I know that I am alive, that I breathe -- and that is all. I see, I hear. The bees hum around the hives; a pigeon lights on the roof and coos; a hen comes with her chickens to pick up the crumbs; sometimes a sparrow flies in, or a butterfly -- it's all a pleasure to me. Two years ago, some swallows made their nest over there, in the corner, and reared a brood. How interesting that was! One of them would fly in, cling to the nest, give the young birds their food, and then be off again. Next minute, there would be the other one instead. Sometimes they would not fly in, would only flit past the open door, and, then how the little ones would open their beaks wide and cry for food! I looked out for them again next year, but folks say that some one hereabouts shot them. What good could he get by that? Why, a swallow's body is not much bigger than a cock-chafer's. How cruel you sportsmen are!"

"I never kill swallows," I hastened to say.

"Once, something funny happened," continued Loukeria. "A hare ran in here; it's a fact! I suppose it had been chased by dogs. Anyhow, in it came, right through the door-way. It sat close by me, sat ever so long, twitching its nose the while and its mustaches -- just like an officer -- and looking at me all the time. One could see it knew well enough that it needn't be afraid of me. At last, up it jumped, bounded to the door, gave a look back when it got there -- and was gone. What a droll creature it was!

"Wasn't it funny, though?" said Loukeria, glancing at me. I laughed to please her. She moistened her dry lips.

"In winter, I must allow, I'm not so well off, for then it's so dark. It would be a pity to light a candle, and what would be the use of it? I can read and write, and I was always fond of reading, but what is there for me to read? There are no books here, but, even if there were, how could I hold one up? Father Alexis brought me an almanac one day, but he saw it was of no use, so he just took it back again. However, even in the dark, there's always something to listen to. A cricket chirps, or a mouse begins to gnaw. And so one gets on well enough without thinking of anything.

"Besides, I say my prayers," continued Loukeria, with a slight sigh. "Only I don't know many. And why should I go wearying the Lord? What is there I can ask Him for? He knows better than I do what is meet for me. He has laid upon me a cross; it is a sign of his love for me. That is how we are told to look upon such things. I say the Lord's Prayer, the Angelical Salutation, the Prayer for all who are Afflicted, and then I go on lying here without thinking at all."

Two or three minutes passed by. I did not break the silence, but sat perfectly still, on the reversed pail which served as a scanty stool.