low of an axe, his words falling from his pale lips
monotonously, ponderously, like the savage bark of a grim old watch dog.
He said that he was well acquainted with both the peasants and factory
men of the neighbourhood, and that there were possible people among
them. Instanced a certain Eremy, who, he declared, was prepared to go
anywhere at a moment's notice. This man, Eremy, who belonged to the
village Goloplok, was constantly on his lips. At nearly every tenth word
he thumped his right hand on the table and waved the left in the air,
the forefinger standing away from the others. This sinewy, hairy
hand, the finger, hoarse voice, flashing eyes, all produced a strong
impression on his hearers.

Markelov had scarcely spoken to Nejdanov on the journey, and all his
accumulated wrath burst forth now. Ostrodumov and Mashurina expressed
their approval every now and again by a look, a smile, a short
exclamation, but a strange feeling came over Nejdanov. He tried to make
some sort of objection at first, pointing out the danger of hasty action
and mentioned certain former premature attempts. He marvelled at the
way in which everything was settled beyond a shadow of a doubt, without
taking into consideration the special circumstances, or even trying to
find out what the masses really wanted. At last his nerves became so
highly strung that they trembled like the strings of an instrument, and
with a sort of despair, almost with tears in his eyes, he began speaking
at the top of his voice, in the same strain as Markelov, going even
farther than he had done. What inspired him would be difficult to say;
was it remorse for having been inactive of late, annoyance with himself
and with others, a desire to drown the gnawings of an inner pain, or
merely to show off before his comrades, whom he had not seen for some
time, or had Markelov's words really had some effect upon him, fired his
blood? They talked until daybreak; Ostrodumov and Mashurina did not once
rise from their seats, while Markelov and Nejdanov remained on their
feet all the time. Markelov stood on the same spot for all the world
like a sentinel, and Nejdanov walked up and down the room with nervous
strides, now slowly, now hurriedly. They spoke of the necessary means
and measures to be employed, of the part each must take upon himself,
selected and tied up various bundles of pamphlets and leaflets,
mentioned a certain merchant, Golushkin, a nonconformist, as a very
possib