“Doyoufirstgoinanddressyourself！“
　　Theelderlyladythenunfastenedthegates；whereuponastunted，oldishmuzhikinaredshirtlimpedintotheyardwithafoam-fleckedsteed，andexclaimed:
　　“Itiscaughtintwoplaces——attheSavelkinclearingandnearthecemetery！“
　　Immediatelythecompanypressedaroundhimwithgroansandejaculations，andGubinalonecontinuedtoharnesstheponywithswiftanddexteroushands——sayingtomethroughhisteethashedidso，andwithoutlookingatanyone:
　　“ThatishowthosewretchedfolkALWAYSdeferthingsuntiltoolate。“
　　Thenextpersontopresentherselfattheentrancegateswasabeggar-woman。Screwinguphereyesinafurtivemanner，shedroned:
　　“ForthesakeofLordJe-e-esus！“
　　“Godwillgiveyoualms！Godwillgiveyoualms！“wasNadezhda’sreplyas，turningpale，sheflungoutherarmsintheoldwoman’sdirection。“Yousee，aterriblethinghashappened——ourtimberlandshavecaughtfire。Youmustcomeagainlater。“
　　UponthatPeter’sbulkyformwhichhadentirelyfilledthewindowfromwhichithadbeenleaning，disappearedwithajerk，andinitssteadtherecameintoviewthefigureofawoman。
　　Saidshecontemptuously:
　　“SeethevisitationwithwhichGodhastriedus，youmenoffaintheartsandindolenthands！“
　　Thewoman’shairwasgreyatthetemples，andhadrestinguponitasilkencapwhichsokeptchangingcolourinthesunlightastoconveytoone。theimpressionthatherheadwasbonnetedwithsteel，whileinherface，picturesquebutdarkseeminglyblackenedwithsmoke，theregleamedtwopupil-lessblueeyesofakindwhichIhadneverbeforebeheld。
　　“Fools，“shecontinued，“howoftenhaveInotpointedouttoyouthenecessityofcuttingawiderspacebetweenthetimberandthecemetery？“
　　Fromafurrowabovethewoman’ssmallbutprominentnose，apairofheavybrowsextendedtotemplesthatweresilveredover。
　　Asshespoketherefellastrangesilenceamidwhichsaveforthepony’spawingofthemirenosoundmingledwiththesarcasticreproachesofthedeep，almostmasculinevoice。
　　“Thatagainisthemother-in-law，“wasmyinwardreflection。
　　Gubinfinishedtheharnessing——thensaidtoJonahinthetoneofasuperioraddressingaservant:
　　“Goinanddressyourself，youobject！“
　　Nevertheless，theBirkinsdroveoutoftheyardpreciselyastheywere，whilethepeasantmountedhisbelatheredsteedandfollowedthematatrot；andtheelderlyladydisappearedfromthewindow，leavingitspanesevendarkerandblackerthantheyhadpreviouslybeen。Gubin，slip-sloppingthroughthepuddleswithbarefeet，saidtomewithasharpglanceashemovedtoshuttheentrancegates:
　　“IpresumethatIcannowtakeinhandthelittleaffairofwhichyouknow。“
　　“Yakov！“atthisjuncturesomeoneshoutedfromthehouse。
　　Gubinstraightenedhimselfalamilitaire。
　　“Yes，Iamcoming，“hereplied。
　　Whereafter，paddingonbaresoles，heascendedthesteps。
　　Nadezhda，standingattheirtop，turnedawaywithafrownofrepulsionathisapproach，andnoddedandbeckonedtomyself，“WhathasYakovsaidtoyou？“sheinquired“Hehasbeenreproachingme。“
　　“Reproachingyouforwhat？“
　　“Forhavingspokentoyou。“
　　Sheheavedasigh。
　　“Ah，themischief-maker！“sheexclaimed。“Andwhatisitthathewants？“
　　Asshepoutedherdispleasureherroundandvacantfacelookedalmostchildlike。
　　“GoodLord！“sheadded。“WhatDOsuchmenashewant？“
　　Meanwhiletheheavenswerebecomingoverspreadwithdarkgreyclouds，andpresagingafloodofautumnrain，whilefromthewindownearthestepsthevoiceofPeter’smother-in-lawwasissuinginasteadystream。Atfirst，however，nothingwasdistinguishablesaveasoundlikethehummingofaspindle。
　　“Itismymotherthatisspeaking，“Nadezhdaexplainedsoftly。
　　“She’llgiveithim！Yes，SHEwillprotectme！“
　　YetIscarcelyheardNadezhda’swords，sogreatlywasIfeelingstruckwiththequietforcefulness，theabsoluteassurance，ofwhatwasbeingsaidwithinthewindow。
　　“Enough，enough！“saidthevoice。“Onlythroughlackofoccupationhaveyoujoinedthecompanyoftherighteous。“
　　UponthisImadeamovetoapproachclosertothewindow；
　　whereuponNadezhdawhispered:
　　“Whitherareyougoing？Youmustnotlisten。“
　　WhileshewasyetspeakingIheardcomefromthewindow:
　　“Similarlyyourrevoltagainstmankindhascomeofidleness，oflackofaninterestinlife。Toyoutheworldhasbeenwearisome，so，whiledevisingthisrevoltasaresource，youhaveexcuseditonthegroundofserviceofGodandloveofequity，whileinrealityconstitutingyourselfthedevil’sworkman。“
　　HereNadezhdapluckedatmysleeve，andtriedtopullmeaway，butIremarked:
　　“IMUSTlearnwhatGubinhasgottosayinanswer。“
　　ThismadeNadezhdasmile，andthenwhisperwithaconfidingglanceatmyface:
　　“Yousee，Ihavemadeafullconfessiontoher。Iwentandsaidtoher:’Mamenka，Ihavehadamisfortune。’Andheronlyreplyasshestrokedmyhairwas，’Ah，littlefool！’Thusyouseethatshepitiesme。AndwhatmakeshercarethelessthatI
　　shouldstrayinthatdirectionisthatsheyearnsformetobearherachild，agrandchild，asanheirtoherproperty。“
　　Next，Gubinwasheardsayingwithintheroom:
　　“WhensoeveranoffenceisdoneagainstthelawI……“
　　Atonceastreamofimpressivewordsfromtheotherdrownedhisutterance:
　　“Anoffenceisnotalwaysanoffenceofmoment，sincesometimesapersonoutgrowsthelaw，andfindsittoorestrictive。Noonepersonoughttoberatedagainstanother。Forwhomaloneoughtwetofear？OnlytheGodinwhosesightallofushaveerred！“
　　Andthoughintheelderlylady’svoicetherewaswearinessanddistaste，thewordswerespokenslowlyandincisively。UponthisGubintriedtomurmursomethingoranother，butagainhisutterancefailedtoedgeitswayintohisinterlocutor’smeasuredperiods:
　　“Nogreatachievementisit，“shesaid，“tocondemnafellowcreature。Foralwaysitiseasytositinjudgmentuponourfellows。Andevenifafellowcreaturebeallowedtopursueanevilcourseunchecked，hisoffencemayyetproveproductiveofgood。RememberhowineverycasetheSaintsreachedGod。Yethowtrulysanctified，bythetimethattheydidsoreachHim，werethey？Letthiseverbeborneinmind，forweareover-apttocondemnandpunish！“
　　“Informerdays，NataliaVassilievna，youtookawayfrommemysubstance，youtookmyall。Also，letmerecounttoyouhowwefellintodisagreement。“
　　“No；thereisnoneedforthat。“
　　“Thereafter，Iceasedtobeabletobearthecontemplationofmyself；Iceasedtoconsidermyselfasofanyvalue。“
　　“Letthepastremainthepast。Thatwhichmustbeisnottobeavoided。“
　　“Throughyou，Isay，Ilostmypeaceofmind。“
　　Nadezhdanudgedme，andwhisperedwithgaymalice:
　　“Thatisprobablytrue，fortheysaythatoncehewasoneofherlovers。“
　　Thensherecollectedherselfand，clappingherhandstoherface，criedthroughherfingers:
　　“OhgoodLord！WhathaveIsaid？No，no，youmustnotbelievethesetales。Theyareonlyslanders，forsheisthebestofwomen。“
　　“Whenevilhasbeendone，“continuedthequietvoicewithinthewindow，“itcanneverbesetrightbyrecountingittoothers。
　　Heuponwhomaburdenhasbeenlaidshouldtrytobearit。And，shouldhefailtobearit，thefactwillmeanthattheburdenhasbeenbeyondhisstrength。“
　　“ItwasthroughyouthatIlosteverything。Itwasyouthatstrippedmebare。“
　　“ButtothatwhichyoulostIaddedmovement。Nothinginlifeiseverlost；itmerelypassesfromonehandtoanother——fromtheunskilledhandtotheexperienced——sothateventhebonepickedofadogmayultimatelybecomeofvalue。“
　　“Yes，abone——thatiswhatIam。“