es of
the Volga before them, lapped by the music of the waves that plashed
against the sides of the vessel. In addition, the boy read all that
fell into his hands. Along with the true classics he fed his mind upon
the works of unknown authors and the play-books hawked about by
travelling pedlars.

All this aroused a passionate, overpowering thirst for art and
knowledge in Gorki when he was about fifteen. Without a notion of how
he was to be clothed and fed during his student life he betook himself
to Kasan to study. His rash hopes soon foundered. He had, as he
expressed it, no money to buy knowledge. And instead of attending the
Schools he went into a biscuit-factory. The three roubles (then
5_s._), which was his monthly salary, earned him a scanty living by an
eighteen-hour day. Gorki soon gave up this task, which was too
exhausting for him. He lived about on the river and in the harbour,
working at casual jobs as a sawyer or porter. At this time he had no
roof, and was forced to live in the society of the derelicts. What
Gorki must have suffered in this company, during his struggle for the
bare means of subsistence, may be imagined--he sounded the lowest
depths of human life, and fell into the blackest abysses.

With the best will, and with all his energies, he was unable to attain
any prospect of brighter days, and sank deeper and deeper into the
existence of the castaway.

In his twentieth year he gave up the struggle. Life seemed to him
devoid of value, and he attempted suicide. The ball from the revolver
entered his lung without killing him, and the surgeon managed to
extract it. Gorki was ill for some time after this event, and when he
recovered set about finding new work.

He became a fruit-vendor, as before reading all kinds of scientific and
literary works with avidity. But this profession brought him no
farther than the rest. He then went to Karazin as signalman and
operative in the railway works.

However, he made no long stay on the railway. In 1890 he was obliged
to present himself at Nijni Novgorod, his native place, for the
military conscription. He was not, however, enrolled on account of the
wound that remained from his attempt at suicide.

In Nijni Novgorod he became acquainted with certain members of the
educated classes. At first he wandered up and down selling beer and
kvass--filling the cups of all who wished to drink. . . . But he was
driven to fare forth again, and ag