their feet they kept up a conversation.

[Footnote 1: Also the scene of Sologub's "Little Demon."]

"How puzzling it all is!" said Elena, the younger sister. "No one
knows where his income comes from, what he does in his house, and why
he has this colony of children. There are all sorts of strange rumours
about him. It's certainly a mystery."

Elena's words reminded Elisaveta of an article she had read lately in
a philosophic periodical published at Moscow. Elisaveta had a good
memory. She recalled a phrase:

"In our world reason will never dominate, and the mysterious will
always maintain its place."

She tried to recall more, but suddenly realizing that it would not
interest Elena, she gave a sigh and grew silent. Elena gave her a
tender, appealing look and said:

"When it is so bright you want everything to be as clear as it is
around us now."

"Is everything really clear now?" exclaimed Elisaveta. "The sun blinds
your eyes, the water flashes and dazzles, and in this ragingly bright
world we do not even know whether there isn't some one a couple of
paces away peeping at us."

At this moment the sisters were standing breast-high in the water,
near the overgrown bank. The schoolboy who sat on his heels behind the