"And then? I shall work all the winter and in the spring go somewhere
into the provinces again to collect material. Well, be happy, live
a hundred years . . . don't remember evil against me. We shall not
see each other again."

Ognev stooped down and kissed Vera's hand. Then, in silent emotion,
he straightened his cape, shifted his bundle of books to a more
comfortable position, paused, and said:

"What a lot of mist!"

"Yes. Have you left anything behind?"

"No, I don't think so. . . ."

For some seconds Ognev stood in silence, then he moved clumsily
towards the gate and went out of the garden.

"Stay; I'll see you as far as our wood," said Vera, following him
out.

They walked along the road. Now the trees did not obscure the view,
and one could see the sky and the distance. As though covered with
a veil all nature was hidden in a transparent, colourless haze
through which her beauty peeped gaily; where the mist was thicker
and whiter it lay heaped unevenly about the stones, stalks, and
bushes or drifted in coils over the road, clung close to the earth
and seemed trying not to conceal the view. Through the haze they
could see all the road as far as the wood, with dark ditches at the