tillness in
the room soon calmed the mother, and noticing Liudmila's mood she asked
guiltily and softly:

"Maybe I said something that wasn't quite right?"

Liudmila quickly turned around and looked at her as if in fright.

"It's all right," she said rapidly, stretching out her hand to the
mother as if desiring to arrest something. "But we'll not speak about
it any more. Let it remain as it was said; let it remain. Yes." And
in a calmer tone she continued: "It's time for you to start soon; it's
far."

"Yes, presently. I'm glad! Oh, how glad I am! If you only knew! I'm
going to carry the word of my son, the word of my blood. Why, it's
like one's own soul!"

She smiled; but her smile did not find a clear reflection in the face
of Liudmila. The mother felt that Liudmila chilled her joy by her
restraint; and the stubborn desire suddenly arose in her to pour into
that obstinate soul enveloped in misery her own fire, to burn her, too,
let her, too, sound in unison with her own heart full of joy. She took
Liudmila's hands and pressed them powerfully.

"My dear, how good it is when you know that light for all the people
already exists in life, and that there will be a time when they will
begin to see it, when they will bathe their souls in it, and all, all,
will take fire in its unquenchable flames."

Her good, large face quivered; her eyes smiled radiantly; and her
eyebrows trembled over them as if pinioning their flash. The great
thoughts intoxicated her; she put into them everything that burned her
heart, everything she had lived through; and she compressed the
thoughts into firm, capacious crystals of luminous words. They grew up
ever more powerful in the autumn heart, illuminated by the creative
force of the spring sun; they blossomed and reddened in it ever more
brightly.

"Why, this is like a new god that's born to us, the people. Everything
for all; all for everything; the whole of life in one, and the whole of
life for everyone, and everyone for the whole of life! Thus I
understand all of you; it is for this that you are on this earth, I
see. You are in truth comrades all, kinsmen all, for you are all
children of one mother, of truth. Truth has brought you forth; and by
her power you live!"

Again overcome by the wave of agitation, she stopped, fetched breath,
and spread out her arms as if for an embrace.

"And if I pronounce to myself that word 'comrades' then I hear with my
heart--they ar