the dosshouse walls. The Captain watched them, scratching his beard.
Tyapa returned bringing a vedro of water, and placing it by the
teacher's head, he took his arm as if to raise him up.

"The water is not necessary," and the Captain shook his head.

"But we must try to revive him," said the old ragcollector.

"Nothing is needed," said the Captain, decidedly.

They sat silently looking at the teacher.

"Let us go and drink, old devil!"

"But he?"

"Can you do him any good?"

Tyapa turned his back on the teacher, and both went out into the
courtyard to their companions.

"What is it?" asked Abyedok, turning his sharp nose to the old man.
The snoring of those who were asleep, and the tinkling sound of pouring
vodki was heard... The Deacon was murmuring something. The clouds
swam low, so low that it seemed as if they would touch the roof of the
house and knock it over on the group of men.

"Ah! One feels sad when someone near at hand is dying," faltered the
Captain, with his head down. No one answered him.

"He was the best among you ... the cleverest, the most respectable...
I mourn for him."

"Re-s-t with the Saints... Sing, you crooked hunchback!" roared the
Deacon, digging his friend in the ribs.

"Be quiet!" shouted Abyedok, jumping vengefully to his feet.

"I will give him one on the head," proposed Martyanoff, raising his
head from the ground.

"You are not asleep?" Aristid Fomich asked him very softly. "Have you
heard about our teacher?"

Martyanoff lazily got up from the ground, looked at the line of light
coming out of the dosshouse, shook his head and silently sat down
beside the Captain.

"Nothing particular... The man is dying ..." remarked the Captain,
shortly.

"Have they been beating him?" asked Abyedok, with great interest.

The Captain gave no answer. He was drinking vodki at the moment.

"They must have known we had something in which to commemorate him
after his death!" continued Abyedok, lighting a cigarette. Someone
laughed, someone sighed. Generally speaking, the conversation of
Abyedok and the Captain did not interest them, and they hated having to
think at all. They had always felt the teacher to be an uncommon man,
but now many of them were drunk and the others sad and silent. Only
the Deacon suddenly drew himself up straight and howled wildly:

"And may the righteous r--e--s--t!"

"You idiot!" hissed Abyedok. "What are you howling for?"

"Fool!" said T