nt breathing of the woman sitting by her side, and
all this magnified the power of her faith in what she said, and in what
she promised these people.

"All those who have a hard life, whom want and injustice crush--it's
the rich and the servitors of the rich who have overpowered them. The
whole people ought to go out to meet those who perish in the dungeons
for them, and endure mortal torture. Without gain to themselves they
show where the road to happiness for all people lies. They frankly
admit it is a hard road, and they force no one to follow them. But
once you take your position by their side you will never leave them.
You will see it is the true, the right road. With such persons the
people may travel. Such persons will not be reconciled to small
achievements; they will not stop until they will vanquish all deceit,
all evil and greed. They will not fold their hands until the people
are welded into one soul, until the people will say in one voice: 'I
am the ruler, and I myself will make the laws equal for all.'"

She ceased from exhaustion, and looked about. Her words would not be
wasted here, she felt assured. The silence lasted for a minute, while
the peasants regarded her as if expecting more. Pyotr stood in the
middle of the hut, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes screwed
up, a smile quivering on his freckled face. Stepan was leaning one
hand on the table; with his neck and entire body forward, he seemed
still to be listening. A shadow on his face gave it more finish. His
wife, sitting beside the mother, bent over, her elbows on her knees,
and studied her feet.

"That's how it is," whispered Pyotr, and carefully sat on the bench,
shaking his head.

Stepan slowly straightened himself, looked at his wife, and threw his
hands in the air, as if grasping for something.

"If a man takes up this work," he began thoughtfully in a moderated
voice, "then his entire soul is needed."

Pyotr timidly assented:

"Yes, he mustn't look back."

"The work has spread very widely," continued Stepan.

"Over the whole earth," added Pyotr.

They both spoke like men walking in darkness, groping for the way with
their feet. The mother leaned against the wall, and throwing back her
head listened to their careful utterances. Tatyana arose, looked
around, and sat down again. Her green eyes gleamed dryly as she looked
into the peasants' faces with dissatisfaction and contempt.

"It seems you've been thr