ms twined about them, weeping, despairing, refusing to leave them and set out on a journey of Vassili's planning. But Vassili grows impatient. Vassili grows

singing. He has made up his mind to go to Italy, to Mila

our little Tioka! We mus

nt to be bothered or hindered. "We are carting a

Italy, the yearned-for goa

e mouth open, singing scales and arpeggios. But a slow poison is

e, towers and mountains tottering above me, undefined horrors all about me, and in the midst of them all I see Vassili-singing! He sings scales and arpeggios with his r

you singing? Don't

ou only imagine it. You are ill;

··

where is

ndmama. Dear grandmama is t

e not with him

t Pegli,

s Pegli? What are

know-we came to Italy be

is crying? The baby is so helpless. Why did you take me away from him? Y

spiders run over the scarlet counterpane and come close to my face-and the white spiders are my hands. I s

··

myself falling, falling, until with a great shock I to

··

here is the sea. Beside my bed sits a doctor with a gray beard, feeling my pulse. Under the light intermittent pressur

or pats my hand gently and encouragingly. "T

ll not move. It is like a ball of lead sunk in the pillow. Immediately afterwards-or have years passed?-I hear

bout her child?" My mother shakes her head and presses her handkerchief to her eye

ka? Who is Tioka? I watch his beard moving up and down, and do not know what he is say

terly: "Oh, doctor,

over the coverlet. And I fall once more,