The pilgrim measured his audience with a serious and meditative glance
of his blue eyes, and said softly:

"Ephraim the Syrian said: 'Make thy soul the central point of thy
thoughts and strengthen thyself with thy desire to be free from sin.'"

And again he lowered his head, slowly fingering the beads of the rosary.

"That means we must think," said one of the peasants; "but when has a
man time to think during his life on earth?"

"Confusion is all around us."

"We must flee to the desert," said the peasant who lay on the bench.

"Not everybody can afford it."

The peasants spoke, and became silent again. A shrill whistle resounded,
a little bell began to jingle at the machine. Someone's loud exclamation
rang out:

"Eh, there! To the water-measuring poles."

"Oh Lord! Oh Queen of Heaven!"--a deep sigh was heard.

And a dull, half-choked voice shouted:

"Nine! nine!"

Fragments of the fog burst forth upon the deck and floated over it like
cold, gray smoke.

"Here, kind people, give ear unto the words of King David," said the
pilgrim, and shaking his head, began to read distinctly: "'Lead me,
Oh Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way
straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouths;
their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre;
they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, Oh God; let them fall
by their own counsels.'"

"Eight! seven!" Like moans these exclamations resounded in the distance.

The steamer began to hiss angrily, and slackened its speed. The noise of
the hissing of the steam deafened the pilgrim's words, and Foma saw only
the movement of his lips.

"Get off!" a loud, angry shout was heard. "It's my place!"

"Yours?"

"Here you have yours!"

"I'll rap you on the jaw; then you'll find your place. What a lord!"

"Get away!"

An uproar ensued. The peasants who were listening to the pilgrim turned
their heads toward the direction where the row was going on, and the
pilgrim heaved a sigh and became silent. Near the machine a loud and
lively dispute blazed up as though dry branches, thrown upon a dying
bonfire, had caught the flame.

"I'll give it to you, devils! Get away, both of you."

"Take them away to the captain."

"Ha! ha! ha! That's a fine settlement for you!"

"That was a good rap he gave him on the neck!"

"The sailors are a clever lot."

"Eight! nine!" shouted the man with the measuring p