The Created Legend

er, behind the bushes, the canvas roof of the bath-house stood revealed. Elena, Misha, and Miss Harrison were already there. They were sitting on a bench halfway down the slope, where

river, and nothing shocked her in the evening landscape and in the peaceful water. But now two persons came wh

and the agitated words of the restless people did not cause the broad sheet to stir. Misha picked up thin, flat stones and threw them underhand into the distance so that, touching the water, they skipped repeatedly o

veta

can throw the better.

o play. Mish

e town, a rowing-boat appeared. Piotr looked searc

man, the Social Democrat of the Russi

. She asked with

ou dislik

is party calls itself the Russia Party, and

wered with he

e Russian, but also the Lithuanian, the Armenian, the Jew, and men of other races

d Piotr obstinately. "I see in

ksmith by trade, sat at the oars. He was thin and of medium height; there was a suggestion of irony in the shape of his lips

sprang out gracefully. Piotr remarked deris

the proletaria

v answere

espects to the ge

; then, turning with special de

taken from me. Our suburbanites have their own

ng blouse-wearer irritated him beyond bounds; he thought S

ion of things, it is not rights

v whistle

ng-and that's all there was to it. 'Blessed are the strong'

hold of this?" aske

n to us," answered Stchemilov in a no less contemptuou

remained in the boat. He looked rather timi

s looking cautiously towards the bank. Stchemilov lo

id; there are kindly people here

gh he hated violent discussions. Kiril got out of the boat awkwardly, and no less awkwardly st

he said, trying to a

ing," answered Kiril in

over; his arms shot up into the air, and one of his hands brushed against Elisaveta.

onths in admini

od these strange w

r w

sed. He answered with

you do the slightest thing, and they tr

emilov said very qu

nts to become acquaint

d, smiled amiably at Kiril, and pre

tudied correctness. The conversation continued somewhat awkwardly. Elisaveta's blue eyes looked g

r as

racy by the proletariat? You admit the need of an autocracy, but only

answered qu

us anything-neither a fraction of an ounce of po

mediate object?

Stchemilov. "We have only one object: the pu

?" cried out Piot

ider as machinery of produ

finite amount of land in Russia?

y enough to go round-and plenty for e

an?" continued Piotr in loud derision. "You've got that ide

istled, and said wi

d in any case, let me ask you what hindered the opposing s

hout saying another word. Rameyev looked

You insist too strongly on your class interests, and therefore freedom is no such great lure t

im and made an effort to

you. You wish to fly about in the free air; whil

d after a b

s savagery. Murders e

ronic tone. "I suppose you'd like to have freedom for domes

sire of closing the conversation, rose, smil

st go

himself to go to the river when agitated by sadness or joy or when he had to think about something very seriously. He was a shy and self-sufficient boy and loved to be alone with his thoug

tly on the bank and looked at the water. Fo

lly, almost noiselessly. Its surf

at Stchemilov wit

o sharp, Aleks

it, comrade?" he

said Elisaveta in sim

ply at once. He grew

ard to come together with them. Their chief concern, as you very well know, is to construct a pyramid ou

her annoyance a

w many times h

ilov s

l, as you like, though it is a trifle har

His complaints were pitiful and depressing. He had been arrested and had lost his j

orribly," complained Kiril, "

ward silence

our factory, you get humiliated at e

into silence. Ag

oul. You can't hold private conve

tant repetition-the pity of it had become, as it were, stamped out. Kiril, indeed, was a common type, whose state

lov was

. Zherbenev is very busy at this-

-another patriot for

his Zherbenev. Vermin of the most foul

kill him," sa

Elisav

r worse than another, that he is distinct from the other not accidentally or soc

rked Stchemilov, "we have com

is," answered E

e next few days. They are coming to talk things over,

ow," said

ize a mass meeting not far from here for our town factory fo

of any use?" a

ve a good voice, an easy flow of language, and you have a way of putti

adets6 a peg or two," sai

emilov. "I don't think he knows that your father is

grew

lisaveta timidly. "What sh

an myself and Kiril put together. You do things remarka

all I ta

g men," answered Stchemilov, "and how capital is forging a

ed and silently

ttled, comrade?"

burst in

," she exclai

s gravely and simply pr