"Little brother," said Kwitoff, and he rose from beside
the flame and stood erect, for he was tall, "will you
give your life?"

"What for?" asked Serge.

The brothers shook their heads.

"We cannot tell you that," they said. "That would be too
much. Will you join us?"

"In what?" asked Serge.

"We must not say," said the brothers. "We can only ask
are you willing to help our enterprise with all your
power and with your life if need be?"

"What is your enterprise?" asked Serge.

"We must not divulge it," they said. "Only this: will
you give your life to save another life, to save Russia?"

Serge paused. He thought of Olga Ileyitch. Only to save
her life would he have given his.

"I cannot," he answered.

"Good night, little brother," said Kwitoff gently, and
he turned back to his work.