Yes，atsuchtimesonedesirestotastelifetothefull，andsotolivethattheancientrocksshallsmile，andthesea’swhitehorsesprancethehigher，asone’smouthacclaimstheearthinsuchapaeanthat，intoxicatedwiththelaudation，itshallunfolditsricheswithaddedbountifulnessanddisplaymoreandmoremanifestbeautyunderthespuroftheloveexpressedbyoneofitscreatures，expressedbyahumanbeingwhofeelsfortheearthwhathewouldfeelforawoman，andyearnstofertilisethesametoever-increasingsplendour。
　　Nevertheless，wordsareasheavyasstones，andafterfellingfancytotheground，servebuttoheaphergreycoffin-lid，andcauseone，asonestandscontemplatingthetomb，tolaughinsheerself-derision……
　　Suddenly，plungedindreamsasIwalkedalong，Iheardthroughtheplashofthewavesandthesizzleofthefoamtheunfamiliarwords:
　　“Hymen，Demon，Igamon，andZmiulan。Gooddevilsarethese，notbad。“
　　“HowdoesChristgetonwiththem？“Iasked。
　　“Christ？Hedoesnotenterintothematter。“
　　“IsHehostiletothem？“
　　“IsHeHOSTILEtothem？HowcouldHebe？Devilsofthatkindaredevilstothemselves-devilsofadecentsort。Besides，tonooneisChristhostile“
　　[IntheRussianthishiatusoccursasmarked。]
　　Asthoughunableanylongertobravetheassaultofthebillows，thepathsuddenlyswervedtowardsthebushesonourright，and，indoingso，causedthecloud-wrappedmountainstoshiftcorrespondinglytoourimmediatefront，wherethemassesofvapourweredarkeningasthoughrainwereprobable。
　　Kalinin’sdiscourseprovedinstructiveaswithhisstickhefromtimetotimeknockedthetrackclearofclingingtendrils。
　　“Thelocalityisnotwithoutitsperils，“onceheremarked。
　　“Forhereaboutstherelurksmalaria。ItdoessobecauselongagoMaliarofKostromabanishedhisevilsister，Fever，totheseparts。Probablyhewaspaidtodoso，buttheexactcircumstancesescapemymemory。“
　　Sothicklywasthesurfaceoftheseastreakedwithcloud-shadowsthatitboretheappearanceofbeinginmourning，ofbeingdeckedinthefuneralcoloursofblackandwhite。Afaroff，Gudaoutlaylashedwithfoam，whileconstantlyobjectslikesnowdriftskeptglidingtowardsit。
　　“Tellmemoreaboutthosedevils，“Isaidatlength。
　　“Well，ifyouwish。ButwhatexactlyamItotellyouaboutthem？“
　　“Allthatyoumayhappentoknow。“
　　“Oh，IknowEVERYTHINGaboutthem。“
　　Tothismycompanionaddedawink。Thenhecontinued:
　　“IsaythatIknoweverythingaboutthosedevilsforthereasonthatformymotherIhadamostremarkablewoman，awomancognisantofeachandeveryspeciesofproverb，anathema，anditemofhagiology。Youmustknowthat，afterspreadingmybedbesidethekitchenstoveeachnight，andherownbedonthetopofthestovefor，afterherwet-nursingofthreeoftheGeneral’schildren，shelivedalifeofabsoluteease，anddidnoworkatall——“
　　HereKalininhalted，and，drivinghisstickintotheground，glancedbackalongthepathbeforeresuminghiswaywithfirm，lengthystrides。
　　“ImaytellyouthattheGeneralhadaniecenamedValentinaIgnatievna。Andshetoowasamostremarkablewoman。“
　　“Remarkableforwhat？“
　　“RemarkableforEVERYTHING。“
　　Atthismomenttherecamefloatingoverourheadsthroughthedamp-saturatedairacormorant——oneofthosevoraciousbirdswhichsomarkedlylackintelligence。Andsomehowthewhistlingofitspowerfulpinionsawokeinmeanunpleasantreminiscentthought。
　　“Praycontinue，“Isaidtomyfellowtraveller。
　　Andeachnight，asIlayonthefloorImaymentionthatneverdidIclimbontothestove，andtothisdayIdisliketheheatofone，itwashercustomtositwithherlegsdanglingovertheedgeofthetop，andtellmestories。Andthoughtheroomwouldbetoodarkformetoseeherface，Icouldyetseethethingsofwhichshewouldbespeaking。Andattimes，asthesetalescamefloatingdowntome，Iwouldfindthemsohorribleastobeforcedtocryout，’Oh，Mamka，Mamka，DON’T！……’TothishourIhavenoloveforthebizarre，andambutapoorhandatrememberingit。Andasstrangeasherstorieswasmymother。
　　Eventuallyshediedofanattackofblood-poisoningand，thoughbutforty，hadbecomegrey-headed。Yes，andsoterriblydidshesmellafterherdeaththateveryoneinthekitchenwasconstrainedtoexclaimattheodour。“
　　“Yes，butwhatofthedevils？“
　　“Youmustwaitaminuteortwo。“
　　Everasweproceeded，clinging，fantasticbrancheskeptclosinginuponthepath，sothatweappearedtobewalkingthroughaseaofmurmuringverdure。Andfromtimetotimeaboughwouldflickusasthoughtosay:“Speed，speed，ortherainwillbeuponyou！“
　　Ifanything，however，mycompanionslackenedhispaceasinmeasured，sing-songaccentshecontinued:
　　“WhenJesusChrist，God’sSon，wentforthintothewildernesstocollectHisthoughts，SatansentdevilstosubjectHimtotemptation。Christwasthenyoung；andasHesatontheburningsandinthemiddleofthedesert，Heponderedupononethingandanother，andplayedwithahandfulofpebbleswhichHehadcollected。Untilpresentlyfromafar，theredescriedHimthedevilsHymen，Demon，Igamon，andZmiulan——devilsofequalagewiththeSaviour。
　　“DrawingnearuntoHim，theysaid，’PraysufferustosportwithThee。’WhereuponChristansweredwithasmile:’Praybeseated。’
　　Thenallofthemdidsitdowninacircle，andproceedtobusiness，whichbusinesswastoseewhetherornotanymemberofthepartycouldsothrowastoneintotheairastopreventitfromfallingbackupontheburningsand。
　　[IntheoriginalRussianthishiatusoccursasgiven。]
　　“ChristHimselfwasthefirsttothrowastone；whereuponHisstonebecamechangedintoasix-wingeddove，andflutteredawaytowardstheTempleofJerusalem。And，next，theimpotentdevilsstrovetodothesame；untilatlength，whentheysawthatChristcouldnotinanywisebetempted，Zmiulan，theseniorofthedevils，cried:
　　“’0hLord，wewilltemptTheenomore；forofasuretydoweavailnot，and，thoughwebedevils，nevershalldoso！’
　　“’Aye，nevershallye！’Christdidagree。’And，therefore，I
　　willnowfulfilthatwhichfromthefirstIdidconceive。ThatyebedevilsIknowrightwell。Andthat，whileyetafaroff，yedid，onbeholdingme，havecompassionuponmeIknowrightwell。
　　Whilealsoyedidnotinanywiseseektoconcealfrommethetruthasconcerningyourselves。Henceshallye，fortheremainderofyourlives，beGOODdevils；sothatatthelastshallmattersberenderedeasierforyou。Dothou，Zmiulan，becomeKingoftheOcean，andsendthewindsoftheseatocleansethelandoffoulair。Anddothou，Demon，seetoitthatthecattleshalleatofnopoisonousherb，butthatallherbsofthesortbecoveredwithprickles。Dothou，Igamon，comfort，bynight，allcomfortlesswidowswhoshallbeblamingGodforthedeathoftheirhusbands？
　　Anddothou，Hymen，astheyoungestdeviloftheband，chooseforthyselfwhereinshallliethycharge。’
　　“’0hLord，’repliedHymen，’Idolovebuttolaugh。’
　　“AndtheSaviourreplied:
　　“’Thencausethoufolktolaugh。Only，markthou，seetoitthattheylaughnotINCHURCH。’
　　“’YeteveninchurchwouldIlaugh，0hLord，’thedevilobjected。
　　“’JesusChristHimselflaughed。
　　“’Godgowithyou！’atlengthHesaid。’Thenletfolklaugheveninchurch——butQUIETLY。’
　　“InsuchwisedidChristconvertthosefourevildevilsintodevilsofgoodness。“
　　Soaringoverthegreen，bushyseawereanumberofoldoaks。Onthemtheyellowleavesweretremblingasthoughchilled；hereandthereasturdyhazelwasdoffingitswitheredgarments，andelsewhereawildcherrywasquivering，andelsewhereanalmostnakedchestnutwaspolitelyrenderingobeisancetotheearth。
　　“Didyoufindthatstoryofmineagoodone？“mycompanioninquired。
　　“Idid，forChristwassogoodinit。“
　　“AlwaysandeverywhereHeisso，“Kalininproudlyrejoined。“ButdoyoualsoknowwhatanoldwomanofSmolenskusedtosingconcerningHim？“
　　“Idonot。“
　　Halting，mystrangetravellerchantedinafeignedlysenileandtremulousvoice，ashebeattimewithhisfoot:
　　Intheheavensaflow’rdothblow，ItistheSonofGod。
　　Fromitallourjoysdoflow，ItistheSonofGod。
　　Inthesun’sredraysHedwellsHe，theSonofGod。
　　Hislightoureveryilldispels。