om blazed up and
burned the last remnants of the illusion to ashes in the hearts that
still cherished it. The steps became heavier, heads were raised, eyes
looked cold and firm, and feeling, outstripping thought, brought forth
resolve. The cold wind, waxing stronger and stronger, carried an
unfriendly cloud of dust and street litter in front of the people. It,
blew through their garments and their hair, blinded their eyes and
struck against their breasts.

The mother was pained by these silent funerals without priests and
heart-oppressing chants, with thoughtful faces, frowning brows, and the
heavy tramp of the feet. Her slowly circling thoughts formulated her
impression in the melancholy phrase:

"There are not many of you who stand up for the truth, not many; and
yet they fear you, they fear you!"

Her head bent, she strode along without looking around. It seemed to
her that they were burying, not Yegor, but something else unknown and
incomprehensible to her.

At the cemetery the procession for a long time moved in and out along
the narrow paths amid the tombs until an open space was reached, which
was sprinkled with wretched little crosses. The people gathered about
the graves in silence. This austere silence of the living among the
dead promised something strange, which caused the mother's heart to
tremble and sink with expectation. The wind whistled and sighed among
the graves. The flowers trembled on the lid of the coffin.

The police, stretching out in a line, assumed an attitude of guard,
their eyes on their captain. A tall, long-haired, black-browed, pale
young man without a hat stood over the fresh grave. At the same time
the hoarse voice of the captain was heard:

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

"Comrades!" began the black-browed man sonorously.

"Permit me!" shouted the police captain. "In pursuance of the order of
the chief of police I announce to you that I cannot permit a speech!"

"I will say only a few words," the young man said calmly. "Comrades!
Over the grave of our teacher and friend let us vow in silence never to
forget his will; let each one of us continue without ceasing to dig the
grave for the source of our country's misfortune, the evil power that
crushes it--the autocracy!"

"Arrest him!" shouted the police captain. But his voice was drowned in
the confused outburst of shouts.

"Down with the autocracy!"

The police rushed through the crowd toward the orator, who, closely