Let him
ring forth the word of truth. Let him arouse the people. It's
hard for him here with us."
"He was talking about the masters. Is there anything in it?"
she inquired circumspectly. "Isn't it possible that they want
to deceive you?"
"It bothers you, mother, doesn't it?" The Little Russian laughed.
"Oh, mother dear--money! If we only had money! We are still
living on charity. Take, for instance, Nikolay Ivanych. He earns
seventy-five rubles a month, and gives us fifty! And others do
the same. And the hungry students send us money sometimes, which
they collect penny by penny. And as to the masters, of course
there are different kinds among them. Some of them will deceive us,
and some will leave us; but the best will stay with us and march
with us up to our holiday." He clapped his hands, and rubbing them
vigorously against each other continued: "But not even the flight
of an eagle's wings will enable anyone to reach that holiday, so
we'll make a little one for the first of May. It will be jolly."
His words and his vivacity dispelled the alarm excited in the
mother's heart by Rybin. The Little Russian walked up and down the
room, his feet sounding on the floor.
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