led by a mass of ragged sheepskin.

"Here," he said, "this woman is dead. Take her out. When will you learn
to be clean? This boy may live--with care. Bring the light closer,
little mother. So, it is well. He will live. Come, don't sit crying.
Take all these rags out and burn them. All of you go out. It is a fine
night. You are better in the cart-shed than here. Here, you, Tula, go
round with the starosta to his store. He will give you clean blankets."

They obeyed him blindly. Tula and one of the young women (his daughters)
dragged the dead body, which was that of a very old woman, out into the
night. The starosta had retired to the door-way when the lamp was
lighted, his courage having failed him. The air was foul with the reek
of smoke and filth and infection.

"Come, Vasilli Tula," the village elder said, with suspicious eagerness.
"Come with me, I will give you what the good doctor says. Though you owe
me money, and you never try to pay me."

But Tula was kissing and mumbling over the hem of Paul's coat. Paul took
no notice of him.

"We are starving, Excellency," the man was saying. "I can get no work. I
had to sell my horse in the winter, and I cannot plough my little piece
of land. The Government will not help us. The Prince--curse him!--does
nothing for us. He lives in Petersburg, where he spends all his money,
and has food and wine more than he wants. The Count Stepan Lanovitch
used to assist us--God be with him! But he has been sent to Siberia
because he helped the peasants. He was like you; he was a great barin, a
great noble, and yet he helped the peasants."

Paul turned round sharply and shook the man off.

"Go," he said, "with the starosta and get what I tell you. A great,
strong fellow like you has no business on his knees to any man! I will
not help you unless you help yourself. You are a lazy good-for-nothing.
Get out!"

He pushed him out of the hut, and kicked after him a few rags of
clothing which were lying about on the floor, all filthy and slimy.

"Good God!" muttered he under his breath, in English, "that a place like
this should exist beneath the very walls of Osterno!"

From hut to hut he went all through that night on his mission of
mercy--without enthusiasm, without high-flown notions respecting
mankind, but with the simple sense of duty that was his. These people
were his things--his dumb and driven beasts. In his heart there may have
existed a grudge against the Almighty for placi