e going! They are going from everywhere, the great
multitude, all to one thing. I hear such a roaring, resonant and
joyous, like the festive peal of the bells of all the churches of the
world."

She had arrived at what she desired. Liudmila's face flashed in
amazement. Her lips quivered; and one after the other large
transparent tears dropped from her dull eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

The mother embraced her vigorously and laughed softly, lightly taking
pride in the victory of her heart. When they took leave of each other
Liudmila looked into the mother's face, and asked her softly:

"Do you know that it is well with you?" And herself supplied the
answer: "Very well. Like a morning on a high mountain."

CHAPTER XIX

In the street the frozen atmosphere enveloped her body invigoratingly,
penetrated into her throat, tickled her nose, and for a second
suppressed the breathing in her bosom. The mother stopped and looked
around. Near to her, at the corner of the empty street, stood a cabman
in a shaggy hat; at a slight distance a man was walking, bent, his head
sunk in his shoulders; and in front of him a soldier was running in a
jump, rubbing his ears.

"The soldier must have been sent to the store," she thought, and walked
off listening with satisfaction to the youthful crunching of the snow
under her feet. She arrived at the station early; her train was not
yet ready; but in the dirty waiting room of the third class, blackened
with smoke, there were numerous people already. The cold drove in the
railroad workmen; cabmen and some poorly dressed, homeless people came
in to warm themselves; there were passengers, also a few peasants, a
stout merchant in a raccoon overcoat, a priest and his daughter, a
pockmarked girl, some five soldiers, and bustling tradesmen. The men
smoked, talked, drank tea and whisky at the buffet; some one laughed
boisterously; a wave of smoke was wafted overhead; the door squeaked as
it opened, the windows rattled when the door was jammed to; the odor of
tobacco, machine oil, and salt fish thickly beat into the nostrils.

The mother sat near the entrance and waited. When the door opened a
whiff of fresh air struck her, which was pleasant to her, and she took
in deep breaths. Heavily dressed people came in with bundles in their
hands; they clumsily pushed through the door, swore, mumbled, threw
their things on the bench or on the floor, shook off the dry rime from
the