d
held a book in his hand.

"Already?" he exclaimed joyfully. "You've returned very quickly. Well,
I'm glad, very glad."

His eyes blinked kindly and briskly behind his glasses. He quickly
helped her off with her wraps, and said with an affectionate smile:

"And here in my place, as you see, there was a search last night. And I
wondered what the reason for it could possibly be--whether something
hadn't happened to you. But you were not arrested. If they had
arrested you they wouldn't have let me go either."

He led her into the dining room, and continued with animation:
"However, they suggested that I should be discharged from my position.
That doesn't distress me. I was sick, anyway, of counting the number
of horseless peasants, and ashamed to receive money for it, too; for
the money actually comes from them. It would have been awkward for me
to leave the position of my own accord. I am under obligations to the
comrades in regard to work. And now the matter has found its own
solution. I'm satisfied!"

The mother sat down and looked around. One would have supposed that
some powerful man in a stupid fit of insolence had knocked the walls of
the house from the outside until everything inside had been jolted
down. The portraits were scattered on the floor; the wall paper was
torn away and stuck out in tufts; a board was pulled out of the
flooring; a window sill was ripped away; the floor by the oven was
strewn with ashes. The mother shook her head at the sight of this
familiar picture.

"They wanted to show that they don't get money for nothing," remarked
Nikolay.

On the table stood a cold samovar, unwashed dishes, sausages, and
cheese on paper, along with plates, crumbs of bread, books, and coals
from the samovar. The mother smiled. Nikolay also laughed in
embarrassment, following the look of her eyes.

"It was I who didn't waste time in completing the picture of the upset.
But never mind, Nilovna, never mind! I think they're going to come
again. That's the reason I didn't pick it all up. Well, how was your
trip?"

The mother started at the question. Rybin arose before her; she felt
guilty at not having told of him immediately. Bending over a chair,
she moved up to Nikolay and began her narrative. She tried to preserve
her calm in order not to omit something as a result of excitement.

"They caught him!"

A quiver shot across Nikolay's face.

"They did? How?"

The mother stopped his