“Byyourleave，wearegoingtobedrowned，“theMorduinemurmuredasheglancedattheblueshadowofeventideonourleft。
　　Andsimultaneously，asthoughcompassionatingourlot，alargefloegroundeduponthebank，glidedupwardswithacrackingandacrashing，andthereheldfast！
　　“Run，allofyou！“cameafuriousshoutfromOssip。
　　“Hurryup，now！Putyourverybestlegsforemost！“
　　Formyself，asIspranguponthefloeIlostmyfooting，and，fallingheadlongandremainingseatedonthehitherendofthefloeamidashowerofspray，sawfiveofmysevencomradesrushpast，pushingandjostling，astheymadefortheshore。ButpresentlytheMorduineturnedandhaltedbesideme，withtheintentionofrenderingOssipassistance。
　　“Run，youyoungfools！“thelatterexclaimed。“Come！Beoffwithyou！“
　　Somehowinhisfacetherewasnowalivid，uncertainair，whilehiseyeshadlosttheirfire，andhismouthwascuriouslyagape。
　　“No，mate。DoYOUgetup，“wasmycounter-adjuration。
　　“Unfortunately，Ihavehurtmyleg，“herepliedwithhisheadbentdown。“Infact，IamnotsurethatIcangetup。“
　　However，wecontrivedtoraisehimandcarryhimashorewithanarmofhisrestingoneachofournecks。Meanwhilehegrowledwithchatteringteeth:
　　“Aha，youriverdevils！Drownmeifyoucan！ButI’venotgivenyouachance，theLordbethanked！Hi，lookout！Theicewon’tbearthethreeofus。Mindhowyoustep，andchooseplaceswheretheiceisbareofsnow。Thereit’sfirmer。No，abetterplanstillwouldbetoleavemewhereIam。“
　　Next，withafrowningscrutinyofmyface，heinquired:
　　“Thatnotebookofourmisdeeds——hasn’tithadawettingandgotdonefor？“
　　Thatverymoment，aswesteppedfromthestrandedfloeingrounding，ithadcrushedandshatteredasmallboat，suchpartofitaslayinthewatergavealoudcrack，and，swayingtoandfro，andemittingagurglingsound，floatedclearoftherest。
　　“Ah！“wastheMorduine’squizzicalcomment。“YOUknewwellenoughwhatneededtobedone。“
　　Wet，andchilledtothebone，thoughrelievedinspirit，westeppedashoretofindacrowdoftownspeopleinconversationwithBoevandtheoldsoldier。Andaswedepositedourchargeundertheleaofapileoflogsheshoutedcheerfully:
　　“Mates，Makarei’snotebookisdonefor，soakedthrough！“Andsincethenotebookinquestionwasweighinguponmybreastlikeabrick，Ipulleditoutunseen，andhurleditfarintotheriverwithaploplikethatofafrog。
　　AsfortheDiatlovs，theylostnotimeinsettingoutinsearchofvodkainthetavernonthehill，andslappedoneanotheronthebackastheyran，andcouldbeheardshouting，“Hurrah，hurrah！“
　　Uponthis，atalloldmanwiththebeardofanapostleandtheeyesofabrigandmuttered:
　　“Infidels，whydisturbpeacefulfolklikethis？Yououghttobethrashed！“
　　WhereuponBoev，whowaschanginghisclothes，retorted:
　　“Whatdoyoumeanby’disturb’？“
　　“Besides，“putintheoldsoldier，“eventhoughweareChristianslikeyourself，wemightaswellhavebeendrownedforallthatyoudidtohelpus。“
　　“Whatcouldwehavedone？“
　　MeanwhileOssiphadremainedlyingonthegroundwithonelegstretchedoutatfulllength，andtremuloushandsfumblingathisgreatcoatasunderhisbreathhemuttered:
　　“HolyMother，howwetIam！Myclothes，thoughIhaveonlywornthemayear，areruinedforever！“
　　Moreover，heseemednowtohaveshrunkenagaininstature——tohavebecomecrumpleduplikeamanrunover。Indeed，ashelayheseemedactuallytobemelting，socontinuouslywashisbulkdecreasinginsize。
　　Butsuddenlyheraisedhimselftoasittingposture，groaned，andexclaimedinhigh-pitched，wrathfulaccents:
　　“Maythedeviltakeyouall！Beoffwithyoutoyourwashhousesandchurches！Yes，beoff，foritseemsthat，asGodcouldn’tkeepHisholyfestivalwithoutyou，I’vehadtostandwithinanaceofdeathandtospoilmyclothes-yes，allthatyoufellowsshouldbegotoutofyourfix！“
　　Nevertheless，themenmerelycontinuedtakingofftheirboots，andwringingouttheirclothes，andconversingwithsundrygaspsandgruntswiththebystanders。SopresentlyOssipresumed:
　　“Whatareyouthinkingof，youfools？Thewashhouseisthebestplaceforyou，forifthepolicegetyou，they’llsoonfindyoualodging，andnomistake！“
　　Oneofthetownspeopleputinofficiously:
　　“Aye，aye。Thepolicehavebeensentfor。“
　　AndthisledBoevtoexclaimtoOssip:
　　“Whypretendlikethat？“
　　“Pretend？I？“
　　“Yes——you。“
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“
　　“Imeanthatitwasyouwhoeggedusontocrosstheriver。“
　　“YousaythatitwasI？“
　　“Ido。“
　　“Indeed？“
　　“Aye，“putinBudirinquietly，butincisively。AndhimtheMorduinesupportedbysayinginasullenundertone:
　　“Itwasyou，mate。ByGoditwas。Itwouldseemthatyouhaveforgotten。“
　　“Yes，youstartedallthisbusiness，“theoldsoldiercorroborated，indour，ponderousaccents。
　　“Forgotten，indeed？HE？“wasBoev’sheatedexclamation。
　　“Howcanyousaysuchathing？Well，lethimnottrytoshifttheresponsibilityontoothers——that’sall！WE’LLsee，rightenough，thathegoesthroughwithit！“
　　TothisOssipmadenoreply，butgazedfrowninglyathisdripping，half-cladmen。
　　Allatonce，withacuriousoutburstofmingledsmilesandtearsitwouldbehardtosaywhich，heshruggedhisshoulders，threwuphishands，andmuttered:
　　“Yes，itIStrue。Ifitpleaseyou，itwasIthatcontrivedtheidea。“
　　“OfCOURSEitwas！“theoldsoldiercriedtriumphantly。
　　Ossipturnedhiseyesagaintowheretheriverwasseethinglikeabowlofporridge，and，lettinghiseyesfallwithafrown，continued:
　　“InamomentofforgetfulnessIdidit。Yethowisitthatwewerenotalldrowned？Well，youwouldn’tunderstandevenifI
　　weretotellyou。No，byGod，youwouldn’t！……Don’tbeangrywithme，mates。Pardonmeforthefestival’ssake，forIamfeelinguneasyofmind。Yes，Iitwasthateggedyouontocrosstheriver，theoldfoolthatIwas！“
　　“Aha！“exclaimedBoev。“But，hadIbeendrowned，whatshouldyouhavesaidTHEN？“
　　Infact，bythistimeOssipseemedconscioustothefullofthefutilityandthesenselessnessofwhathehaddone:andinhisstateofsliminess，ashesatnoddinghishead，pickingatthesand，lookingatnoone，andemittingatorrentofremorsefulwords，heremindedmestronglyofanew-borncalf。
　　AndasIwatchedhimIthoughttomyself:
　　“Wherenowistheleaderofmenwhocoulddrawhisfellowsinhistrainwithsomuchcareandskillandauthority？“
　　Andintomysoultheretrickledanuneasysenseofsomethinglacking。SeatingmyselfbesideOssipforIdesiredstilltoretainameasureofmylateimpressionofhim，Isaidtohiminanundertone:
　　“Soonyouwillbeallrightagain。“
　　Withasidewaysglancehemutteredinreply，ashecombedhisbeard:
　　“Well，yousawwhathappenedjustnow。Alwaysdothingssohappen。“
　　Whileforthebenefitofthemenheadded:
　　“Thatwasagoodjestofmine，eh？“
　　Thesummitofthehillwhichlaycrouching，likeagreatbeast，onthebrinkoftheriverwasstandingoutclearlyagainstthefastdarkeningsky；whileaclumpoftreesthereonhadgrownblack，andeverywhereblueshadowsofthespringeventidewerecomingintoview，andloomingbetweenthehousetopswherethehouseslaypressedlikescabsagainstthehill’sopaquesurface，andpeeringfromthemoist，redjawsoftheravinewhich，gapingtowardstheriver，seemedasthoughitwerestretchingforthforadraughtofwater。
　　Also，bynowtherustlingandcrunchingoftheiceonthesimilarlydarkeningriverwasbeginningtoassumeadeepernote，andattimesafloewouldthrustoneofitsextremitiesintothebankasapigthrustsitssnoutintotheearth，andthereremainmotionlessbeforeoncemorebeginningtosway，tearingitselffree，andfloatingawaydowntheriverasanothersuchfloeglidedintoitsplace。