Tyapa, as a rule, spoke in a hoarse and hardly audible voice, and that is why he spoke very little, and loved to be alone. But whenever a stranger, compelled to leave the village, appeared in the dosshouse, Tyapa seemed sadder and angrier, and followed the unfortunate about with biting jeers and a wicked chuckling in his throat. He either put some beggar against him, or himself threatened to rob and beat him, till the frightened mujik would disappear from the dosshouse and never more be seen. Then Tyapa was quiet again, and would sit in some corner mending his rags, or else reading his Bible, which was as dirty, worn, and old as himself. Only when the teacher brought a newspaper and began reading did he come from his corner once more. As a rule, Tyapa listened to what was read silently and sighed often, without asking anything of anyone. But once when the teacher, having read the paper, wanted to put it away, Tyapa stretched out his bony hand, and said, "Give it to me ..." "What do you want it for?" "Give it to me ... Perhaps there is something in it about us ..." "About whom?" "About the village." They laughed at him, and threw him the paper. He took it, and read in it how in the village the hail had destroyed the cornfields, how in another village fire destroyed thirty houses, and that in a third a woman had poisoned her family,--in fact, everything that it is customary to write of,--everything, that is to say, which is bad, and which depicts only the worst side of the unfortunate village. Tyapa read all this silently and roared, perhaps from sympathy, perhaps from delight at the sad news. He passed the whole Sunday in reading his Bible, and never went out collecting rags on that day. While reading, he groaned and sighed continually. He kept the book close to his breast, and was angry with any one who interrupted him or who touched his Bible. "Oh, you drunken blackguard," said Kuvalda to him, "what do you understand of it?" "Nothing, wizard! I don't understand anything, and I do not read any books ... But I read ..." "Therefore you are a fool ..." said the Captain, decidedly. "When there are insects in your head, you know it is uncomfortable, but if some thoughts enter there too, how will you live then, you old toad?" "I have not long to live," said Tyapa, quietly. Once the teacher asked how he had learned to read. "In prison," answered Tyapa, shortly. "Have you been there?" "I was there...." "For what?" "Just so.... It was a mistake.... But I brought the Bible out with me from there. A lady gave it to me.... It is good in prison, brother." "Is that so? And why?" "It teaches one.... I learned to read there.... I also got this book.... And all these you see, free...."