The Created Legend

Whether it linger in the darkness; whether it be dim, commonplace, or raging with a furious fire-life

with what is splendid in earthly experience, or at any rate with what is beautiful and pleasing. Splendid

r, the light, and the summer beamed and were glad; they beamed because of the sunlight that filled the immense space, th

ause the two maidens were beautiful and were naked. And the two girls felt also gay and cool, and they wanted

they felt themselves the mistresses of these fast-flowing waters and of the sand-shoals under their agile feet. And they swam about and laughed in this river with th

ht to any one who might have looked down upon them from the bench in the garden on the high bank and watched the exquisite play of their muscles under their thin ela

ky met, were visible the far huts of the suburban village. Peasant boys passed by on the bank. They did not look at the bathing women. But a schoolboy, who had come a long wa

I'll surely

riend, their relative. Elena, the younger, now appealed most to him; she was plump, cheerful, white, rosy, her hands and feet were small. He did not like the hand

he is certainly well formed

ozh.1 From the very first he had caused much talk in the town, mostly unsympathetic. It was quite natural that the two rose-yellow, black-haired gi

income comes from, what he does in his house, and why he has this colony of chil

read lately in a philosophic periodical published at Mo

dominate, and the mysterious w

t would not interest Elena, she gave a sigh and grew si

ant everything to be as cle

es, the water flashes and dazzles, and in this ragingly bright world we do not

s words. He grew cold in his confusion, and began to crawl on all-fours between the bushes, away from the river. He got in among the rye, then perched himself

injury, and irritation. There was something especially humiliating to him in the thought that

p water towards the dry ground, heaven's terrestrial footstool, and out into the air, where they met the hot kisses of the slowly, cumbrously rising Dra

dresses. She loved yellow, she loved buttercups and gold, and though she sometimes said that she wore yellow in order to soften her ruddy complexion, she really loved it simply,

Elisaveta's face had a keen, almost exaggerated, expression of the mastery of will and intellect over the emotions. The long and peculiarly straight parting of her lips was very exqui

sandy bank and looked into the monotonous distances. The fine warm grain

flections of her skin, in her pretty light dress of a pinkish white material, in her broad sash of pink silk fastened behind wi

loved to take long walks. They had already passed several times the house and grounds of Giorgiy Trirodov, wh

They spoke quietly of various things, and felt a

looked wildly beautiful. From its depth came the sweet, warm odour of clover, and down below its white bosom grass was visible. A small narrow bridge, propped up from below with t

d-rail of birch. They tried the gate-it was closed. They look

e to go ba

ou've got to get over the hedge, and that even that is impossible for s

alm, almost dead eyes. There was something strange in the shape of his pale lips, thought Elisaveta. A motionless, sorrowful expression lurked in the corners of his mouth.

been there at all; the sisters had no time to be astonished or to thank him. It was as

possession of them for an instant and as quickly went from

open it?"

ing in that she had almost forgotten the pale boy. Only somewhere, within

conquered by human activity. Not far away voices, cries, laughter resounded. Here and there were evidences of left-off games. The narrow footpaths often led to wider paths of sand. The sisters quic

nt. The glade was full of children of various ages. They were sitting and reclining all around in ones, twos, and threes. In the middle some thirty boys and girls were singing and dancing; their dance followed strictly t

ike. Their simple, light attire seemed beautiful. It was pleasant to look at them, perhaps because their dress revealed the acti

e faces and of the arms and legs. There was a spirit of gaiety here, a sense of holida

not sing approached the sisters and looked at

ke," said a boy with very b

my dear," sa

children wished to talk to

t was sitting on a pine. Then I gave

s ended their song and scattered in all directions to play. Th

? Are you pleased with w

Our place adjoins this. We are the Rameyevs.

men were looking at her naked shoulders and at her legs naked to the knee. But seeing th

ezhda Vestcheze

mewhere in town-perhaps a tale in connexion with it, she could not remember exactly wha

row is hid behind a bright smile, and from what darkness has sprung the blossoming which

n-haired Nadezhda with a friendly but subtle smile

eta re

s. He ran off so quickly that we h

ddenly ceas

there with Trirodov. There are several of them. Wouldn't you like t

hat Nadezhda wanted t

everything here," said Nadezhda. "People have built cities to escape the w

of her past life or was it a thing foreign to her a

the savages of the town. The beast must be killed. The wolf and the

veta

ls, and who has built his lair in the town? It is he who doe

brows, pressed her hands

l him, we sha