ge the weak.
He was always good, alert, kind. There, in Siberia, idleness depraves
people, and often calls forth ugly feelings toward life. How he
mastered such feelings! What a comrade he was! If you only knew. His
own life was hard and tormented; but I know that nobody ever heard him
complain, not a soul--never! Here was I, nearer to him than others.
I'm greatly indebted to his heart, to his mind. He gave me all he could
of it; and though exhausted, he never asked either kindness or
attention in return."

She walked up to Yegor, bent down and kissed him. Her voice was husky
as she said mournfully:

"Comrade, my dear, dear friend, I thank you with all my heart! Good-by.
I shall work as you worked--unassailed by doubt--all my life--good-by!"

The dry, sharp groans shook her body, and gasping for breath she laid
her head on the bed at Yegor's feet. The mother wept silent tears
which seared her cheeks. For some reason she tried to restrain them.
She wanted to fondle Liudmila, and wanted to speak about Yegor with
words of love and grief. She looked through her tears at his swollen
face, at his eyes calmly covered by his drooping eyelids as in sleep,
and at his dark lips set in a light, serene smile. It was quiet, and a
bleak brightness pervaded the room.

Ivan Danilovich entered, as always, with short, hasty steps. He
suddenly stopped in the middle of the room, and thrust his hands into
his pockets with a quick gesture.

"Did it happen long ago?" His voice was loud and nervous.

Neither woman replied. He quietly swung about, and wiping his forehead
went to Yegor, pressed his hand, and stepped to one side.

"It's not strange--with his heart. It might have happened six months
ago."

His voice, high-pitched and jarringly loud for the occasion, suddenly
broke off. Leaning his back against the wall, he twisted his beard
with nimble fingers, and winking his eyes, rapidly looked at the group
by the bed.

"One more!" he muttered.

Liudmila rose and walked over to the window. The mother raised her
head and glanced around with a sigh. A minute afterwards they all
three stood at the open window, pressing close against one another, and
looked at the dusky face of the autumn night. On the black tops of the
trees glittered the stars, endlessly deepening the distance of the sky.

Liudmila took the mother by the hand, and silently pressed her head to
her shoulders. The physician nervously bit his lips and