d and looks
out of the window, so as to see the face as well as the feet of the
passers-by. The house porter passed by in new felt boots, the
water-carrier passed by, and after that there passed close to the window
an old soldier, one of Nicholas's veterans, in tattered old boots, with a
shovel in his hands. Avdyeeich knew him by his boots. The old fellow was
called Stepanuich, and lived with the neighboring shopkeeper, who
harbored him of his charity. His duty was to help the porter. Stepanuich
stopped before Avdyeeich's window to sweep away the snow. Avdyeeich cast a
glance at him, and then went on working as before.

"I'm not growing sager as I grow older," thought Avdyeeich, with some
self-contempt. "I make up my mind that Christ is coming to me, and lo!
'tis only Stepanuich clearing away the snow. Thou simpleton, thou! thou
art wool-gathering!" Then Avdyeeich made ten more stitches, and then he
stretched his head once more towards the window. He looked through the
window again, and there he saw that Stepanuich had placed the shovel
against the wall, and was warming himself and taking breath a bit.

"The old man is very much broken," thought Avdyeeich to himself. "It is
quite plain that he has scarcely strength enough to scrape away the snow.
Suppose I make him drink a little tea! the samovar, too, is just on the
boil." Avdyeeich put down his awl, got up, placed the samovar on the
table, put some tea in it, and tapped on the window with his fingers.
Stepanuich turned round and came to the window. Avdyeeich beckoned to him,
and then went and opened the door.

"Come in and warm yourself a bit," cried he. "You're a bit chilled, eh?"

"Christ requite you! Yes, and all my bones ache too," said Stepanuich.
Stepanuich came in, shook off the snow, and began to wipe his feet so as
not to soil the floor, but he tottered sadly.

"Don't trouble about wiping your feet. I'll rub it off myself. It's all in
the day's work. Come in and sit down," said Avdyeeich. "Here, take a cup
of tea."

And Avdyeeich filled two cups, and gave one to his guest, and he poured
his own tea out into the saucer and began to blow it.

Stepanuich drank his cup, turned it upside down, put a gnawed crust on the
top of it, and said, "Thank you." But it was quite plain that he wanted to
be asked to have some more.

"Have a drop more. Do!" said Avdyeeich, and poured out fresh cups for his
guest and himself, and as Avdyeeich drank his cup, he could not