earn your lessons, and be
as obedient as possible to Var-Vara."

"Well, I do try, Elena, but she is so tiresome sometimes. She won't
let me play with the village children! They're very nice, but she says
they're peasants. I'm sure I try to remember what you teach me, though
the things _are_ so difficult. I'm not so _very_ lazy, Elena!"

Elena stooped her dark brown head over the little golden one.

"You're a darling, Daria! I know you do your best, when you don't
forget all about it!"

Volodia Ivanovitch had devoted his two best rooms to the children. He
had at first wished to give up the whole of his house to them, with
the exception of one bedroom; but Elena had developed a certain
strength of character and resolution during their troubles, and
absolutely refused to listen to this idea; so that finally the old man
was obliged to give way, and turn his attention to arranging the
rooms, in a style of what he considered, surpassing elegance and
comfort.

They were plain and simple, with fresh boarded walls and pine floors.

The furniture had all been brought from the great house, chosen by
Volodia with very little idea of its suitability, but because of
something in the colour or form that struck him as being particularly
handsome.

A large gilt console table, with marble top, and looking glass, took
up nearly one side of Elena's bedroom; and a glass chandelier hung
from the centre of the ceiling--where it was always interfering with
the heads of the unwary. The bed had faded blue satin hangings; and a
large Turkish rug and two ricketty gilt chairs, completed an effect
which Uncle Volodia and his wife considered to be truly magnificent.

Boris slept in the room adjoining.

This was turned into a sitting-room in the daytime, and furnished in
the same luxurious manner. Chairs with enormous coats-of-arms, a vast
Dresden china vase with a gilt cover to it; and in the corner a gold
picture of a Saint with a little lamp before it, always kept burning
night and day by the careful Var-Vara--Var-Vara in her bright red
gold-bordered gown, and the strange tiara on her head, decorated with
its long ribbons.

"If ever they wanted the help of the Saints, it's now," she would say,
as she filled the glass bowl with oil, and hung it up by its chains
again. "The wickedness of men has been too much for them. Aie! Aie!
It's the Lord's will."

CHAPTER VI.

Volodia Ivanovitch's house stood close to the village street, so tha