Christian?" asked a woman's voice.

"Will you give me a bed for the night? I am tired with carrying her." He
pointed to the child, whose little head had again sunk on his shoulder.
The woman would hardly have admitted him alone.

"Come in, but don't take it ill that there is nothing to eat; we have
nothing ourselves."

"I have money, if there is any chance of buying anything."

"Is the child yours? How tired it is, poor little thing!"

"No, she is not mine. What should a hunter do with children? She came in
my way, that is all. Her mother died in the forest and I found her
before the wolves ate her. Perhaps some one will adopt her. She is quite
healthy and her name is Anjuta."

"Who can adopt her? We ourselves have barely enough to live upon. You
must report your finding her at the police office in the nearest town,
or go with her to the bailiff of the village."

But Ivan was not at all disposed to go either to the town or to the
village bailiff. "Since God has sent me the poor orphan, she can remain
with me," he said. "We will not come to grief, we two, in the forest.
Will you promise not to be afraid when you hear howlings and moanings
in the wood?"

"If you are with me, Grandfather, I won't be afraid. You have a gun and
can shoot all the wolves dead."

As the child chattered, the old man's sulky face assumed a brighter
expression.

VI

The forest was silent. An atmosphere of church-like stillness brooded
round every branch and leaf. It seemed as if in the azure heights of the
sky a solemn mystery was being performed, and the earth lay silent in
solemn awe. The birds were hidden in the bushes and not a squirrel could
be seen. The heat had penetrated even the shady parts of the wood; it
was cool only in the ravines where scanty rivulets trickled over the
sandy ground and conjured forth a green cloud of fine perfumed grass. A
profusion of flowers--red, yellow, white and blue--grew on the slopes.
They arranged themselves in most fantastic patterns, crowded together in
gay groups, or climbed the hills singly. Some seemed to stretch
themselves as though with curiosity on swaying stems, others hung their
heads languidly. The wild rose-bush opened its first blossoms like
thirsty red lips which could not breathe in air enough. From a thousand
altars rose incense in this majestic temple; the mysterious Celebration
continued in the heights above and the sun glowed and glittered like a
golden chalice in the hands