Andevermoreandmoreswiftlywasthewaterrising，andwashingawaysoilfromthebank，andspreadingathicksedimentoverthedarkbluesurfaceoftheriver。Andasitdidso，thereresoundedintheairastrangenoiseasofchewingandchamping，anoiseasthoughsomehugewildanimalweremasticating，andlickingitselfwithitsgreatlongtongue。
　　Andstilltherecontinuedtocomefromthetownthemelancholy，distance-softened，sweet-tonedsongofthebells。
　　Presently，thebrothersDiatlovappeareddescendingfromthehillwithbottlesintheirhands，andsportinglikeacoupleofjoyouspuppies，whiletointerceptthemtherecouldbeseenadvancingalongthebankoftheriveragrey-coatedpolicesergeantandtwoblack-coatedconstables。
　　“0hLord！“groanedOssipasherubbedhisknee。
　　Asforthetownsfolk，theyhadnoloveforthepolice，sohastenedtowithdrawtoalittledistance，wheretheysilentlyawaitedtheofficers’approach。Beforelongthesergeant，alittle，witheredsortofafellowwithdiminutivefeaturesandasandy，stubbymoustache，calledoutingruff，stern，hoarse，labouredaccents:
　　“Sohereyouare，yourascals！“
　　Ossipprisedhimselfupfromthegroundwithhiselbow，andsaidhurriedly:
　　“ItwasIthatcontrivedtheideaofthething，yourExcellency；but，prayletmeoffinhonourofthefestival。“
　　“Whatdoyousay，you——？“thesergeantbegan，buthisblusterwaslostamidtheswiftflowofOssip’sfurtherconciliatorywords。
　　“Wearefolkofthistown，“Ossipcontinued，“whotonightfoundourselvesstrandedonthefurtherbank，withnothingtobuybreadwith，eventhoughthedayaftertomorrowwillbeChrist’sday，thedaywhenChristianslikeourselveswishtocleanthemselvesupalittle，andtogotochurch。SoIsaidtomymates，’Beoffwithyou，mygoodfellows，andmayGodsendthatnomishapbefallyou！’AndforthispresumptuousnessofmineIhavebeenpunishedalready，for，asyoucansee，haveasgoodasbrokenmyleg。“
　　“Yes，“ejaculatedthesergeantgrimly。“Butifyouhadbeendrowned，whatthen？“
　　Ossipsighedwearily。
　　“Whatthen，doyousay，yourExcellency？Why，then，nothing，withyourpermission。“
　　Thisledtheofficertostartrailingattheculprit，whilethecrowdlistenedassilentlyandattentivelyasthoughhehadbeensayingsomethingworthytobeheardandheeded，ratherthanfoullyandcynicallymiscallingtheirmothers。
　　Lastly，ournameshavingbeennoted，thepolicewithdrew，whileeachofusdrankadramofvodkaandtherebygainedameasureofwarmthandcomfort，andthenbegantomakeforourseveralhomes。Ossipfollowedthepolicewithderisiveeyes；whereafter，heleapttohisfeetwithanimble，adroitmovement，andcrossedhimselfwithpunctiliouspiety。
　　“That’sallaboutit，thankGod！“heexclaimed。
　　“What？“sniggeredBoev，nowbothdisillusionedandastonished。
　　“Doyoureallymeantosaythatthatlegofyoursisbetteralready？Ordoyoumeanthatitneverwasinjuredatall？“
　　“Ah！SoyouwishthatitHADbeeninjured，eh？“
　　“TherascalofaPetrushka！“theotherexclaimed。
　　“Now，“commandedOssip，“doallofyoubeoff，mates。“Andwiththathepulledhiswetcapontohishead。
　　Iaccompaniedhim——walkingalittlebehindtherest。Ashelimpedalong，hesaidinanundertone-saidkindly——andasthoughhewerecommunicatingasecretknownonlytohimself:
　　“Whatsoeveronemaydo，andwhithersoeveronemayturn，onewillfindthatlifecannotbelivedwithoutameasureoffraudanddeceit。ForthatiswhatlifeIS，Makarei，thedevilflyawaywithit！……Isupposeyou’remakingforthehill？Well，I’llkeepyoucompany。“
　　Darknesshadfallen，butatacertainspotsomeredandyellowlamps，lampsthebeamsofwhichseemedtobesaying，“Comeuphither！“wereshiningthroughtheobscurity。
　　Meanwhile，asweproceededinthedirectionofthebellsthatwereringingonthehill，rivuletsofwaterflowedwithamurmurunderourfeet，andOssip’skindlyvoicekeptminglingwiththeirsound。
　　“See，“hecontinued，“howeasilyIbefooledthatsergeant！
　　Thatishowthingshavetobedone，Makarei——onehastokeepfolkfromknowingone’sbusiness，yettomakethemthinkthattheyarethechiefpersonsconcerned，andthepersonswhosewithasputthecaponthewhole。“
　　YetasIlistenedtohisspeech，whilesupportinghissteps，I
　　couldmakelittleofit。
　　NordidIcaretomakeverymuchofit，forIwasofasimpleandeasygoingnature。AndthoughatthemomentIcouldnothavetoldwhetherIreallylikedOssip，Iwouldstillhavefollowedhisleadinanydirection——yes，evenacrosstheriveragain，thoughtheicehadbeengivingwaybeneathme。
　　Andasweproceeded，andthebellsechoedandre-echoed，I
　　thoughttomyselfwithaspasmofjoy:
　　“Ah，manytimesmayIthuswalktogreetthespring！“
　　WhileOssipsaidwithasigh:
　　“Thehumansoulisawingedthing。Eveninsleepitflies。“
　　Awingedthing？Yes，andathingofwonder。
　　TheplacewhereIfirstsawhimwasatavernwherein，ensconcedinthechimney-corner，andfacingatable，hewasexclaimingstutteringly，“Oh，Iknowthetruthaboutyouall！Yes，Iknowthetruthaboutyou！“whilestandinginasemicircleinfrontofhim，andunconsciouslyrenderinghimmoreandmoreexcitedwiththeirsarcasticinterpolations，weresometradesmenofthesuperiorsort——fiveinnumber。Oneofthemremarkedindifferently:
　　“HowshouldyouNOTknowthetruthaboutus，seeingthatyoudonothingbutslanderus？“
　　Shabby，infactinrags，Gubinatthatmomentremindedmeofahomelessdogwhich，havingstrayedintoastrangestreet，hasfounditselfheldupbyabandofdogsofsuperiorstrength，and，seizedwithnervousness，issittingbackonitshaunchesandsweepingthedustwithitstail；and，withgrowls，andoccasionalbaringsofitsfangs，andsundrybarkings，attemptingnowtointimidateitsadversaries，andnowtoconciliatethem。
　　Meanwhile，havingperceivedthestranger’shelplessnessandinsignificance，thenativepackisbeginningtomoderateitsattitude，intheconvictionthat，thoughcontinuedmaintenanceofdignityisimperative，itisnotworthwhiletopickaquarrelsolongasanoccasionalyelpbeventedinthestranger’sface。
　　“Towhomareyouofanyuse？“oneofthetradesmenatlengthinquired。
　　“Notamanofusbutmaybeofuse。“
　　“Towhom，then？“……
　　Ihadlongsincegrownfamiliarwithtaverndisputesconcerningverities，andnotinfrequentlyseenthosedisputesdevelopintoopenbrawls；butneverhadIpermittedmyselftobedrawnintotheirtoils，ortobesetwanderingamidtheirtangleslikeablindmannegotiatinganumberofhillocks。Moreover，justbeforethisencounterwithGubin，Ihadarrivedatadimsurmisethatwhensuchdifferenceswerecarriedtothepointofmadnessandbloodshed。Really，theyconstitutedanexpressionoftheunmeaning，hopeless，melancholylifethatislivedinthewilderandmoreremotedistrictsofRussia——ofthelifethatislivedonswampybanksofdingyrivers，andinoursmallerandmoreGod-forgottentowns。Foritwouldseemthatinsuchplacesmenhavenothingtolookfor，noranyknowledgeofhowtolookforanything；wherefore，theybrawlandshoutinvainattemptstodissipatedespondency……
　　ImyselfwassittingnearGubin，butontheothersideofthetable。Yet，thiswasnotbecausehisoutburstsandthetradesmen’sretortstheretowereapleasuretolistento，sincetomeboththeoneandtheotherseemedaboutasfutileasbeatingtheair。
　　“TowhomareYOUofuse？“
　　“Tohimselfeverymancanbeuseful。“
　　“Butwhatgoodcanonedooneself？“……
　　Thewindowsofthetavernwereopen，whileinthependent，undulatingcloudofbluesmokethattheflamesofthelampsemitted，thoselampslookedlikesomanyyellowpitchersfloatingamidthewatersofastagnantpond。OutofdoorstherewasbroodingthequietofanAugustnight，andnotarustle，notawhisperwastheretobeheard。Hence，asnumbedwithmelancholy，IgazedattheinkyheavensandlimpidstarsIthoughttomyself:
　　“Surely，neverweretheskyandthestarsmeanttolookdownuponalifelikethis，alifelikethis？“