第9章
“Byyourleave，wearegoingtobedrowned，“theMorduinemurmuredasheglancedattheblueshadowofeventideonourleft。
Andsimultaneously，asthoughcompassionatingourlot，alargefloegroundeduponthebank，glidedupwardswithacrackingandacrashing，andthereheldfast！
“Run，allofyou！“cameafuriousshoutfromOssip。
“Hurryup，now！Putyourverybestlegsforemost！“
Formyself，asIspranguponthefloeIlostmyfooting，and，fallingheadlongandremainingseatedonthehitherendofthefloeamidashowerofspray，sawfiveofmysevencomradesrushpast，pushingandjostling，astheymadefortheshore。ButpresentlytheMorduineturnedandhaltedbesideme，withtheintentionofrenderingOssipassistance。
“Run，youyoungfools！“thelatterexclaimed。“Come！Beoffwithyou！“
Somehowinhisfacetherewasnowalivid，uncertainair，whilehiseyeshadlosttheirfire，andhismouthwascuriouslyagape。
“No，mate。DoYOUgetup，“wasmycounter-adjuration。
“Unfortunately，Ihavehurtmyleg，“herepliedwithhisheadbentdown。“Infact，IamnotsurethatIcangetup。“
However，wecontrivedtoraisehimandcarryhimashorewithanarmofhisrestingoneachofournecks。Meanwhilehegrowledwithchatteringteeth:
“Aha，youriverdevils！Drownmeifyoucan！ButI’venotgivenyouachance，theLordbethanked！Hi，lookout！Theicewon’tbearthethreeofus。Mindhowyoustep，andchooseplaceswheretheiceisbareofsnow。Thereit’sfirmer。No，abetterplanstillwouldbetoleavemewhereIam。“
Next，withafrowningscrutinyofmyface，heinquired:
“Thatnotebookofourmisdeeds——hasn’tithadawettingandgotdonefor？“
Thatverymoment，aswesteppedfromthestrandedfloe(ingrounding，ithadcrushedandshatteredasmallboat)，suchpartofitaslayinthewatergavealoudcrack，and，swayingtoandfro，andemittingagurglingsound，floatedclearoftherest。
“Ah！“wastheMorduine’squizzicalcomment。“YOUknewwellenoughwhatneededtobedone。“
Wet，andchilledtothebone，thoughrelievedinspirit，westeppedashoretofindacrowdoftownspeopleinconversationwithBoevandtheoldsoldier。Andaswedepositedourchargeundertheleaofapileoflogsheshoutedcheerfully:
“Mates，Makarei’snotebookisdonefor，soakedthrough！“Andsincethenotebookinquestionwasweighinguponmybreastlikeabrick，Ipulleditoutunseen，andhurleditfarintotheriverwithaploplikethatofafrog。
AsfortheDiatlovs，theylostnotimeinsettingoutinsearchofvodkainthetavernonthehill，andslappedoneanotheronthebackastheyran，andcouldbeheardshouting，“Hurrah，hurrah！“
Uponthis，atalloldmanwiththebeardofanapostleandtheeyesofabrigandmuttered:
“Infidels，whydisturbpeacefulfolklikethis？Yououghttobethrashed！“
WhereuponBoev，whowaschanginghisclothes，retorted:
“Whatdoyoumeanby’disturb’？“
“Besides，“putintheoldsoldier，“eventhoughweareChristianslikeyourself，wemightaswellhavebeendrownedforallthatyoudidtohelpus。“
“Whatcouldwehavedone？“
MeanwhileOssiphadremainedlyingonthegroundwithonelegstretchedoutatfulllength，andtremuloushandsfumblingathisgreatcoatasunderhisbreathhemuttered:
“HolyMother，howwetIam！Myclothes，thoughIhaveonlywornthemayear，areruinedforever！“
Moreover，heseemednowtohaveshrunkenagaininstature——tohavebecomecrumpleduplikeamanrunover。Indeed，ashelayheseemedactuallytobemelting，socontinuouslywashisbulkdecreasinginsize。
Butsuddenlyheraisedhimselftoasittingposture，groaned，andexclaimedinhigh-pitched，wrathfulaccents:
“Maythedeviltakeyouall！Beoffwithyoutoyourwashhousesandchurches！Yes，beoff，foritseemsthat，asGodcouldn’tkeepHisholyfestivalwithoutyou，I’vehadtostandwithinanaceofdeathandtospoilmyclothes-yes，allthatyoufellowsshouldbegotoutofyourfix！“
Nevertheless，themenmerelycontinuedtakingofftheirboots，andwringingouttheirclothes，andconversingwithsundrygaspsandgruntswiththebystanders。SopresentlyOssipresumed:
“Whatareyouthinkingof，youfools？Thewashhouseisthebestplaceforyou，forifthepolicegetyou，they’llsoonfindyoualodging，andnomistake！“
Oneofthetownspeopleputinofficiously:
“Aye，aye。Thepolicehavebeensentfor。“
AndthisledBoevtoexclaimtoOssip:
“Whypretendlikethat？“
“Pretend？I？“
“Yes——you。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“
“Imeanthatitwasyouwhoeggedusontocrosstheriver。“
“YousaythatitwasI？“
“Ido。“
“Indeed？“
“Aye，“putinBudirinquietly，butincisively。AndhimtheMorduinesupportedbysayinginasullenundertone:
“Itwasyou，mate。ByGoditwas。Itwouldseemthatyouhaveforgotten。“
“Yes，youstartedallthisbusiness，“theoldsoldiercorroborated，indour，ponderousaccents。
“Forgotten，indeed？HE？“wasBoev’sheatedexclamation。
“Howcanyousaysuchathing？Well，lethimnottrytoshifttheresponsibilityontoothers——that’sall！WE’LLsee，rightenough，thathegoesthroughwithit！“
TothisOssipmadenoreply，butgazedfrowninglyathisdripping，half-cladmen。
Allatonce，withacuriousoutburstofmingledsmilesandtears(itwouldbehardtosaywhich)，heshruggedhisshoulders，threwuphishands，andmuttered:
“Yes，itIStrue。Ifitpleaseyou，itwasIthatcontrivedtheidea。“
“OfCOURSEitwas！“theoldsoldiercriedtriumphantly。
Ossipturnedhiseyesagaintowheretheriverwasseethinglikeabowlofporridge，and，lettinghiseyesfallwithafrown，continued:
“InamomentofforgetfulnessIdidit。Yethowisitthatwewerenotalldrowned？Well，youwouldn’tunderstandevenifI
weretotellyou。No，byGod，youwouldn’t！……Don’tbeangrywithme，mates。Pardonmeforthefestival’ssake，forIamfeelinguneasyofmind。Yes，Iitwasthateggedyouontocrosstheriver，theoldfoolthatIwas！“
“Aha！“exclaimedBoev。“But，hadIbeendrowned，whatshouldyouhavesaidTHEN？“
Infact，bythistimeOssipseemedconscioustothefullofthefutilityandthesenselessnessofwhathehaddone:andinhisstateofsliminess，ashesatnoddinghishead，pickingatthesand，lookingatnoone，andemittingatorrentofremorsefulwords，heremindedmestronglyofanew-borncalf。
AndasIwatchedhimIthoughttomyself:
“Wherenowistheleaderofmenwhocoulddrawhisfellowsinhistrainwithsomuchcareandskillandauthority？“
Andintomysoultheretrickledanuneasysenseofsomethinglacking。SeatingmyselfbesideOssip(forIdesiredstilltoretainameasureofmylateimpressionofhim)，Isaidtohiminanundertone:
“Soonyouwillbeallrightagain。“
Withasidewaysglancehemutteredinreply，ashecombedhisbeard:
“Well，yousawwhathappenedjustnow。Alwaysdothingssohappen。“
Whileforthebenefitofthemenheadded:
“Thatwasagoodjestofmine，eh？“
Thesummitofthehillwhichlaycrouching，likeagreatbeast，onthebrinkoftheriverwasstandingoutclearlyagainstthefastdarkeningsky；whileaclumpoftreesthereonhadgrownblack，andeverywhereblueshadowsofthespringeventidewerecomingintoview，andloomingbetweenthehousetopswherethehouseslaypressedlikescabsagainstthehill’sopaquesurface，andpeeringfromthemoist，redjawsoftheravinewhich，gapingtowardstheriver，seemedasthoughitwerestretchingforthforadraughtofwater。
Also，bynowtherustlingandcrunchingoftheiceonthesimilarlydarkeningriverwasbeginningtoassumeadeepernote，andattimesafloewouldthrustoneofitsextremitiesintothebankasapigthrustsitssnoutintotheearth，andthereremainmotionlessbeforeoncemorebeginningtosway，tearingitselffree，andfloatingawaydowntheriverasanothersuchfloeglidedintoitsplace。