drinking I have vowed to establish temperance in this district and
thereby to expiate his sins. I have begun the campaign for temperance
at my own house. Father Yevmeny is delighted with my efforts, and
helps me both in word and deed. Oh, _ma chère_, if you knew how
fond my bears are of me! The president of the Zemstvo, Marfutkin,
kissed my hand after lunch, held it a long while to his lips, and,
wagging his head in an absurd way, burst into tears: so much feeling
but no words! Father Yevmeny, that delightful little old man, sat
down by me, and looking tearfully at me kept babbling something
like a child. I did not understand what he said, but I know how to
understand true feeling. The police captain, the handsome man of
whom I wrote to you, went down on his knees to me, tried to read
me some verses of his own composition (he is a poet), but . . . his
feelings were too much for him, he lurched and fell over . . . that
huge giant went into hysterics, you can imagine my delight! The day
did not pass without a hitch, however. Poor Alalykin, the president
of the judges' assembly, a stout and apoplectic man, was overcome
by illness and lay on the sofa in a state of unconsciousness for
two hours. We had to pour water on him. . . . I am thankful to
Doctor Dvornyagin: he had brought a bottle of brandy from his
dispensary and he moistened the patient's temples, which quickly
revived him, and he was able to be moved. . . ."


A BAD BUSINESS

"WHO goes there?"

No answer. The watchman sees nothing, but through the roar of the
wind and the trees distinctly hears someone walking along the avenue