The Created Legend

rs stayed

esses, no less simple and charming, seemed cheerful, care-free, and restful. Yet they were always busy, and nothing escaped them. Besides many of

ed with enjoyment to an interesting discourse concerning the objects the children had observed that day in the wood. There were other instruc

dark foliage of the trees could be seen the glimmer of red caps and of sunburnt arms and legs. The sisters were again left

to go," s

ta made

s very interesting and delightful

n noticed. A few of the children ran

ou the way, or

ushes a small boy and a small girl were hiding. They were like the others she had seen here, except that they were very white, as though the kisses of the stern Dragon floating in the hot sky had left no traces upon their tender

at strang

tion of Elisaveta's glanc

nst

rvation-the faces of these hiding children se

er and laughing. Only one boy remained with them. He opened the gate and waited fo

are t

where the boy and the girl were hiding. The cheerful urchin

s no on

now visible in the bus

re quite white, not at all brown like the rest

ta, frowned slightly, lowered his eyes, reflected, then

children. They are never with us. They are quiet ones. They do not play. They have be

, were other children, quiet ones, who did not join in their play. Suddenly he shook his head lustily, banish

, darlings! Foll

e opened up before them, and in the distance a white wall was visible, which concealed Trirodov's house. They continued their way to

his dazzling light, tormented men with it, yet wished them to rejoice in his presence and to compose hymns to him. He wished to rule, and it seemed as though he were motionless, as though he would never decide t

were seeking-seekin

estate attached to it occupied a considerable space, surrounded by a stone wall. One side of the place faced the river, the other the town, the rest adjoined the fields and woods. The house stood in the middle of an old garden. From behind the t

rn part of the estate, through a wood, to the Krutitsk cemetery. In the town they called this the footpath of Navii,2 and they were afraid to walk upon it even by day. Many legends grew up around it. The local intelligentsia tried vainly to disprove them. The whole property was sometimes called Navii's play

rodov from buying the house. He made changes in it, and then settled here

the curiosity of the townsfolk and caused all sorts of malicious gossip. The working men did not belong to the place, but were brought from

about with them, and dig underground passages in Navii's playground. He himself

instructress, Nadezhda V

earchingly a

cere," answered Elis

ing," said Elena wi

re is that other-the one that ran away from us-there's something

say so?" a

seems in every way phlegmatic, yet she tries to appear animate

one wall. This was Kirsha's free hour. B

ike the boys in the wood. He was quite restless to-day. He felt sad without knowing why. He felt as if some invisible being were drawing him on, calling to

ha felt especially perturbed. In the far corner of the garden he saw a boy in white

all alone at home. He was lying on

young. Only on closer scrutiny it was possible to detect the many grey hairs, the wrinkles on the forehead around the ey

n the bookcases, a narrow space was left, large enough for a man to stand in. It gave the impression of a door being there, hidden by hangings. In the middle of the room stood a very large table, upon which lay b

ed-quiet, small, troubled. Trirodov

isitive pair. They have been looking over our colony

eading and laid the book on the small table at his side. He then took Kirsha by the hand, dre

questions of those

erect and calm, Trirodov

that this is wicked. It i

me to them," sai

know?" ask

is shoulders and

here? What a

ss, something that needed deciding. Kirsha quietly walked up to him, stepping softly upon the white, warm floor with his sunburnt graceful feet, h

ly when I must. I felt very much troubled t

appen?" aske

a pleading voice, "that you must let

ntively at his son and sm

. In some way she is like mothe

Trirodov. "They might have waited u

y, and said thoughtfully, sh

rious. What's to

usly, now gravel

other not c

f only for one little mi

o with these girl

how them the house

hildren?" quietl

also like the elder

y, these girls?"

ghbours, the Rame

miled agai

derstand why the

, heavy prisms and picked it up cautiously, and again carefull

meet them and b

owing anim

or through

hrough the dark pa

f green glass filled with a dark fluid, and looked in the direction of the secret door. At that instant it opened quietly

ould not say it. Pity and tenderness clung to his lips. Silently he