Oppositethewharftherewasstuckinthewidegableofatwo-storiedbuildingalanternwhich，flickering，diffusedbutadull，anaemiclightfromitsdirtypanes，whileoverthelongstripofthebrokensignboardofthebuildingtherecouldbeseenstraggling，andexecutedinlargeyellowletters，thewords，“Tavernand-“Nomoreofthelegendthanthiswasvisible。
　　Lanternswerehangingintwoorthreeotherspotsinthedrowsylittletown；andwherevertheirmurkystainsoflighthungsuspendedintheairtherestoodoutinreliefamedleyofgables，drab-tintedtrees，andfalsewindowsinwhitepaint，onwallsofadullslatecolour。
　　SomehowIfoundcontemplationofthescenedepressing。
　　Meanwhilethevesselcontinuedtoemitsteamassherockedtoandfrowithacreakingofwood，aslap-slappingofwater，andascrubbingofhersidesagainstthewharf。Atlengthsomeoneejaculatedsurlily:
　　“Fool，youmustbeasleep！Thewinch，yousay？Why，thewinchisatthestern，damnyou！“
　　“Offagain，thanktheLord！“addedtheraspingvoicealreadyheardfrombehindthebales，whiletoitanequallyfamiliarvoicerejoinedwithayawn:
　　“It’stimeweWEREoff！“
　　Saidahoarsevoice:
　　“Lookhere，youngfellow。Whatwasitheshouted？“
　　Hastilyandinarticulately，withagreatdealofsmackingofthelipsandstuttering，someonereplied:
　　“Heshouted:’Kinsmen，donotkillme！Havesomemercy，forChrist’ssake，andIwillmakeovertoyoueverything——yes，everythingintoyourgoodhandsforever！Onlyletmegoaway，andexpiatemysins，andsavemysoulthroughprayer。Aye，I
　　willgoonapilgrimage，andremainhiddenmylifelong，totheveryend。Nevershallyouhearofmeagain，norseeme。’ThenUnclePetercaughthimablowonthehead，andhisbloodsplashedoutuponme。AshefellI——well，Iranaway，andmadeforthetavern，whereIknockedatthedoorandshouted:
　　’Sister，theyhavekilledourfather！’Uponthat，sheputherheadoutofthewindow，butonlysaid:’Thatmerelymeansthattherascalismakinganexcuseforvodka。’……Aye，aterribletimeitwas——wasthatnight！AndhowfrightenedIfelt！Atfirst，Imadeforthegarret，butpresentlythoughttomyself:’No；
　　theywouldsoonfindmethere，andputmetoanendaswell，forIamtheheirdirect，andshouldbethefirsttosucceedtotheproperty。’SoIcrawledontotheroof，andtherelayhiddenbehindthechimney-stack，holdingonwitharmsandlegs，whileunabletospeakforsheerterror。“
　　“Whatwereyouafraidof？“abrusquevoiceinterrupted。
　　“WhatwasIafraidof？“
　　“Atallevents，youjoinedyouruncleinkillingyourfather，didn’tyou？“
　　“Insuchanhouronehasnottimetothink——onejustkillsamanbecauseonecan’thelponeself，orbecauseitseemssoeasytokill。“
　　“True，“thehoarservoicecommentedindullandponderousaccents。“Whenoncebloodhasflowedthefactleadstomoreblood，andifamanhasstartedouttokill，hecaresnothingforanyreason——hefindsgoodenoughthereasonwhichcomesfirsttohishand。“
　　“Butifthisyoungfellowisspeakingthetruth，hehadaBUSINESSreason——though，properlyspeaking，evenpropertyoughtnottoprovokequarrels。“
　　“Similarlyoneoughtnottokilljustwhenonechooses。Folkwhocommitsuchcrimesshouldhavejusticemetedouttothem。“
　　“Yes，butitisdifficultalwaystoobtainsuchjustice。Forinstance，thisyoungfellowseemstohavespentoverayearinprisonfornothing。“
　　“’Fornothing’？Why，didhenotenticehisfatherintothehut，andthenshutthedooruponhim，andthrowacoatoverhishead？Hehassaidsohimself。’Fornothing，’indeed！“
　　Uponthistherapidstreamofsobbed，disconnectedwords，whichI
　　hadheardbeforefromsomespeakerpouredforthanew。Somehow，I
　　guessedthatitcamefromthemaninthedirtyboots，asoncemoreherecountedthestoryofthemurder。
　　“Idonotwishtojustifymyself，“hesaid。“Isaymerelythat，inasmuchasIwaspromisedareprieveatthetrial，Itoldeverything，andwasthereforeallowedtogofree，whilemyuncleandmybrotherweresentencedtopenalservitude。“
　　“ButyouKNEWthattheyhadagreedtokillhim？“
　　“Well，itismyideathatatfirsttheyintendedonlytogivehimagoodfright。Neverdidmyfatherrecognisemeashisson——alwayshecalledmeaJesuit。“
　　Thegrufferofthetwovoicespulledupthespeaker。
　　“Tothink，“itsaid，“thatyoucanactuallytalkaboutitall！“
　　“Whyshouldn’tI？Myfatherbroughttearstotheeyesofmanyaninnocentperson。“
　　“Afigforpeople’stears！Ifourcausesoftearswereoneandalltobemurdered，whatwouldthestateofthingsbecome？Shedtears，butneverblood；forbloodisnotyourstoshed。Andevenifyoushouldbelieveyourownbloodtobeyourown，knowthatitisnotso，thatyourblooddoesnotbelongtoyou，buttoSomeoneElse。“
　　“Thepointinquestionwasmyfather’sproperty。Itallshowshowamanmayliveawhile，andearnhisliving，andthensuddenlygoamiss，andlosehiswits，andevenconceiveagrudgeagainsthisownfather……NowImustgetsomesleep。“
　　Behindthebalesallgrewquiet。PresentlyIrosetopeerinthatdirection。Thepassengerinthebuffpea-jacketwassittinghuddledupagainstacoilofrope，withhishandsthrustintohissleeves，andhischinrestinguponhisarms。Asthemoonwasshiningstraightintohisface，Icouldseethatthelatterwasaslividasthatofacorpse，andhaditsbrowsdrawndownoveritsnarrow，insignificanteyes。
　　Besidehim，andclosetomyhead，therewaslyingstretchedonthetopofthecoilofropeabroad-shoulderedpeasantinashortsmockandapairofpatchedbootsofwhitefelt。Theringletsofthewearer’scurlybeardwerethrustupwards，andhishandsclaspedbehindhishead，andwithox-likeeyeshestaredatthezenithwhereafewstarswereshining，andthemoonwasbeginningtosink。
　　Atlength，inatrumpet-likevoicethoughheseemedtodohisbesttosoftenitthepeasantasked:
　　“Youruncleisonthatbarge，Isuppose？“
　　“Heis。Andsoismybrother。“
　　“Yetyouarehere！Howstrange！“
　　Thedarkbarge，towedagainstthesteamer’sblue-silverwashoffoam，wascleavingitlikeaplough，whileunderthemoonthelightsofthebargeshowedwhite，andthehullandtheprisoners’cagestoodraisedhighoutofthewaterastoourrighttheblack，indentatedbankglidedpastinsinuousconvolutions。
　　Fromthewhole，soft，liquescentfluidscene，theimpressionwhichIderivedwasmelancholy。
　　Itevokedinmyspiritasenseofinstability，alackofrestfulness。
　　“Whyareyoutravelling？“
　　“BecauseIwishtohaveawordwithhim。“
　　“Withyouruncle？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Abouttheproperty？“
　　“Whatelse？“
　　“Thenlookhere，myyoungfellow。Dropitall——bothyouruncleandtheproperty，andbetakeyourselftoamonastery，andthereliveandpray。Forifyouhaveshedblood，andespeciallyifyouhaveshedthebloodofakinsman，youwillstandforeverestrangedfromall，while，moreover，bloodshedisadangerousthing——itmayatanytimecomebackuponyou。“
　　“Buttheproperty？“theyoungfellowaskedwithaliftofhishead。
　　“Letitgo，“thepeasantvouchsafedasheclosedhiseyes。
　　Ontheyoungerman’sfacethedowntwitchedasthoughawindhadstirredit。Heyawned，andlookedabouthimforamoment。Then，descryingmyself，hecriedinatoneofresentment:
　　“Whatareyoulookingat？Andwhydoyoukeepfollowingmeabout？“
　　Herethebigpeasantopenedhiseyes，and，withaglancefirstattheman，andthenatmyself，growled:
　　“Lessnoisethere，youmitten-face！“