Lurchingforward，thebeardedpeasantinterposedwitharasp:
　　“Yes，doyoutellusallaboutit，andthingswillbecomeeasierforyou。Forasinalwaysneedstobemadeknown。“
　　While，likeanecho，avoicesaidinboldandsarcasticaccents:
　　“Itwouldbebettertoseizehimandtiehimup。“
　　Uponthistheyoungfellowraisedhisbrowsalittle，andretortedinanundertone:
　　“Letmebide。“
　　“Therascal！“thecrowdcommented，whiletheoldman，neatlyfoldingandreplacinghishandkerchief，raisedahandasdryasacock’sleg，andremarkedwithasharp，knowingsmile:
　　“Possiblyitisnotmerelyoutofidlecuriositythatfolkaremakingthisrequest。“
　　“Goandbedamnedtoyou！“theyoungfellowexclaimedwithagrimsnap。Whereuponthebigpeasantbellowedoutinablusteringfashion:
　　“What？Thenyouwillnottellusatleastyourdestination？“
　　Whereafterthesamespeakercontinuedtoholdforthonhumanity，God，andthehumanconscience——staringwildlyaroundhimashedidso，wavinghisarmsabout，andgrowingevermorefrantic，untilreallyitwascurioustowatchhim。
　　Atlengththecrowdgrewsimilarlyexcited，andtooktoencouragingthespeakerwithcriesof“True！Thatisso！“
　　Asfortheyoungfellow，helistenedawhileinsilence，withoutmoving。Then，straighteninghisback，herose，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhistrousers，and，swayinghisbodytoandfro，begantoglareatthecrowdwithgreenisheyeswhichweremanifestlylighteningtoaviciousgleam。Atlength，thrustingforthhischest，hecriedhoarsely:
　　“SoyouaskmewhitherIambound？Iamboundforthebrigands’lair，forthebrigands’lair，where，unlessyoufirsttakeandputmeinfetters，IintendtocutthethroatofeverymanthatImeet。Yes，ahundredmurderswillIcommit，forallfolkwillbethesametome，andnotasoulwillIspare。Aye，theendofmytetherisreached，sotakeandfettermewhilstyoucan。“
　　Hisbreathwasissuingwithdifficulty，andashespokehisshouldersheaved，andhislegstrembledbeneathhim。Also，hisfacehadturnedgreyandbecomedistortedwithtremors。
　　Uponthis，thecrowdbrokeintoagruff，ugly，resentfulroar，andedgedawayfromtheman。Yet，indoingso，manyofitsmemberslookedcuriouslylikethemanhimselfinthewaythattheyloweredtheirheads，caughtattheirbreath，andlettheireyesflash。Clearlythemanwasinimminentdangerofbeingassaulted。
　　Suddenlyherecoveredhissubdueddemeanour——he，asitwere，thawedinthesunlight:until，assuddenly，hislegsgavewaybeneathhim，and，narrowlyescapinginjurytohisfacefromthecornerofabale，hefellforwarduponhiskneesasthoughfelledwithanaxe。Thereafter，clutchingathisthroat，heshoutedinastrangevoice，andcrowdingthewordsupononeanother:
　　“TellmewhatIamtodo。Isallofitmyfault？LongIlayinprisonbeforeIwastriedandtoldtogofree……yet——“
　　Tearingathisearsandcheeks，herockedhisheadtoandfroasthoughseekingtorenditfromitssocket。Thenhecontinued:
　　“YetIamNOTfree。Norisitinmypowertosaywhatwillbecomeofme。Formethereremainsneitherlifenordeath。“
　　“Aha！“exclaimedthebigpeasant；andatthesoundthecrowddrewbackasinconsternation，whilesomehastenedtodepartaltogether。Asfortheremaindernumberingadozenorso，theyherdedsullenly，nervously，involuntarilyintoamassastheyoungfellowcontinuedindistractedtonesandwithatremblinghead:
　　“OhthatIcouldsleepforthenexttenyears！ForthencouldI
　　provemyself，anddecidewhetherIamguiltyornot。LastnightIstruckamanwithafaggot。AsIwaswalkingaboutIsawasleepamanwhohadangeredme，andthereuponthought，’Come！I
　　shouldliketodealhimablow，butcanIactuallydoit？’AndstrikehimIdid。Wasitmyfault？AlwaysIkeepaskingmyself，’CanI，orcanInot，doathing？’Aye，lost，lostamI！“
　　Apparentlythisoutburstcausedthemantoreachtheendofhispower，forpresentlyhesankfromkneestoheels——thenontohisside，withhandsclaspinghishead，andhistonguefinallyutteringthewords，“Betterhadyoukillme！“
　　Ahushfell，forallnowstoodconfoundedandsilent，with，aboutthem，agreyer，amoresubdued，lookwhichmadeallmoreresembletheirfellows。Infact，toallhadtheatmospherebecomeoppressive，asthougheveryone’sbreasthadhadclampedintoitalarge，softclodofhumid，viscidearth。Untilatlastsomeonesaidinalow，shamefaced，butfriendly，tone:
　　“Goodbrother，wearenotyourjudges。“
　　Towhichsomeoneelseaddedwithanequalmeasureofgentleness:
　　“Indeed，wemaybenobetterthanyou。“
　　“Wepityyou，butwemustnotjudgeyou。Onlypityispermitted。“
　　Asforthewell-dressedpeasant，hisloud，triumphantutterancewas:
　　“LetGodjudgehim，butmensufferhim。Ofjudgingofoneanothertherehasbeenenough。“
　　Andafifthmanremarkedtoafriendashewalkedaway:
　　“Whatarewetomakeofthis？Tojudgebythebook，theyoungfellowisatonceguiltyandnotguilty。“
　　“Bygonesoughttobebygones。Ofallcoursesthatisthebest。“
　　“Yes，forwearetooquick。Whatgoodcanthatdo？“
　　“Aye，what？“
　　Atlengththedark-browedwomansteppedforward。Lettinghershawltohershoulders，straighteninghairstreakedwithgreyunderabrightbluescarf，anddeftlyputtingasideaskirtshesoseatedherselfbesidetheyoungfellowastoscreenfromthecrowdwiththeheightofherfigure。Then，raisingkindlyface，shesaidcivilly，butauthoritatively，tothebystanders:
　　“Doallofyougoaway。“
　　Whereuponthecrowdbegantodepart，thebigpeasantsayingashewent:
　　“There！JustasIforetoldhasthematterturnedout。
　　ConscienceHASasserteditself。“
　　Yetthewordswerespokenwithoutself-complacency，rather，thoughtfully，andwithasenseofawe。
　　Asforthered-nosedoldmanwhowaswalkinglikeashadowbehindthelastspeaker，heopenedhissnuff-box，peeredthereinwithhismoisteyes，anddrawledtonooneinparticular:
　　“Howoftendoesoneseeamanplaywithconscience，yes，eventhoughhebearogue！Heerectsthatconscienceasascreentohisknaveriesandtricksandwiles，andmasksthewholewithacloudofwords。Yes，weknowhowitisdone，eventhoughfolkmaystareathim，andsaytooneanother，’Howferventlyhissoulisglowing！’Aye，allthetimethatheisholdinghishandtohishearthewillbedippingtheotherhandintoyourpocket。“
　　Theloverofproverbs，forhispart，unbuttonedhisjacket，thrusthishandsunderhiscoat-tails，andsaidinaloudvoice:
　　“Thereisasayingthatyoucantrustanywildbeast，suchasafoxorahedgehogoratoad，butnot——“
　　“Quiteso，dearsir。Thecommonfolkareexceedinglydegenerate。“
　　“Well，theyarenotdevelopingastheyoughttodo。“
　　“No，theyareover-cramped，“wasthebigpeasant’srasped-outcomment。“TheyhavenoroomforGROWTH。“
　　“Yes，theyDOgrow，butonlyasregardsbeardandmoustache，asatreegrowstobranchandsap。“
　　Withaglanceatthepurveyorofproverbstheoldmanassentedbyremarking:“Yes，trueitisthatthecommonfolkarecramped。“Whereafterhethrustapinchofsnuffintohisnostrils，andthrewbackhisheadinanticipationofthesneezewhichfailedtocome。Atlength，drawingadeepbreaththroughhispartedlips，hesaidashemeasuredthepeasantagainwithhiseyes:
　　“Myfriend，youareofasortcalculatedtolast。“
　　Inanswerthepeasantnodded。
　　“SOMEday，“heremarked，“weshallgetwhatwewant。“
　　Infrontofusnow，wasKazan，withthepinnaclesofitschurchesandmosquespiercingthebluesky，andlookinglikegarlandsofexoticblooms。AroundthemlaythegreywalloftheKremlin，andabovethemsoaredthegrimTowerofSumbek。