"
"Of course!" said Nikolay.
Ignaty snorted in embarrassment. Nikolay found the note, straightened
it out, looked at it, and handed the gray, crumpled piece of paper
to the mother.
"For you."
"Read it."
"'Mother, don't let the affair go without your attention. Tell
the tall lady not to forget to have them write more for our cause,
I beg of you. Good-by. Rybin.'"
"My darling!" said the mother sadly. "They've already seized him by
the throat, and he----"
Nikolay slowly dropped his hand holding the note.
"That's magnificent!" he said slowly and respectfully. "It both
touches and teaches."
Ignaty looked at them, and quietly shook his bared feet with his
dirty hands. The mother, covering her tearful face, walked up to
him with a basin of water, sat down on the floor, and stretched out
her hands to his feet. But he quickly thrust them under the bench,
exclaiming in fright:
"What are you going to do?"
"Give me your foot, quick!"
"I'll bring the alcohol at once," said Nikolay.
The young man shoved his foot still farther under the bench and mumbled:
"What ARE you going to do? It's not proper."
Then the mother silently unbared his other foot.
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