OnafrozenrivernearacertainRussiantown，agangofsevencarpenterswerehastilyrepairinganicebreakerwhichthetownsfolkhadstrippedforfirewood。
　　Thatyearspringhappenedtobelateinarriving，andyouthfulMarchlookedmorelikeOctober，andonlyatnoon，andthatnotoneveryday，didthepale，wintrysunshowhimselfintheovercastheavens，or，glimmeringinbluespacesbetweenclouds，contemplatetheearthwithasquinting，malevolenteye。
　　ThedayinquestionwastheFridayinHolyWeek，and，asnightdrewon，drippingswerebecomingcongealedintoicicleshalfanarshinlong，andinthesnow-strippediceoftheriveronlythedunhueofthewintrycloudswasreflected。
　　Asthecarpentersworkedtherekeptmournfully，insistentlyechoingfromthetownthecopperynoteofbells；andatintervalsheadswouldraisethemselves，andblueeyeswouldgleamthoughtfullythroughthesamegreyfoginwhichthetownlayenveloped，andanaxeupliftedwouldhoveramomentintheairasthoughfearingwithitsdescenttocleavethelusciousfloodofsound。
　　Scatteredoverthespaciousriver-trackweredarkpinebranches，projectingobliquelyfromtheice，tomarkpaths，openspaces，andcracksonthesurface；andwheretheyrearedthemselvesaloft，thesebrancheslookedlikethecramped，distortedarmsofdrowningmen。
　　Fromtherivercameawhiffofgloomanddepression。Coveredoverwithsoddenslush，itstretchedwithirksomerigiditytowardsthemistyquarterwhenceblewalanguid，sluggish，damp，coldwind。
　　Suddenlytheforeman，oneOssip，acleanlybuilt，uprightlittlepeasantwithaneatlycurling，silverybeard，ruddycheeks，andaflexibleneck，amaneverywhereandalwaysinevidence，shouted:
　　“Lookalivethere，myhearties！“
　　Presentlyheturnedhisattentiontomyself，andsmiledinsinuatingly。
　　“Inspector，“hesaid，“whatareyoutryingtopokeoutoftheskywiththatsquatnoseofyours？Andwhyareyouhereatall？Youcomefromthecontractor，yousay？——fromVasiliSergeitch？Well，well！Thenyourjobistohurryusup，tokeepbarkingout，’Mindwhatyouaredoing，such-and-suchgang！’Yetthereyoustand-blinkingoveryourtasklikeanobjectdriedstiff！It’snottoblinkthatyou’rehere，buttoplaythewatchdoguponus，andtokeepaneyeopen，andyourtongueonthewag。Soissueyourcommands，youngcockerel。“
　　Thenheshoutedtotheworkmen:
　　“Now，then！Noshirking！Isthejobgoingtobefinishedtonight，orisitnot？“
　　Asamatteroffact，hehimselfwastheworstshirkerintheartel[Workman’sunion]。True，hewasalsoafirst-ratehandathistrade，andamanwhocouldworkquicklyandwellandwithskillandconcentration；but，unfortunately，hehatedputtinghimselfout，andpreferredtospendhistimespinningarrestingyarns。Forinstance，onthepresentoccasionhechosethemomentwhenworkwasproceedingwithaswing，wheneveryonewasbusilyandsilentlyandwholeheartedlylabouringwiththeobjectofrunningthejobthroughtotheend，tobegininhismusicalvoice:
　　“Lookhere，lads。Onceuponatime——“
　　Andthoughforthefirsttwoorthreeminutesthemenappearednottohearhim，andcontinuedtheirplaningandchoppingasbefore，themomentcamewhenthesofttenoraccentscaughtandheldthemen’sattention，astheytrickledandburbledforth。
　　Then，screwinguphisbrighteyeswithahumorousair，andtwistinghiscurlybeardbetweenhisfingers，Ossipgaveacomplacentclickofhistongue，andcontinuedmeasuredly，andwithdeliberation:
　　“Soheseizedholdofthetench，andthrustitbackintothecave。Andasheturnedtoproceedthroughtheforesthethoughttohimself:’NowImustkeepmyeyesaboutme。’Andsuddenly，fromsomewherenoonecouldhavesaidwhere，awoman’svoiceshrieked:’Elesi-a-ah！Elesia-ah！’“
　　Hereatall，lankyMorduinenamedLeuka，with，assurname，Narodetz，ayoungfellowwhosesmalleyesworealwaysanexpressionofastonishment，laidasidehisaxe，andstoodgaping。
　　“Andfromthecaveadeepbassvoicereplied:’Elesi-a-ah！’
　　whileatthesamemomentthetenchsprangfromthecave，and，champingitsjaws，wriggledandwriggledbacktotheslough。“
　　HereanoldsoldiernamedSaniavin，amoroseman，atippler，andasuffererfromasthmaandaninexplicablegrudgeagainstlifeingeneral，croakedout:
　　“Howcouldyourtenchhavewriggledacrossdrylandifitwasafish？“
　　“Can，forthatmatter，afishspeak？“wasOssip’sgood-humouredretort。
　　AllofwhichinspiredMokeiBudirin，agrey-headedmuzhikofacastofcountenancecanineintheprominenceofhisjawsandtherecessionofhisforehead，andtaciturnwithal，thoughnototherwiseremarkable，togiveslow，nasalutterancetohisfavouriteformula。
　　“Thatistrueenough，“hesaid。
　　Fornevercouldanythingbespokenofthatwasgrimormarvellousorlewdormalicious，butBudirinatoncere-echoedsoftly，butinatoneofunshakableconviction:“Thatistrueenough。“
　　Thereafterhewouldtapmeonthebreastwithhishardandponderousfist。
　　PresentlyworkagainunderwentaninterruptionthroughthefactthatYakovBoev，amanwhopossessedbothastammerandasquint，becamesimilarlyfilledwithadesiretotellussomethingaboutafish。Yetfromthemomentthathebeganhisnarrativeeveryonedeclinedtobelieveit，andlaughedathisbrokenverbiageas，frequentlyinvokingtheDeity，andcursing，andbrandishinghisawl，andviciouslyswallowingspittle，heshoutedamidgeneralridicule:
　　“Once-onceuponatimetherelivedaman。Yes，otherfolkbeforeYOUhavebelievedmytale。Indeed，itisnomorethanthetruththatI’mgoingtotellyou。Verywell！Cackleaway，andbedamned！“
　　Hereeveryonewithoutexceptiondroppedhisworktoshoutwithmerrimentandclaphishands:withtheresultthat，doffinghiscap，andtherebydisclosingasilvered，symmetricallyshapedheadwithonebaldspotamiditsonedarkportion，Ossipwasforcedtoshoutseverely:
　　“Hi，youBudirin！You’vehadyoursay，andgivenussomefun，andtheremustbenomoreofit。“
　　“ButIhadonlyjustbegunwhatIwanttosay，“theoldsoldiergrumbled，spittinguponthepalmsofhishands。
　　Next，Ossipturnedtomyself。
　　“Inspector，“hebegan……
　　Itismyopinionthatinthushinderingthemenfromworkthroughhistale-telling，Ossiphadsomedefiniteendinview。I
　　couldnotsaypreciselywhatthatendwas，butitmusthavebeentheobjecteitherofcloakinghisownlazinessorofgivingthemenarest。Ontheotherhand，wheneverthecontractorwaspresenthe，Ossip，borehimselfwithhumbleobsequiousness，andcontinuedtoassumeaguiseofsimplicitywhichnonethelessdidnotpreventhim，ontheadventofeachSaturday，frominducinghisemployertobestowapourboireupontheartel。
　　AndthoughthissameOssipwasanartelui，andadirectoroftheartel，hisseniorco-membersborehimnoaffection，but，rather，lookeduponhimasawagortrifler，andtreatedhimasofnoimportance。And，similarly，theyoungermembersoftheartellikedwellenoughtolistentohistales，butdeclinedtotakehimseriously，and，insomecases，regardedhimwithill-concealed，oropenlyexpressed，distrust。
　　OncetheMorduine，amanofeducationwithwhom，onoccasions，I
　　helddiscussionsonintimatesubjects，repliedtoaquestionofmineonthesubjectofOssip:
　　“Iscarcelyknow。Goodnessaloneknows！No，Idonotknowanythingabouthim。“
　　Towhich，afterapause，headded:
　　“OnceafellownamedMikhailo，acleverfellowwhoisnowdead，insultedOssipbysayingtohim:’Doyoucallyourselfaman？
　　Why，regardedasaworkman，you’reaslifelessasadoornail，while，seeingthatyouweren’tborntobeamaster，you’llallyourlifecontinuechatteringincorners，likeaplummetswingingattheendofastring！’Yes，andthatwastrueenough。“
　　Lastly。afteranotherpausetheMorduineconcluded:
　　“Nomatter。Heisnotsuchabadsort。“
　　Myownpositionamongthesemenwasapositionofsomeawkwardness，for，ayoungfellowofonlyfifteen，Ihadbeenappointedbythecontractor，adistantrelativeofmine，tothetaskofsuperintendingtheexpenditureofmaterial。Thatistosay，Ihadtoseetoitthatthecarpentersdidnotmakeawaywithnails，ordisposeofplanksinreturnfordrink。Yetallthetimemypresencewaspracticallyuseless，seeingthatthemenstolenailsasthoughIwerenoteveninexistenceandstrovetoshowmethatamongthemIwasapersontoomany，asheerincubus，andseizedeveryopportunityofgivingmecovertjogswithabeam，andsimilarlyaffrontingme。
　　This，ofcourse，mademyrelationswiththemhighlydifficult，embarrassing，andirksome；andthoughmomentsoccurredwhenI
　　longedtosaysomethingthatmightingratiateme，andendeavouredtoeffectanadvanceinthatdirection，thewordsalwaysfailedmeatthenecessaryjuncture，andIfoundmyselflyingcrushedasbeforeunderaburdensomesenseofthesuperfluityofmyexistence。
　　Again，ifeverItriedtomakeanentryastosomematerialwhichhadbeenused，Ossipwouldapproachme，and，forinstance，say:
　　“Isitjotteddown，eh？Thenletmelookatit。“
　　And，eyeingthenotebookwithafrown，hewouldaddvaguely: