and seemed to think of its own affairs. What affairs do chimneys
have? Various affairs.

Of the people in the garden only their voices remained. As long as
some one walked near the lanterns he could be seen; but as soon as he
walked away all seemed to melt, melt, melt, and the voice above the
ground laughed, talked, floating fearlessly in the darkness. But the
officers and the students could be seen even in the dark--a white
spot, and above it a small light of a cigarette and a big voice.

And now the most joyous thing commenced for Yura--the fairy tale.
The people and the festival and the lanterns remained on earth, while
he soared away, transformed into air, melting in the night like a
grain of dust. The great mystery of the night became his mystery,
and his little heart yearned for still more mystery; in its solitude
his heart yearned for the fusion of life and death. That was Yura's
second madness that evening--he became invisible. Although he could
enter the kitchen as others did, he climbed with difficulty upon the
roof of the cellar over which the kitchen window was flooded with
light and he looked in; there people were roasting something, busying
themselves, and did not know that he was looking at them--and yet he
saw everything! Then he went away and looked at papa's and mamma's
bedroom; the room was empty; but the beds had already been made for
the night and a little image lamp was burning--he saw that. Then he
looked into his own room; his own bed was also ready, waiting for
him. He passed the room where they were playing cards, also as an
invisible being, holding his breath and stepping so lightly, as
though he were soaring in the air. Only when he reached the garden,
in the dark, he drew a proper breath. Then he resumed his quest. He
came over to people who were talking so near him that he could touch