Take a seat on that pail there -- a little nearer, please, or you won't be able to hear what I say. You see what a fine strong voice I have now. Ah, how glad I am to see you! How did you ever come to Alexievka?"

Loukeria spoke continuously, though her words came slowly and were faintly uttered.

"It was Ermolai who brought me here," I said. "But, tell me --"

"Tell you about my troubles? Very well, Barin. It's a long time since they came upon me, some six or seven years ago. I had just then been betrothed to Vassily Poliakof. Do you recollect him? Well made, with curly hair -- he was one of your mother's servants. But you weren't in the country at that time; you were studying then at Moscow. Vassily and I were very fond of each other. He was never out of my mind. Well, one night -- it was in the spring -- I could not sleep. A little before daybreak, I heard a nightingale singing in the garden so sweetly, so wonderfully, that I could not help getting up and going out on the steps to listen to it. It sang and sang. All of a sudden I fancied that some one was calling to me with a voice like Vassily's -- low, like this -- 'Lasha!'[*] I looked round, and -- I suppose I was only half awake -- I missed my footing, slipped off the steps, and fell right down on the ground. I thought I was not much hurt, for I jumped up directly and went back to my room. But it seems I must have got some hurt inside. Let me wait a minute, Barin, to get my breath."

Loukeria stopped talking. I gazed at her in wonder. What astonished me most was that she told her tale in a tone that was almost lively, without a groan or a sigh, never complaining or asking for sympathy.

"From the time of that accident," continued Loukeria, "I began to fade and wither away. My skin darkened; first I found a difficulty in walking, then I could not use my legs any more. I could neither stand nor sit up, but had to be always lying down. I never cared to eat or drink, and continually grew worse and worse. Your mother kindly got doctors to see me, and had me sent to a hospital. But not the slightest good came of it all. And there was not a single doctor who could tell what was the matter with me. What didn't they do to me! They seared my back with hot irons, they placed me in pounded ice. But it was all of no use. After a time I seemed to get numb all over, and at last it was settled that there was no curing me.