ll of a
boat--the dark figure of a man therein, a fishing net suspended from
some stakes, and a woman in a yellow bodice who was sitting beside the
fire. Also, amid the golden radiance there could be distinguished a
quivering of the leaves on the lower branches of the tree whereunder
the woman sat shaded.

All the river was calm, and not a sound occurred to break the stillness
ashore, while the air under the awning of the third-class portion of
the vessel felt as stifling as during the earlier part of the day. By
this time the conversation of the passengers, damped by the shadow of
dusk, had merged into a single sound which resembled the humming of
bees; and amid it one could not distinguish nor divine who was
speaking, nor the subject of discussion, since every word therein
seemed disconnected, even though all appeared to be talking amicably,
and in order, concerning a common topic. At one moment a suppressed
laugh from a young woman would reach the ear; in the cabin, a party who
had agreed to sing a song of general acceptation were failing to hit
upon one, and disputing the point in low and dispassionate accents; and
in each, such sound there was something vespertinal, gently sad, softly
prayer-like.

From behind the firewood near me a thick, rasping voice said in
deliberate tones:

"At first he was a useful young fellow enough, and clean and spruce;
but lately, he has become shabby and dirty, and is going to the dogs."

Another voice, loud and gruff, replied:

"Aha! Avoid the ladies, or one is bound to go amiss."

"The saying has it that always a fish makes for deeper water."

"Besides, he is a fool, and that is worse still. By the way, he is a
relative of yours, isn't he?"

"Yes. He is my brother."

"Indeed? Then pray forgive me."

"Certainly; but, to speak plainly, he is a fool."

At this moment I saw the passenger in the buff pea-jacket approach the
sally-port, grasp with his left hand a stanchion, and step on to the
grating under which one of the paddle-wheels was churning the water to
foam. There he stood looking over the bulwarks with a swinging motion
akin to that of a bat when, grappling some object or another with its
wings, it hangs suspended in the air. The fact that the man's cap was
drawn tightly over his ears caused the latter to stick out almost to
the point of absurdity.

Presently he turned and peered into the gloom under the awning, though,
seemingly, he failed to distinguish myself