Underahillapartyoffishermenhadlitawoodfire，theflamesofwhichcouldbeseenplayingupon，andpickingout，thewhitehullofaboat——thedarkfigureofamantherein，afishingnetsuspendedfromsomestakes，andawomaninayellowbodicewhowassittingbesidethefire。Also，amidthegoldenradiancetherecouldbedistinguishedaquiveringoftheleavesonthelowerbranchesofthetreewhereunderthewomansatshaded。
　　Alltheriverwascalm，andnotasoundoccurredtobreakthestillnessashore，whiletheairundertheawningofthethird-classportionofthevesselfeltasstiflingasduringtheearlierpartoftheday。Bythistimetheconversationofthepassengers，dampedbytheshadowofdusk，hadmergedintoasinglesoundwhichresembledthehummingofbees；andamiditonecouldnotdistinguishnordivinewhowasspeaking，northesubjectofdiscussion，sinceeverywordthereinseemeddisconnected，eventhoughallappearedtobetalkingamicably，andinorder，concerningacommontopic。Atonemomentasuppressedlaughfromayoungwomanwouldreachtheear；inthecabin，apartywhohadagreedtosingasongofgeneralacceptationwerefailingtohituponone，anddisputingthepointinlowanddispassionateaccents；andineach，suchsoundtherewassomethingvespertinal，gentlysad，softlyprayer-like。
　　Frombehindthefirewoodnearmeathick，raspingvoicesaidindeliberatetones:
　　“Atfirsthewasausefulyoungfellowenough，andcleanandspruce；butlately，hehasbecomeshabbyanddirty，andisgoingtothedogs。“
　　Anothervoice，loudandgruff，replied:
　　“Aha！Avoidtheladies，oroneisboundtogoamiss。“
　　“Thesayinghasitthatalwaysafishmakesfordeeperwater。“
　　“Besides，heisafool，andthatisworsestill。Bytheway，heisarelativeofyours，isn’the？“
　　“Yes。Heismybrother。“
　　“Indeed？Thenprayforgiveme。“
　　“Certainly；but，tospeakplainly，heisafool。“
　　AtthismomentIsawthepassengerinthebuffpea-jacketapproachthesally-port，graspwithhislefthandastanchion，andstepontothegratingunderwhichoneofthepaddle-wheelswaschurningthewatertofoam。Therehestoodlookingoverthebulwarkswithaswingingmotionakintothatofabatwhen，grapplingsomeobjectoranotherwithitswings，ithangssuspendedintheair。Thefactthattheman’scapwasdrawntightlyoverhisearscausedthelattertostickoutalmosttothepointofabsurdity。
　　Presentlyheturnedandpeeredintothegloomundertheawning，though，seemingly，hefailedtodistinguishmyselfreposingonthefirewood。Thisenabledmetogainaclearviewofafacewithasharpnose，sometuftsoflight-colouredhaironcheeksandchin，andapairofsmall，muddy-lookingeyes。Hestoodthereasthoughhewerelisteningtosomething。
　　Allofasuddenhesteppedfirmlytothesally-port，swiftlyunlashedfromtheirontop-railamop，andthrewitoverboard。
　　Thenhesetaboutunlashingasecondarticleofthesamespecies。
　　“Hi！“Ishoutedtohim。“Whatareyoudoingthere？“
　　Withastartthemanturnedround，clappedahandtohisforeheadtodiscovermywhereabouts，andrepliedsoftlyandrapidly，andwithastammerinhisvoice:
　　“Howisthatyourbusiness？Getawaywithyou！“
　　UponthisIapproachedhim，forIwasastonishedandamusedathisimpudence。
　　“Forwhatyouhavedonethesailorswillmakeyoupayrightenough，“Iremarked。
　　Hetuckedupthesleevesofhispea-jacketasthoughhewerepreparingforafight。Then，stampinghisfootupontheslipperygrating，hemuttered:
　　“Iperceivedthemoptohavecomeuntied，andtobeindangeroffallingintothewaterthroughthevibration。UponthatI
　　triedtosecureit，andfailed，foritslippedfrommyhandsasIwasdoingso。“
　　“But，“Iremarkedinamazement，“mybeliefisthatyouWILLFULLYuntiedthemop，tothrowitoverboard！“
　　“Come，come！“heretorted。“WhyshouldIhavedonethat？Whatanextraordinarythingitwouldhavebeentodo！Howcouldithavebeenpossible？“
　　Herehedodgedmewithadexterousmovement，and，rearranginghissleeves，walkedaway。Thelengthofthepea-jacketmadehislegslookabsurdlyshort，andcausedmetonoticethatinhisgaittherewasatendencytoshuffleandhesitate。
　　Returningtomyretreat，Istretchedmyselfuponthefirewoodoncemore，inhaleditsresinousodour，andfelltolisteningtotheslow-movingdialogueofsomeofthepassengersaroundme。
　　“Ah，goodsir，“agruff，sarcasticvoicebeganatmyside——butinstantlyayetgruffervoiceintervenedwith:
　　“Well？“
　　“Oh，nothing，exceptthattoaskaquestioniseasy，andtoansweritmaybedifficult。“
　　“True。“
　　Fromtheravinesamistwasspreadingovertheriver。
　　Atlengthnightfell，andasfolkrelapsedintoslumberthebabeloftonguesbecamestilled。Thecar，asitgrewusedtotheboisterousroaroftheenginesandthemeasuredrhythmofthepaddle-wheels，didnotatfirstnoticethenewsoundbornofthefactthatintothesoundspreviouslymadefamiliartherebegantointrudethesnoresofslumberers，andthepaddingofsoftfootsteps，andanexcitedwhisperof:
　　“Isaidtohim——yes，Isaid:’Yasha，youmustnot，youshallnot，dothis。’“
　　Thebankshaddisappearedfromview。Indeed，onecontinuedtoberemindedoftheirexistenceonlybytheslowpassageofthescatteredfiresashore，andthefactthatthedarknesslayblackeranddenseraroundthosefiresthanelsewhere。Dimlyreflectedintheriver，thestarsseemedtobeabsolutelymotionless，whereasthetrailing，goldenreproductionsofthesteamer’slightsneverceasedtoquiver，asthoughstrivingtobreakadrift，andfloatawayintotheobscurity。Meanwhile，foamliketissuepaperwaslickingourdarkhull，whileatourstern，andsometimesovertakingit，theretrailedabargewithacoupleoflanternsinherprow，andathirdonhermast，whichatonemomentmarkedthereflectionsofthestars，andatanotherbecamemergedwiththegleamsoffirelightononeortheotherbank。
　　OnabenchunderalanternnearthespotwhereIwaslyingastoutwomanwasasleep。Withonehandrestinguponasmallbundleunderherhead，shehadherbodicetornunderthearmpit，sothatthewhitefleshandatuftofhaircouldbeseenprotruding。Also，herfacewaslarge，darkofbrow，andfullofjowltoapointthatcausedthecheekstorolltoherveryears。
　　Lastly，herthicklipswerepartedinanungainly，corpselikesmile。
　　Frommyownpositiononalevelhigherthanhers，Ilookeddreamilydownuponher，andreflected:“Sheisalittleoverfortyyearsofage，andprobablyagoodwoman。Also，sheistravellingtovisiteitherherdaughterandson-in-law，orhersonanddaughter-in-law，andthereforeistakingwithhersomepresents。Also，thereisinherlargeheartmuchoftheexcellentandmaternal。“
　　Suddenlysomethingnearmeflashedasthoughamatchhadbeenstruck，and，openingmyeyes，Iperceivedthepassengerinthecuriouspea-jackettobestandingnearthewomanspokenof，andengagedinshieldingalightedmatchwithhissleeve。Presently，heextendedhishandandcautiouslyappliedtheparticleofflametothetuftofhairunderthewoman’sarmpit。Therefollowedafainthiss，andanoxioussmellofburninghairwaswaftedtomynostrils。
　　Ileaptup，seizedthemanbythecollar，andshookhimsoundly。
　　“Whatareyouat？“Iexclaimed。
　　Turninginmygrasphewhisperedwithascarcelyaudible，butexceedinglyrepulsive，giggle:
　　“Haven’tIgivenheragoodfright，eh？“
　　Thenheadded:
　　“Now，letmego！Letgo，Isay！“
　　“Haveyoulostyourwits？“Iretortedwithagasp。
　　Foramomentortwohisblinkingeyescontinuedtoglanceatsomethingovermyshoulder。Thentheyreturnedtome，whilehewhispered:
　　“Prayletmego。Thetruthisthat，unabletosleep，I
　　conceivedthatIwouldplaythiswomanatrick。Wasthereanyharminthat？See，now。Sheisstillasleep。“
　　AsIthrusthimawayhisshortlegs，legswhichmightalmosthavebeenamputated，staggeredunderhim。MeanwhileIreflected:
　　“No，IwasNOTwrong。HeDIDofsetpurposethrowthemopoverboard。Whatafellow！“
　　Abellsoundedfromtheengine-room。
　　“Slow！“someoneshoutedwithacheerfulhail。
　　Uponthat，steamissuedwithsuchresoundingshrillnessthatthewomanawokewithajerkofherhead；andassheputupherlefthandtofeelherarmpit，hercrumpledfeaturesgatheredthemselvesintowrinkles。Thensheglancedatthelamp，raisedherselftoasittingposition，and，fingeringtheplacewherethehairhadbeendestroyed，saidsoftlytoherself:
　　“Oh，holyMotherofGod！“
　　Presentlythesteamerdrewtoawharf，and，withaloudclattering，firewoodwasdraggedforthandcastintothestokeholewithuncouth，warningcriesof“Tru-us-sha！“[Thewordmeansship’sholdorstokehole，buthereis，probably，equivalenttotheEnglish“Headsbelow！“]
　　Overalittletownwhichhaditsbackpressedagainstahillthewaningmoonwasrisingandbrighteningalltheblackriver，causingittogatherlifeastheradiancelaved，asitwere，thelandscapeinwarmwater。
　　Walkingaft，Iseatedmyselfamongsomebalesandcontemplatedthetown’sfrontage。Overoneendofitrose，taperinglikeawalking-stick，afactorychimney，whileattheotherend，aswellasinthemiddle，rosebelfries，oneofwhichhadagildedsteeple，andtheotheroneasteepleeithergreenorblue，butlookingblackinthemoonlight，andshapedlikearaggedpaint-brush。