The soldier was sick. The stifling odor of warm vodka and green onion filled the kitchen. Against the window were pressed dull, misty, broad faces, with flattened noses, and hands held against their cheeks, which made them look hideous. The soldier muttered as he recollected himself: "What happened to me? Did I fall, Ermokhin? Go-o-od comrade!" Then he began to cough, wept drunken tears, and groaned, "My little sister! my little sister!" He stood up, tottering, wet. He staggered, and, falling back heavily upon the bed, said, rolling his eyes strangely: "They have quite killed me!" This struck me as funny. "What the devil are you laughing at?" he asked, looking at me dully. "What is there to laugh at? I am killed forever!" He began to hit out at me with both hands, muttering: "The first time was that of Elias the prophet; the second time, St. George on his steed; the third--Don't come near me! Go away, wolf!" "Don't be a fool!" I said. He became absurdly angry, roared, and stamped his feet. "I am killed, and you--" With his heavy, slow, dirty hand he struck me in the eyes. I set up a howl, and blindly made for the yard, where I ran into Natalia leading Ermokhin by the arm, crying: "Come along, horse! What is the matter with you?" she asked, catching hold of me. "He has come to himself." "Come to himself, eh?" she drawled in amazement. And drawing Ermokhin along, she said, "Well, werwolf, you may thank your God for this!" I washed my eyes with water, and, looking through the door of the passage, saw the soldiers make their peace, embracing each other and crying. Then they both tried to embrace Natalia, but she hit out at them, shouting: "Take your paws off me, curs! What do you take me for? Make haste and get to sleep before your masters come home, or there will be trouble for you!" She made them lie down as if they were little children, the one on the floor, the other on the pallet-bed, and when they began to snore, came out into the porch. "I am in a mess, and I was dressed to go out visiting, too! Did he hit you? What a fool! That's what it does--vodka! Don't drink, little fellow, never drink." Then I sat on the bench at the gate with her, and asked how it was that she was not afraid of drunken people. "I am not afraid of sober people, either. If they come near me, this is what they get!" She showed me her tightly clenched, red fist. "My dead husband was also given to drink too much, and once when he was drunk I tied his hands and feet. When he had slept it off, I gave him a birching for his health. 'Don't drink; don't get drunk when you are married,' I said. 'Your wife should be your amusement, and not vodka.' Yes, I scolded him until I was tired, and after that he was like wax in my hands." "You are strong," I said, remembering the woman Eve, who deceived even God Himself. Natalia replied, with a sigh: