rugged her shoulders, held her head a little to one side,
and threw a look at Ivan which sent the blood coursing to his head.
Then she went on, quietly--

"I gave him my promise before mother died, and I must keep my word."

"To the devil with your father and your mother!" cried Ivan, out of
himself with baffled hope and rage. "Do you imagine I care what you
have promised to a fellow like that? I ask you again, will you give
him up and come to me?"

Again Evila shook her head. "I dare not. My bridegroom is a wild,
desperate fellow; he would think nothing of doing for you, and setting
the pit on fire into the bargain when bad weather was on.
Good-evening!" And so saying, she ran away quickly, and mingled with
her companions.

Ivan threw the day-book from him so violently that the leaves flew
from one corner to another. A common creature, a wheelbarrow-girl, a
half-savage, had dared to cross his wishes and refuse his offer! And
for a dirty, miserable, underground miner--a common mole!

Ivan had a hard battle to fight with himself when he was once more
alone in the solitude of the night. The suppressed passion of the
ascetic had suddenly broken through the dams, which moderation had set
up to restrain its course.

Beware of the man who professes to be above human passion, who glories
in his iron will and his heart of ice; avoid him and the quiet, holy,
studious man of soft tongue, who turns away his eyes from women, and
shuns what others enjoy. It is upon such as these that outraged human
nature revenges itself; and once the demon within gets loose, he plays
a fine game to indemnify himself for all the restraint he has
undergone. The love of the worldling is a small dog; that of the
hermit is a lion.

With this wild beast, which he had suddenly unchained, did Ivan, the
man of science, spend the long night, now walking up and down the
narrow room, now throwing himself on his bed, a prey to the most
horrible temptations, his heart beating with a thousand passionate
desires, his thoughts running in as many evil directions. The
opposition that had been made to its wishes by Evila had stimulated
his passion, and also roused the pride of his nature. The master of
the Bondavara mine was a man of fiery temper, kept in check by his
strong command over himself; but this command seemed now at fault. He
had no longer any power to lay this demon, which had got possession of
him, tempting him from every side. With his powerful