s the town.

The Captain watched him for a moment, and turning to Abyedok said,
smilingly:

"Probably you were right after all, you son of a scorpion and a
wood-louse! You nose out every evil thing. Yes, the face of that
young swindler shows that he has got what he wanted... I wonder how
much Egorka has got out of them. He has evidently taken something...
He is just the same sort of rogue that they are ... they are all tarred
with the same brush. He has got some money, and I'm damned if I did
not arrange the whole thing for him! It is best to own my folly...
Yes, life is against us all, brothers ... and even when you spit upon
those nearest to you, the spittle rebounds and hits your own face."

Having satisfied himself with this reflection, the worthy Captain
looked round upon his staff. Every one of them was disappointed,
because they all knew that something they did not expect had taken
place between Petunikoff and Vaviloff, and they all felt that they had
been insulted. The feeling that one is unable to injure anyone is
worse than the feeling that one is unable to do good, because to do
harm is far easier and simpler.

"Well, why are we loitering here? We have nothing more to wait for ...
except the reward that I shall get out--out of Egorka,..." said the
Captain, looking angrily at the eating-house. "So our peaceful life
under the roof of Judas has come to an end. Judas will now turn us
out.... So do not say that I have not warned you."

Kanets smiled sadly.

"What are you laughing at, jailer?" Kuvalda asked.

"Where shall I go then?"

"That, my soul, is a question that fate will settle for you, so do not
worry," said the Captain, thoughtfully, entering the dosshouse. "The
creatures that once were men" followed him.

"We can do nothing but await the critical moment," said the Captain,
walking about among them. "When they turn us out we shall seek a new
place for ourselves, but at present there is no use spoiling our life
by thinking of it ... In times of crisis one becomes energetic ... and
if life were fuller of them and every moment of it so arranged that we
were compelled to tremble for our lives all the time ... By God! life
would be livelier and even fuller of interest and energy than it is!"

"That means that people would all go about cutting one another's
throats," explained Abyedok, smilingly.

"Well, what about it?" asked the Captain, angrily. He did not like to
hear his thought