d darkness. Even
the watchman, paid to disturb the stillness of night, was silent;
even the corncrake--the only wild creature of the feathered tribe
that does not shun the proximity of summer visitors--was silent.

The stillness was broken by Marya Mihalovna herself. Standing at
the window and gazing into the yard, she suddenly uttered a cry.
She fancied that from the flower garden with the gaunt, clipped
poplar, a dark figure was creeping towards the house. For the first
minute she thought it was a cow or a horse, then, rubbing her eyes,
she distinguished clearly the outlines of a man.

Then she fancied the dark figure approached the window of the kitchen
and, standing still a moment, apparently undecided, put one foot
on the window ledge and disappeared into the darkness of the window.

"A burglar!" flashed into her mind and a deathly pallor overspread
her face.

And in one instant her imagination had drawn the picture so dreaded
by lady visitors in country places--a burglar creeps into the
kitchen, from the kitchen into the dining-room . . . the silver in
the cupboard . . . next into the bedroom . . . an axe . . . the
face of a brigand . . . jewelry. . . . Her knees gave way under her
and a shiver ran down her back.

"Vassya!" she said, shaking her husband, "_Basile!_ Vassily Prokovitch!
Ah! mercy on us, he might be dead! Wake up, _Basile_, I beseech
you!"

"W-well?" grunted the assistant procurator, with a deep inward
breath and a munching sound.

"For God's sake, wake up! A burglar has got into the kitchen! I was
standing at the window looking out and someone got in at the window.
He will get into the dining-room next . . . the spoons are in the
cupboard! _Basile!_ They broke into Mavra Yegorovna's last year."

"Wha--what's the matter?"

"Heavens! he does not understand. Do listen, you stupid! I tell you
I've just seen a man getting in at the kitchen window! Pelagea will
be frightened and . . . and the silver is in the cupboard!"

"Stuff and nonsense!"

"_Basile_, this is unbearable! I tell you of a real danger and you
sleep and grunt! What would you have? Would you have us robbed and
murdered?"

The assistant procurator slowly got up and sat on the bed, filling
the air with loud yawns.

"Goodness knows what creatures women are!" he muttered. "Can't leave
one in peace even at night! To wake a man for such nonsense!"

"But, _Basile_, I swear I saw a man getting in at the window!"

"Well, what of