，whichhaditsheadquartersinourstreet。InpassingImaysaythatLukianovwasalittleJewishconvertwithdarkhair，sallowfeatures，andgimlet-sharpeyes，butbeyondallthingsafellowwithbrains，andonewhocouldplaytheguitarunforgettably。
“Oncehesaid:’Inlifeallthingsareattainable——nothingneedweloseforwantoftrying。Forwhencedoeseverythingcome？Fromtheplainestofmankind。AmanmaynotbeBORNintherankofageneral，butatleasthemayattaintothatposition。Also，thebeginningandendingofallthingsiswoman。Allthatsherequiresforhercaptivationispoetry。Hence，letmewriteyousomeverses，thatyoumaytenderthemtoherasanoffering。’
“These，mindyou，werethewordsofamaninwhomtheheartwasabsolutelysingle，absolutelydispassionate。“
UntilthenKalininhadtoldhisstoryswiftly，withanimation；
butthereafterheseemed，asitwere，tobecomeextinguished。
Afterapauseofafewsecondshecontinued——continuedinslower，toallappearancesmoreunwilling，accents——
“AtthetimeIbelievedwhatLukianovsaid，butsubsequentlyI
cametoseethatthingswerenotaltogetherashehadrepresented——thatwomanismerelyadelusion，andpoetrymerelyfiddle-faddle；andthatamancannotescapehisfate，andthat，thoughgoodinwar，boldnessis，inpeaceaffairs，butnakedeffrontery。Inthis，brother，liesthechief，thefundamentallawoflife。Fortheworldcontainscertainpeopleofhighstation，andcertainpeopleoflow；andsolongasthesetwocategoriesretaintheirrespectivepositions，allgoeswell；butassoonaseveramanseekstopassfromtheuppercategorytotheinferiorcategory，orfromtheinferiortotheupper，thefatfallsintothefire，andthatmanfindshimselfstuckmidway，stuckneitherherenorthere，andboundtoabidetherefortheremainderofhislife，fortheremainderofhislife……Alwayskeeptoyourownposition，tothepositionassignedyoubyfate……WilltherainNEVERcease，thinkyou？“
Bythistime，asamatteroffact，theraindrops。werefallinglessheavilyanddenselythanhitherto，andthewetcloudswerebeginningtorevealbrightpatchesinthemoisture-soakedfirmament，asevidencethatthesunwasstillinexistence。
“Continue，“Isaid。
Kalininlaughed。
“Thenyoufindthestoryaninterestingone，“heremarked。
Presentlyheresumed:
“AsIhavesaid，ItrustedLukianovimplicitly，andbeggedofhimtowritetheverses。Andwritethemhedid——hewrotethemtheverynextday。True，atthisdistanceoftimeIhaveforgottenthewordsintheirentirety，butatleastIrememberthatthereoccurredinthemaphrasetotheeffectthat’fordaysandweekshaveyoureyesbeenconsumingmyheartinthefireoflove，sopityme，Ipray。’Ithenproceededtocopyoutthepoem，andtremblinglytoleaveitonhertable。
“Thenextmorning，whenIwastidyingherboudoir，shemadeanunexpectedentry，and，cladinaloose，reddressing-gown，andholdingacigarettebetweenherlips，saidtomewithakindlysmileassheproducedmypreciouspaperofverses:
“’Alexei，didYOUwritethese？’
“’Yes，’wasmyreply。’AndforChrist’ssakepardonmeforthesame。’
“’Whatapitythatsuchafancyshouldhaveenteredyourhead！
For，yousee，Iamengagedalready——myuncleisintendingtomarrymetoDoctorKliachka，andIampowerlessinthematter。’