They do not guard themselves from
within, but from without."
He bent over to her, took her hands, and shaking them said:
"If you felt the abomination of it all, the disgrace and rottenness,
you would understand our truth; you would then perceive how great it
is, how glorious!"
The mother arose agitated, full of a desire to sink her heart into
the heart of her son, and to join them in one burning, flaming torch.
"Wait, Pasha, wait!" she muttered, panting for breath. "I am a
human being. I feel. Wait."
There was a loud noise of some one entering the porch. Both of them
started and looked at each other.
"If it's the police coming for Andrey--" Pavel whispered.
"I know nothing--nothing!" the mother whispered back. "Oh, God!"
CHAPTER XVII
The door opened slowly, and bending to pass through, Rybin strode in
heavily.
"Here I am!" he said, raising his head and smiling.
He wore a short fur overcoat, all stained with tar, a pair of
dark mittens stuck from his belt, and his head was covered with
a shaggy fur cap.
"Are you well? Have they let you out of prison, Pavel? So, how
are you, Nilovna?"
"Why, you? How glad I am to see you!"
Slowly removing his overclothes, Rybin said:
"Yes, I've turned muzhik again.
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