oil was
exhausted. The drops of rain sounded strangely on the iron roof of the
dosshouse. Above the mountain where the town lay the ringing of bells
was heard, rung by the watchers in the churches. The brazen sound
coming from the belfry rang out into the dark and died away, and before
its last indistinct note was drowned another stroke was heard and the
monotonous silence was again broken by the melancholy clang of bells.

* * * * *

The next morning Tyapa was the first to wake up. Lying on his back he
looked up into the sky. Only in such a position did his deformed neck
permit him to see the clouds above his head.

This morning the sky was of a uniform grey. Up there hung the damp,
cold mist of dawn, almost extinguishing the sun, hiding the unknown
vastness behind and pouring despondency over the earth. Tyapa crossed
himself, and leaning on his elbow, looked round to see whether there
was any vodki left. The bottle was there, but it was empty. Crossing
over his companions he looked into the glasses from which they had
drunk, found one of them almost full, emptied it, wiped his lips with
his sleeve, and began to shake the Captain.

The Captain raised his head and looked at him with sad eyes.

"We must inform the police... Get up!"

"Of what?" asked the Captain, sleepily and angrily.

"What, is he not dead? ..."

"Who?"

"The learned one...."

"Philip? Ye-es!"

"Did you forget? ... Alas!" said Tyapa, hoarsely. The Captain rose to
his feet, yawned and stretched himself till all his bones cracked.

"Well, then! Go and give information..."

"I will not go ... I do not like them," said the Captain, morosely.

"Well, then, wake up the Deacon... I shall go, at any rate."

"All right! ... Deacon, get up!"

The Captain entered the dosshouse, and stood at the teacher's feet.
The dead man lay at full length, his left hand on his breast, the right
hand held as if ready to strike some one.

The Captain thought that if the teacher got up now, he would be as tall
as Paltara Taras. Then he sat by the side of the dead man and sighed,
as he remembered that they had lived together for the last three years.
Tyapa entered holding his head like a goat which is ready to butt.

He sat down quietly and seriously on the opposite side of the teacher's
body, looked into the dark, silent face, and began to sob.

"So ... he is dead ... I too shall die soon..."

"It is quite ti