“Letusexchangeplaces，“Icriedatlength。
　　“Whatiswrong？“inquiredGubininresponse“Downhereitiscold——Ican’tstanditanylonger。“
　　“Geeup！“exclaimedGubintotheoldhorsewhichsuppliedtheleveragepowerforthebucket；whereuponIseatedmyselfupontheedgeofthereceptacleandwentaloft，whereeverythingwaslookingsobrightandwarmastobearanewandunwontedlypleasingappearance。
　　SonowitwasGubin’sturntostandatthebottomofthewell。
　　Andsoon，inadditiontotheodourofdecay，andasubduedsoundofsplashing，andtherumblingsandbumpingsoftheironbucketagainstitschain，therebegantocomeupfromthedamp，blackcavityaperfectstreamofcurses。
　　“Theinfernalskinflints！“Iheardmycompanionexclaim。
　　“Hullo，hereissomething！Adogorababy，eh？Thedamnedoldbarbarians！“
　　Andthebucketascendedwith，amongitscontents，asoddenandmostancienthat。WiththepassageoftimeGubin’stempergrewworseandworse。
　　“IfISHOULDfindababyhere，“nextheexclaimed，“Ishallreportthemattertothepolice，andgetthoseblessedoldbrothersintotrouble。“
　　Eachmovementoftheleathern-hided，wall-eyedsteedwhichdidourbiddingwasaccompaniedbyaswishingofasandytailwhichhadforitsobjectthebrushingawayofautumn’sharbingers，thebluebottles。Almostwiththetranquilgaitofareligiousdidtheanimalaccomplishitsperiodicaljourneysfromthewalltotheentrancegatesandbackagain；afterwhichitalwaysheavedaprofoundsigh，andstoodwithitsbonycrestlowered。
　　Presently，fromacorneroftheyardthatlayscreenedbehindsomerank，pale，withered，trampledherbageadoorscreeched。
　　IntotheyardthereissuedNadezhdaBirkin，carryingabunchofkeys，andfollowedbyaladywho，elderlyandrotundoffigure，hadafewdarkhairsgrowingonherfullandratherhaughtyupperlip。AsthetwowalkedtowardsthecellarNadezhdabeingcladonlyinanunder-petticoat，withachemisehalf-coveringhershoulders，andslippersthrustontobarefeet，Iperceivedfromthelanguoroftheyoungerwoman’sgaitthatshewasfeelingwearyindeed。
　　“Whydoyoulookatuslikethat？“herseniorinquiredofmeasshedrewlevel。Andasshedidsotheeyesthatpeeredatmefromabovethefulland，somehow，displaced-lookingcheeksbidinthemadim，misty，half-blindexpression。
　　“ThatmustbePeterBirkin’smother-in-law，“wasmyunspokenreflection。
　　AtthedoorofthecellarNadezhdahandedthekeystohercompanion，andwithaslowstepwhichsetheramplebosomswaying，andincreasedthedisarrayofthebodiceonherround，butbroad，shoulders，approachedmyself，andsaidquietly:
　　“Pleaseopenthegutter-sluiceandletoutthewaterintothestreet，ortheyardwillsoonbeflooded。Oh，thesmellofit！
　　Whatisthatthingthere？Arat？Ohbatinshka，whatahorriblemess！“
　　Herfacehadaboutitadrawnlook，andunderhereyestherewereapairofdarkpatches，andintheirdepthsthedryglitterofapersonwhohasspentanightofwaking。True，itwasafacestillfreshofhue；yetbeadsofsweatwerestandingontheforehead，andhershoulderslookedgreyandheavy——asgreyandheavyasunleavenedbreadwhichthefirehascoatedwithathincrust，yetfailedtobakethroughout。
　　“Please，also，openthewicket，“shecontinued。“And，incasealameoldbeggar-womanshouldcall，comeandtellme。IamtheNadezhdaIvanovnaforwhomshewillinquire。Doyouunderstand？“
　　Fromthewell，atthispoint，thereissuedthewords:
　　“Whoisthatspeaking？“
　　“Itisthemistress，“Ireplied。
　　“What？Nadezhda？WithherIhaveabonetopick。“
　　“Whatdidhesay？“thewomanaskedtenselyassheraisedherdark，thinlypencilledbrows，andmadeasthoughtogoandleanoverthewell。IndependentlyofmyownvolitionIforestalledwhatGubinmightnexthavebeengoingtosaybyremarking:
　　“Imusttellyouthatlastnighthesawyouwalkinginthegardenhere。“
　　“Indeed？“sheejaculated，anddrewherselftoherfullheight。
　　Yetindoingsosheblushedtohershoulders，and，clappingplumphandstoherbosom，andopeningdarkeyestotheirfullest，saidinahastyandconfusedwhisperas，againpalingandshrinkinginstature，shesubsidedlikeapieceofpastrythatisturningheavy:
　　“GoodLord！WHATdidhesee？……Ifthelamewomanshouldcall，youmustnotadmither。No，tellherthatshewillnotbewanted，thatIcannot，thatImustnot——Butseehere。Hereisaroubleforyou。Oh，goodLord！“
　　BythistimeevenlouderandmoreangryexclamationshadbeguntoascendfromGubin。Yettheonlysoundtoreachmyearswasthewoman’smutteredwhispering，andasIglancedintoherfaceIperceivedthatitshithertohigh-colouredandroundedcontourshadfallenin，andturnedgrey，andthatherflushedlipsweretremblingtosuchanextentasalmosttopreventthearticulationofherwords。Lastly，hereyeswerefrozenintoanexpressionofpitiful，dogliketerror。
　　Suddenlysheshruggedhershoulders，straightenedherform，putawayfromhertheexpressionofterror，andsaidquietly，butincisively:
　　“Youwillnotneedtosayanythingaboutthis。Allowme。“
　　Andwithaswayingstepshedeparted——astepsoshortasalmosttoconveytheimpressionthatherlegswereboundtogether。Yetwhilethegaitwasthegaitofapersonfullofsuppressedfury，itwasalsothegaitofapersonwhocanscarcelyseeaninchinadvance。
　　“Haulaway，you！“shoutedGubin。
　　Ihauledhimupinastateofcoldandwet；whereafterhefelltostampingaroundthecopingofthewell，cursing，andwavinghisarms。
　　“Whathaveyoubeenthinkingofallthistime？“hevociferated。“Why，foreversolongIshoutedandshoutedtoyou！“
　　“IhavebeentellingNadezhdathatlastnightyousawherwalkinginthegarden。“
　　Hesprangtowardsmewithaviciousscowl。
　　“Whogaveyouleavetodoso？“heexclaimed。
　　“Waitamoment。Isaidthatitwasonlyinadream，thatyousawhercrossingthegardentothewashhouse。“
　　“Indeed？Andwhydidyoudothat？“
　　Somehow，as，bareleggedanddrippingwithmud，hestoodblinkinghiseyesatmewithamostdisagreeableexpression，helookedextremelycomical。
　　“Seehere，“Iremarked，“youhaveonlytogoandtellherhusbandaboutherformetogoandtellhimthesamestoryaboutyourhavingseenthewholethinginadream。“
　　“Why？“criedGubin，nowalmostbesidehimself。Presently，however，herecoveredsufficientself-possessiontogrinandaskinanundertone:
　　“HOWMUCHDIDSHEGIVEYOU？“
　　IexplainedtohimthatmysolereasonforwhatIhaddonehadbeenthatIpitiedthewoman，andfearedlestthebrothersBirkinshoulddoaninjurytoonewhoatleastoughtnottobebetrayed。Gubinbeganbydecliningtobelieveme，buteventually，afterthematterhadbeenthoughtout，said:
　　“Acceptanceofmoneyfordoingwhatisrightiscertainlyirregular；butatleastisitbetterthanacceptanceofmoneyforconnivingatsin。Well，youhavespoiltmyscheme，youngfellow。Hiredonlytocleanoutthewell，Iwouldneverthelesshavecleanedouttheestablishmentasawhole，andtakenpleasureindoingso。“
　　Thenoncemoreherelapsedintofury，andmutteredashescurriedroundandroundthewell:
　　“HowDAREDyoupokeyournoseintootherpeople’saffairs？WhoareYOUinthisestablishment？“
　　Theairwashotandarid，yetstilltheskywasasdullasthoughcoatedthroughoutwiththedustofsummer，and，asyet，onecouldgazeatthesun’spurple，raylessorbwithoutblinking，andaseasilyasonecouldhavegazedattheglowingembersofawoodfire。
　　Seatedonthefence，anumberofrooksweredirectingintelligentblackeyesupontheheapsofmudwhichlayaroundthecopingofthewell。Andfromtimetotimetheyflutteredtheirwingsimpatiently，andcawed。
　　“Igotyousomework，“Gubincontinuedinagrumblingtone，“andputheartintoyouwiththeprospectofemployment。Andnowyouhavegoneandtreatedmelike——“
　　AtthispointIcaughtthesoundofahorsetrottingtowardstheentrance-gates，andheardsomeoneshout，astheanimaldrewlevelwiththehouse:
　　“YOURtimbertoohascaughtalight！“
　　Instantly，frightenedbytheshout，therookstooktotheirwingsandflewaway。Also，awindowsashsqueaked，andthecourtyardresoundedwithsuddenbustle——theculinaryregionsvomitingtheelderlyladyandthetousled，half-cladJonah；andanopenwindowtheupperhalfofthered-headedPeter。
　　“Men，harnessupasquicklyaspossible！“thelattercried，hisvoicechargedwithaplaintivenote。
　　And，indeed，hehadhardlyspokenbeforeGubinledoutafatroanpony，andJonahpulledfromashelteralightbuggyorbritchka。MeanwhileNadezhdacalledfromtheverandatoJonah: