m which I must work out and verify."

Kolya subsided into dignified silence. Smurov, too, was silent. Smurov, of
course, worshiped Krassotkin and never dreamed of putting himself on a
level with him. Now he was tremendously interested at Kolya's saying that
he was "going of himself" to see Ilusha. He felt that there must be some
mystery in Kolya's suddenly taking it into his head to go to him that day.
They crossed the market-place, in which at that hour were many loaded
wagons from the country and a great number of live fowls. The market women
were selling rolls, cottons and threads, etc., in their booths. These
Sunday markets were naively called "fairs" in the town, and there were
many such fairs in the year.

Perezvon ran about in the wildest spirits, sniffing about first one side,
then the other. When he met other dogs they zealously smelt each other
over according to the rules of canine etiquette.

"I like to watch such realistic scenes, Smurov," said Kolya suddenly.
"Have you noticed how dogs sniff at one another when they meet? It seems
to be a law of their nature."

"Yes; it's a funny habit."

"No, it's not funny; you are wrong there. There's nothing funny in nature,
however funny it may seem to man with his prejudices. If dogs could reason
and criticize us they'd be sure to find just as much that would be funny
to them, if not far more, in the social relations of men, their
masters--far more, indeed. I repeat that, because I am convinced that there
is far more foolishness among us. That's Rakitin's idea--a remarkable idea.
I am a Socialist, Smurov."

"And what is a Socialist?" asked Smurov.

"That's when all are equal and all have property in common, there are no
marriages, and every one has any religion and laws he likes best, and all
the rest of it. You are not old enough to understand that yet. It's cold,
though."

"Yes, twelve degrees of frost. Father looked at the thermometer just now."

"Have you noticed, Smurov, that in the middle of winter we don't feel so
cold even when there are fifteen or eighteen degrees of frost as we do
now, in the beginning of winter, when there is a sudden frost of twelve
degrees, especially when there is not much snow. It's because people are
not used to it. Everything is habit with men, everything even in their
social and political relations. Habit is the great motive-power. What a
funny-looking peasant!"

Kolya pointed to a tall peasant, with a good-natured counten