"
Savely shook his head in declination, but Yakob took him under the
arm, lifted him, and made him walk to the table.
"Listen," said Sofya softly to Rybin. She was troubled and reproached
him. "Why did you invite him here? He may die any minute."
"He may," retorted Rybin. "Let him die among people. That's easier
than to die alone. In the meantime let him speak. He lost his life
for trifles. Let him suffer a little longer for the sake of the
people. It's all right!"
"You seem to take particular delight in it," exclaimed Sofya.
"It's the masters who take pleasure in Christ as he groans on the
cross. But what we want is to learn from a man, and make you learn
something, too."
At the table the sick man began to speak again:
"They destroy lives with work. What for? They rob men of their
lives. What for, I ask? My master--I lost my life in the textile
mill of Nefidov--my master presented one prima donna with a golden
wash basin. Every one of her toilet articles was gold. That basin
holds my life-blood, my very life. That's for what my life went! A
man killed me with work in order to comfort his mistress with my
blood. He bought her a gold wash basin with my blood.
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