is paw. Then
he meets a frog and begins to play with it; when he has tormented
the frog he goes on licking himself and meets a beetle; he crushes
the beetle with his paw . . . and so he spoils and destroys everything
on his way. . . . He creeps into other beasts' holes, tears up the
anthills, cracks the snail's shell. If he meets a rat, he fights
with it; if he meets a snake or a mouse, he must strangle it; and
so the whole day long. Come, tell me: what is the use of a beast
like that? Why was he created?"

"I don't know what animal you are talking of," said Von Koren; "most
likely one of the insectivora. Well, he got hold of the bird because
it was incautious; he broke the nest of eggs because the bird was
not skilful, had made the nest badly and did not know how to conceal
it. The frog probably had some defect in its colouring or he would
not have seen it, and so on. Your little beast only destroys the
weak, the unskilful, the careless--in fact, those who have defects
which nature does not think fit to hand on to posterity. Only the
cleverer, the stronger, the more careful and developed survive; and
so your little beast, without suspecting it, is serving the great
ends of perfecting creation."

"Yes, yes, yes. . . . By the way, brother," said Samoylenko carelessly,
"lend me a hundred roubles."

"Very good. There are some very interesting types among the
insectivorous mammals. For instance, the mole is said to be useful
because he devours noxious insects. There is a story that some
German sent William I. a fur coat made of moleskins, and the Emperor
ordered him to be reproved for having destroyed so great a number
of useful animals. And yet the mole is not a bit less cruel than
your little beast, and is very mischievous besides, as he spoils
meadows terribly."

Von Koren opened a box and took out a hundred-rouble note.

"The mole has a powerful thorax, just like the bat," he went on,
shutting the box; "the bones and muscles are tremendously developed,
the mouth is extraordinarily powerfully furnished. If it had the
proportions of an elephant, it would be an all-destructive, invincible
animal. It is interesting when two moles meet underground; they
begin at once as though by agreement digging a little platform;
they need the platform in order to have a battle more conveniently.
When they have made it they enter upon a ferocious struggle and
fight till the weaker one falls. Take the hundred roubles," said
Von Kor