voice within the window,
"it can never be set right by recounting it to others. He upon whom a
burden has been laid should try to bear it. And, should he fail to bear
it, the fact will mean that the burden has been beyond his strength."

"It was through you that I lost everything. It was you that stripped me
bare."

"But to that which you lost I added movement. Nothing in life is ever
lost; it merely passes from one hand to another--from the unskilled
hand to the experienced--so that even the bone picked of a dog may
ultimately become of value."

"Yes, a bone--that is what I am."

"Why should you say that? You are still a man."

"Yes, a man, but a man useful for what?"

"Useful, even though the use may not yet be fully apparent."

To this, after a pause, the speaker added:

"Now, depart in peace, and make no further attempt against this woman.
Nay, do not even speak ill of her if you can help it, but consider
everything that you saw to have been seen in a dream."

"Ah!" was Gubin's contrite cry. "It shall be as you say. Yet, though I
should hate, I could not bear, to grieve you, I must confess that the
height whereon you stand is--"

"Is what, Oh friend of mine?"

"Nothing; save that of all souls in this world you are, without
exception, the best."

"Yakov Petrovitch, in this world you and I might have ended our lives
together in honourable partnership. And even now, if God be willing, we
might do so."

"No. Rather must farewell be said."

All became quiet within the window, except that after a prolonged
silence there came from the woman a deep sigh, and then a whisper of,
"Oh Lord!"

Treading softly, like a cat, Nadezhda darted away towards the steps;
whereas I, less fortunate, was caught by the departing Gubin in the
very act of leaving the neighbourhood of the window. Upon that he
inflated his cheeks, ruffled up his sandy hair, turned red in the face
like a man who has been through a fight, and cried in strange,
querulous, high-pitched accents:

"Hi! What were you doing just now? Long-legged devil that you are, I
have no further use for you--I do not intend to work with you any more.
So you can go."

At the same moment the dim face, with its great blue eyes, showed
itself at the window, and the stem voice inquired:

"What does the noise mean?"

"What does it mean? It means that I do not intend--"

"You must not, if you wish to create a disturbance, do it anywhere but
in the street. It must