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had been with her； or Crutch； or the cook； or some peasant！
〃Boo…oo！〃 cried the bittern。 〃Boo…oo！〃
And suddenly she heard clearly the sound of human speech： 〃Put the
horses in； Vavila！〃
By the wayside a camp fire was burning ahead of her： the flames had
died down； there were only red embers。 She could hear the horses
munching。 In the darkness she could see the outlines of two carts； one with
a barrel； the other； a lower one with sacks in it； and the figures of two men；
one was leading a horse to put it into the shafts； the other was standing
motionless by the fire with his hands behind his back。 A dog growled by
the carts。 The one who was leading the horse stopped and said：
〃It seems as though someone were coming along the road。〃
〃Sharik； be quiet！ 〃 the other called to the dog。
And from the voice one could tell that the second was an old man。
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Lipa stopped and said：
〃God help you。〃
The old man went up to her and answered not immediately：
〃Good…evening！〃
〃Your dog does not bite； grandfather？〃
〃No； come along； he won't touch you。〃
〃I have been at the hospital；〃 said Lipa after a pause。 〃My little son
died there。 Here I am carrying him home。〃
It must have been unpleasant for the old man to hear this； for he
moved away and said hurriedly：
〃Never mind； my dear。 It's God's will。 You are very slow； lad；〃 he
added； addressing his companion； 〃look alive！
〃Your yoke's nowhere；〃 said the young man； 〃it is not to be seen。〃
〃You are a regular Vavila。〃
The old man picked up an ember； blew on it only his eyes and nose
were lighted up then； when they had found the yoke； he went with the
light to Lipa and looked at her； and his look expressed compassion and
tenderness。
〃You are a mother；〃 he said； 〃every mother grieves for her child。〃
And he sighed and shook his head as he said it。 Vavila threw
something on the fire； stamped on it and at once it was very dark； the
vision vanished； and as before there were only the fields； the sky with the
stars； and the noise of the birds hindering each other from sleep。 And the
landrail called； it seemed； in the very place where the fire had been。
But a minute passed； and again she could see the two carts and the old
man and lanky Vavila。 The carts creaked as they went out on the road。
〃Are you holy men？〃 Lipa asked the old man。
〃No。 We are from Firsanovo。〃
〃You looked at me just now and my heart was softened。 And the young
man is so gentle。 I thought you must be holy men。〃
〃Are you going far？〃
〃To Ukleevo。〃
〃Get in； we will give you a lift as far as Kuzmenki； then you go
straight on and we turn off to the left。〃
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Vavila got into the cart with the barrel and the old man and Lipa got
into the other。 They moved at a walking pace； Vavila in front。
〃My baby was in torment all day；〃 said Lipa。 〃He looked at me with
his little eyes and said nothing； he wanted to speak and could not。 Holy
Father； Queen of Heaven！ In my grief I kept falling down on the floor。 I
stood up and fell down by the bedside。 And tell me； grandfather； why a
little thing should be tormented before his death？ When a grown…up
person； a man or woman； are in torment their sins are forgiven； but why a
little thing； when he has no sins？ Why？〃
〃Who can tell？〃 answered the old man。
They drove on for half an hour in silence。
〃We can't know everything； how and wherefore；〃 said the old man。 〃It
is ordained for the bird to have not four wings but two because it is able to
fly with two； and so it is ordained for man not to know everything but only
a half or a quarter。 As much as he needs to know so as to live； so much he
knows。〃
〃It is better for me to go on foot； grandfather。 Now my heart is all of a
tremble。〃
〃Never mind； sit still。〃
The old man yawned and made the sign of the cross over his mouth。
〃Never mind；〃 he repeated。 〃Yours is not the worst of sorrows。 Life is
long； there will be good and bad to come； there will be everything。 Great
is mother Russia；〃 he said； and looked round on each side of him。 〃I have
been all over Russia； and I have seen everything in her； and you may
believe my words； my dear。 There will be good and there will be bad。 I
went as a delegate from my village to Siberia； and I have been to the Amur
River and the Altai Mountains and I settled in Siberia； I worked the land
there； then I was homesick for mother Russia and I came back to my
native village。 We came back to Russia on foot； and I remember we went
on a steamer； and I was thin as thin； all in rags； barefoot； freezing with
cold； and gnawing a crust； and a gentleman who was on the steamer the
kingdom of heaven be his if he is dead looked at me pitifully； and the
tears came into his eyes。 'Ah；' he said； 'your bread is black； your days are
black。 。 。 。' And when I got home； as the saying is； there was neither stick
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nor stall； I had a wife； but I left her behind in Siberia； she was buried there。
So I am living as a day labourer。 And yet I tell you： since then I have had
good as well as bad。 Here I do not want to die； my dear； I would be glad to
live another twenty years； so there has been more of the good。 And great is
our mother Russia！〃 and again he gazed to each side and looked round。
〃Grandfather；〃 Lipa asked； 〃when anyone dies； how many days does
his soul walk the earth？〃
〃Who can tell！ Ask Vavila here； he has been to school。 Now they teach
them everything。 Vavila！〃 the old man called to him。
〃Yes！〃
〃Vavila； when anyone dies how long does his soul walk the earth？
Vavila stopped the horse and only then answered：
〃Nine days。 My uncle Kirilla died and his soul lived in our hut thirteen
days after。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃For thirteen days there was a knocking in the stove。〃
〃Well； that's all right。 Go on；〃 said the old man； and it could be seen
that he did not believe a word of all that。
Near Kuzmenki the cart turned into the high road while Lipa went
straight on。 It was by now getting light。 As she went down into the ravi