Losinghistemper，andopeningagreatmouth，untilhelookedlikeanoldrookwhichisabouttocaw，theCouncillorwouldstamphisfootseveraltimes，asthoughpreparingtodancetotheboys’shouting，andlowerhishead，grasphisumbrellalikeabayonet，andchargeattheladswithapantingshoutof:
　　“I’lltellyourfathers！Oh，I’lltellyourmothers！“
　　AsfortheMadameSukhinikh，referredto，shewasanoldbeggar-womanwho，theyearround，andinallweathers，satonalittlebenchbesidethecemeterywicket，andstucktoitlikeastone。Herlargeface，afacerenderedbricklikebyyearsofinebriety，wascoveredwithdarkblotchesbornoffrostbite，alcoholicinflammation，sunburn，andexposuretowind，andhereyeswereperpetuallyinastateofsuppuration。Neverdidanyonepassherbutsheprofferedawoodencupinasupplianthand，andcriedhoarsely，ratherasthoughshewerecursingthepersonconcerned:
　　“GivesomethingforChrist’ssake！Giveinmemoryofyourkinsfolkthere！“
　　Onceanunexpectedstormblewinfromthesteppes，andbroughtadownpourwhich，overtakingtheoldwomanonherwayhome，causedher，hersightbeingpoor，tofallintoapond，whencePraotzevattemptedtorescueher，andintowhich，intheend，heslippedhimself。Fromthatdayonwardshewastwittedonthesubjectbytheboysofthetown。
　　OtherfrequentersofthecemeteryIseebeforeme——dark，silentfigures，figuresofpersonswhomstillunseveredcordsofmemoryseemedtohaveboundtotheplacefortherestoftheirlives，andcompelledtowander，likeunburiedcorpses，inquestofsuitabletombs。Yes，theywerepersonswhomlifehadrejected，anddeath，asyet，refusedtoaccept。
　　Also，attimestherewouldemergefromthelonggrassahomelessdogwithlarge，sulleneyes，eyesstartlingatonceintheirintelligenceandintheirabsoluteIshmaelitism——untilonealmostexpectedtohearissuefromtheanimal’smouthreproachescouchedinhumanlanguage。
　　Andsometimesthedogwouldstillremainhaltedinthecemeteryas，withtaillowered，itswayeditsshelterless，shaggyheadtoandfrowithanairofprofoundreflection，whileoccasionallyventingasubdued，long-drawnyelporhowl。
　　Again，amongthedenseoldlimetrees，therewouldbescurryinganunseenmobofstarlingsandjackdawswhoseyoungwould，meanwhile，maintainasoft，hungrypiping，asortofgentlypersuasive，chirrupingchorus；untilinautumn，whenthewindhadstrippedbaretheboughs，thesebirds’blacknestswouldcometolooklikemouldy，rag-swathedheadsofhumanbeingswhichsomeonehadtornfromtheirbodiesandflungintothetrees，tohangforeveraroundthewhite，sugarloaf-shapedchurchofthemartyredSt。Barbara。Duringthatautumnseason，indeed，everythinginthecemetery’svicinitylookedsadandtarnished，andthewindwouldwailabouttheplace，andsighlikealoverwhohasbeendrivenmadthroughbereavement……
　　Suddenlytheoldmanhaltedbeforemeonthepath，and，sternlyextendingahandtowardsawhitestonemonumentnearus，readaloud:
　　“’UnderthiscrossthereliesburiedthebodyoftherespectedcitizenandservantofGod，DiomidPetrovitchUssov，’“etc。，etc。
　　Whereaftertheoldmanreplacedhishat，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhispea-jacket，measuredmewitheyesdarkincolour，butexceptionallyclearforhistimeoflife，andsaid:
　　“Itwouldseemthatfolkcouldfindnothingtosayofthismanbeyondthathewasa’servantofGod。’Now，howcanaservantbeworthyofhonouratthehandof’citizens’？“
　　“Possiblyhewasanascetic，“wasmyhazardedconjecture；
　　whereupontheoldmanrejoinedwithastampofhisfoot:
　　“Theninsuchcaseoneoughttowrite——“
　　“Towritewhat？“
　　“TowriteEVERYTHING，infullestpossibledetail。“
　　Andwiththelong，firmstrideofasoldiermyinterlocutorpassedonwardstowardsamoreremoteportionofthecemetery——myselfwalking，thistime，besidehim。Hisstatureplacedhisheadonalevelwithmyshoulderonly，andcausedhisstrawhattoconcealhisfeatures。Hence，sinceIwishedtolookathimashediscoursed，Ifoundmyselfforcedtowalkwithheadbent，asthoughIhadbeenescortingawoman。
　　“No，thatisnotthewaytodoit，“presentlyhecontinuedinthesoft，civilvoiceofonewhohasacomplainttopresent。
　　“Anysuchproceedingismerelyamarkofbarbarism——ofacompletelackofobservationofmenandlife。“
　　Withahandtakenfromoneofhispockets，hetracedalargecircleintheair。
　　“Doyouknowthemeaningofthat？“heinquired。
　　“Itsmeaningisdeath，“wasmydiffidentreply，madewithashrugoftheshoulders。
　　Ashakeofhisheaddisclosedtomeakeen，agreeable，finelycutfaceashepronouncedthefollowingSlavonicwords:
　　“’Smertusmertvsekonechniepogublenabwist。’“[Deathhathbeenforeveroverthrownbydeath。“]
　　“Doyouknowthatpassage？“headdedpresently。
　　Yetitwasinsilencethatwewalkedthenexttenpaces——hethreadinghiswayalongtherough，grassypathatconsiderablespeed。Suddenlyhehalted，raisedhishatfromhishead，andprofferedmeahand。
　　“Youngman，“hesaid，“letusmakeoneanother’sbetteracquaintance。IamLieutenantSavvaYaloylevKhorvat，formerlyoftheStateRemountEstablishment，subsequentlyoftheDepartmentofImperialLands。Iamamanwho，afterneverhavingbeenfoundofficiallyremiss，amlivinginhonourableretirement——amanatonceahouseholder，awidower，andapersonofhastytemper。“
　　Then，afterapause，headded:
　　“Vice-GovernorKhorvatofTambovismybrother——ayoungerbrother；hebeingfifty-five，andIsixty-one，si-i-ixtyone。“
　　Hisspeechwasrapid，butaspreciseasthoughnomistakewaspermissibleinitsdelivery。
　　“Also，“hecontinued，“asamancognisantofeverypossiblespeciesofcemetery，Iammuchdissatisfiedwiththisone。Infact，neversatisfiedwithsuchplacesamI。“
　　Herehebrandishedhisfistintheair，anddescribedalargearcoverthecrosses。
　　“Letussitdown，“hesaid，“andIwillexplainthings。“
　　So，afterthatwehadseatedourselvesonabenchbesideawhiteoratory，andLieutenantKhorvathadtakenoffhishat，andwithabluehandkerchiefwipedhisforeheadandthethicksilveryhairwhichbristledfromtheknobsofhisscalp，hecontinued:
　　“Markyouwellthewordkladbistche。“[Theword，thoughcustomarilyusedforcemetery，means，primarily，atreasure-house。]Herehenudgedmewithhiselbow——continuing，thereafter，moresoftly:“Inakladbisicheonemightreasonablylookforkladi，fortreasuresofintellectandenlightenment。
　　Yetwhatdowefind？Onlythatwhichisoffensiveandinsulting。
　　Allofusdoesitinsult，fortherebyisaninsultpaidtoallwho，inlife，arebearingstilltheir’crossandburden。’Youtoowill，oneday，beinsultedbythesystem，evenasshallI。
　　Doyouunderstand？Irepeat，’theircrossandburden’——thesenseofthewordsbeingthat，lifebeinghardanddifficult，weoughttohonournonebutthosewhoSTILLarebearingtheirtrials，orbearingtrialsforyouandme。Now，THESEfolkherehaveceasedtopossessconsciousness。“
　　Eachtimethattheoldmanwavedhishatinhisexcitement，itssmallshadow，bird-like，flewalongthenarrowpath，andoverthecross，and，finally，disappearedinthedirectionofthetown。
　　Next，distendinghisruddycheeks，twitchinghismoustache，andregardingmecovertlyoutofboylikeeyes，theLieutenantresumed:
　　“Probablyyouarethinking，’ThemanwithwhomIhavetodealisoldandhalf-witted。’Butno，youngfellow；thatisnotso，forlongbeforeYOURtimehadItakenthemeasureoflife。
　　Regardthesememorials。AREtheymemorials？Forwhatdotheycommemorateasconcernsyouandmyself？Theycommemorate，inthatrespect，nothing。No，theyarenotmemorials；theyaremerelypassportsortestimonialsconferreduponitselfbyhumanstupidity。UnderagivencrosstheremaylieaMaria，andunderanotheroneaDaria，oranAlexei，oranEvsei，orsomeoneelse——all’servantsofGod，’butnototherwiseparticularised。Anoutragethis，sir！Forinthisplacefolkwhohavelivedtheirdifficultportionoflifeonearthareseenrobbedofthatrecordoftheirexistences，whichoughttohavebeenpreservedforyourandmyinstruction。Yes，ADESCRIPTIONOFTHELIFE
　　LIVEDBYAMANiswhatmatters。Atombmightthenbecomeevenmoreinterestingthananovel。Doyoufollowme？“
　　“Notaltogether，“Irejoined。
　　Heheavedaveryaudiblesigh。
　　“Itshouldbeeasyenough，“washisremark。“Tobeginwith，I
　　amNOTa’servantofGod。’Rather，Iamamanintelligently，ofsetpurpose，keepingGod’sholycommandmentssofaraslieswithinmypower。Andnoone，notevenGod，hasanyrighttodemandofmemorethanIcangive。Thatisso，isitnot？“
　　Inodded。
　　“There！“theLieutenantcriedbrisklyas，cockinghishat，heassumedastillmoretruculentair。Then，spreadingouthishands，hegrowledinhisflexiblebass:
　　“Whatisthiscemetery？Itismerelyaplaceofshow。“
　　Atthismoment，forsomereasonoranother，thereoccurredtomeanincidentwhichinvolvedthefigureofIrakleiVirubov，thefigurewhichhadcarpetslippersonitsponderousfeet，thicklips，agreedymouth，deceitfuleyes，andaframesohugeandcavernousthatthedapperlittleLieutenantcouldhavesteppedintoitcomplete。