"I wasn't present; we were then thinking of making our own demonstration
here in the city, but it fizzled out; we were too few of us then.
But this year we will--you'll see!"
He choked from agitation, having a foretaste of the future event.
Then waving his spoon in the air, he continued:
"So Vlasova--the mother, as I was telling you--she, too, got into
the party after that. They say she's a wonder of an old woman."
The mother smiled broadly. It was pleasant for her to hear the
boy's enthusiastic praise--pleasant, yet embarrassing. She even
had to restrain herself from telling him that she was Vlasova, and
she thought sadly, in derision of herself: "Oh, you old fool!"
"Eat more! Get well sooner for the sake of the cause!" She burst
out all of a sudden, in agitation, bending toward him: "It awaits
powerful young hands, clean hearts, honest minds. It lives by these
forces! With them it holds aloof everything evil, everything mean!"
The door opened, admitting a cold, damp, autumn draught. Sofya
entered, bold, a smile on her face, reddened by the cold.
"Upon my word, the spies are as attentive to me as a bridegroom
to a rich bride! I must leave this place.
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