sun in the heaven
of justice, and this heaven resides in the workingman's heart. Whoever
he be, whatever his name, a socialist is our brother in spirit now and
always, and through all the ages forever and ever!"

This intoxicated and childish joy, this bright and firm faith came over
the company more and more frequently; and it grew ever stronger, ever
mightier.

And when the mother saw this, she felt that in very truth a great
dazzling light had been born into the world like the sun in the sky and
visible to her eyes.

On occasions when his father had stolen something again and was in
prison, Nikolay would announce to his comrades: "Now we can hold our
meetings at our house. The police will think us thieves, and they love
thieves!"

Almost every evening after work one of Pavel's comrades came to his
house, read with him, and copied something from the books. So greatly
occupied were they that they hardly even took the time to wash. They
ate their supper and drank tea with the books in their hands; and their
talks became less and less intelligible to the mother.

"We must have a newspaper!" Pavel said frequently.

Life grew ever more hurried and feverish; there was a constant rushing
from house to house, a passing from one book to another, like the
flirting of bees from flower to flower.

"They are talking about us!" said Vyesovshchikov once. "We must get
away soon."

"What's a quail for but to be caught in the snare?" retorted the Little
Russian.

Vlasova liked the Little Russian more and more. When he called her
"mother," it was like a child's hand patting her on the cheek. On
Sunday, if Pavel had no time, he chopped wood for her; once he came
with a board on his shoulder, and quickly and skillfully replaced the
rotten step on the porch. Another time he repaired the tottering fence
with just as little ado. He whistled as he worked. It was a
beautifully sad and wistful whistle.

Once the mother said to the son:

"Suppose we take the Little Russian in as a boarder. It will be better
for both of you. You won't have to run to each other so much!"

"Why need you trouble and crowd yourself?" asked Pavel, shrugging his
shoulders.

"There you have it! All my life I've had trouble for I don't know
what. For a good person it's worth the while."

"Do as you please. If he comes I'll be glad."

And the Little Russian moved into their home.

CHAPTER V

The little house at the edge of th