ady come to understand a great deal of what was said about
life. She felt they had in reality discovered the true source of the
people's misfortune, and it became a habit with her to agree with their
thoughts. But at the bottom of her heart she did not believe that they
could remake the whole of life according to their idea, or that they
would have strength enough to gather all the working people about their
fire. Everyone, she knew, wants to fill his stomach to-day, and no one
wants to put his dinner off even for a week, if he can eat it up at
once. Not many would consent to travel the long and difficult road;
and not all eyes could see at the end the promised kingdom where all
men are brothers. That's why all these good people, despite their
beards and worn faces, seemed to her mere children.

"My dear ones!" she thought, shaking her head.

But they all now lived a good, earnest, and sensible life; they all
spoke of the common weal; and in their desire to teach other people
what they knew, they did not spare themselves. She understood that it
was possible to love such a life, despite its dangers; and with a sigh
she looked back to bygone days in which her past dragged along flatly
and monotonously, a thin, black thread. Imperceptibly she grew
conscious of her usefulness in this new life--a consciousness that gave
her poise and assurance. She had never before felt herself necessary
to anybody. When she had lived with her husband, she knew that if she
died he would marry another woman. It was all the same to him whether
a dark-haired or a red-haired woman lived with him and prepared his
meals. When Pavel grew up and began to run about in the street, she
saw that she was not needed by him. But now she felt that she was
helping a good work. It was new to her and pleasant. It set her head
erect on her shoulders.

She considered it her duty to carry the books regularly to the factory.
Indeed, she elaborated a number of devices for escaping detection. The
spies, grown accustomed to her presence on the factory premises, ceased
to pay attention to her. She was searched several times, but always
the day after the appearance of the leaflets in the factory. When she
had no literature about her, she knew how to arouse the suspicion of
the guards and spies. They would halt her, and she would pretend to
feel insulted, and would remonstrate with them, and then walk off
blushing, proud of her clever ruse. She bega