The Created Legend

h her own radiance, basked in her own light. She looked at the earth and did not dissipate the mist-it was as if she had taken to herself all the brightness and

acing one another like enemies. Why shouldn't she love him? Why not give herself up to him, submit to the will of a

rooms somewhat earlier than usual. Fatigue and a languorous sadness oppressed them. The sisters' bedrooms were next to each other, one entering the other by a w

ns on the lines of her graceful body. Palpitating were her white girlish breasts, crowned by two rubies. The living, passionate form stood flaming and throbbing, strangely white in the tranquil rays of the moon. The gra

press, to cling, to embrace! If he would only come! Only by day he spoke to her his dead-sounding words of love, kindled by th

it of the divine Aphrodite? Where love is there daring should be also. Is love, then, ge

a human being who bowed down before his idol; he was a small slave of a small demon. He did not come, he h

nderful image in the mi

o they pray? They should be taught to be joyous, to re

oist boards was pleasant. She looked into the pale light of the mist-wrapt garden dreaming there under the moon. She recalled at this moment the details of the day's walk, and all that they had seen in Trirodov's house; she recalled it all so clearly,

She saw horrible visions, nightmares.

The tables were also covered with books-all new, slender, with bright covers. The title-pages were for some reason ponderous, terrible to

e th

and thrust them under the table. Then came a woman student, strangely resembling the man student yet quite different; she wa

e th

s in the bookcase and

choolboys, military men, officials, and clerks; each

e th

able drawer, in the cupboard, under the sofas, behind the doors, and in the fireplace. But

e th

re still being brought in-there was no end to them.

The bedcover slipped from her handsome body. Elena was w

I wak

out so,"

stupid dream," wh

de stood a student and two boys, strangely erect; they were pale, and seemed to wait for something. All at once the door opened noiselessly. Many men entered, making a loud noise with their boots-first a police official, then another, then a detective i

ain she was tormented by horribl

the house was

etective, looking ominously at h

y were examined and shaken. A police official sat down to mak

!" cried th

he official mocked at her, th

e more she fell asleep.

came. Then another, a third, and still others-an

anothe

right sunlight. A muzhik appeared a

for your gov'r-ment,

ly the crowd grew, the turmoil increased. A muzhik in a white apron wearing a conspicuou

I say, fel-l

n Elisaveta and be

aw

intense darkness. Dark figures seemed to throng in it. The darkness cleared a little, the atmosphere became ominously grey. A nar

A prison

-there seemed to be no end to it; there was a steady shuffling of feet across the courtyard. A small gate opened in the wall with a creaking sound. All walked through it. And beyond the wall Elisavet

boy had his back to her she recognized him-it was Misha. Terror paralysed her tongue-when she tried to cry out she could not find her voice. Terror fett

ones to the gallows beyond. Misha was being hanged, but he broke loose. He was hanged again, a

e grey bristles of trimmed moustach

finish

ll and began to toss on the ground. Another shot-the boy kept

heart beat half with pain, half with joy, because it was but

the sound of a horn and the lowing of cows. The bedroom walls were tinged with rose light. The early light stole in through the windows and messaged an a

n aware that Elen