At last there appeared before them a small glade--oval in shape. Tall firs edged this open space as evenly as graceful columns in a magnificent _salle_. The blue of the sky above it seemed especially bright, pure and dominant. The glade was full of children of various ages. They were sitting and reclining all around in ones, twos, and threes. In the middle some thirty boys and girls were singing and dancing; their dance followed strictly the rhythm of the tune and interpreted the words of the song with beautiful fidelity. They were directed by a tall, graceful girl who had a strong, sonorous voice, braids of magnificent golden hair, and grey, cheerful eyes. All of them, the children as well as their instructresses--of whom three or four were to be seen--were dressed quite simply and alike. Their simple, light attire seemed beautiful. It was pleasant to look at them, perhaps because their dress revealed the active parts of their body, the arms and the legs. Dress here was made to protect, and not to conceal; to clothe, and not to muffle. The blue and red of the hats and of the dresses gave emphasis to the vivid tones of the faces and of the arms and legs. There was a spirit of gaiety here, a sense of holiday splendour in these naturally adorned bodies, boldly revealed under clear azure skies. Some of the children from among those who did not sing approached the sisters and looked at them in a friendly manner, smiling trustfully. “You may sit down if you like,” said a boy with very blue eyes; “here is a bench.” “Thank you, my dear,” said Elisaveta. The sisters sat down. The children wished to talk to them. One little girl said: “I’ve just seen a little squirrel. It was sitting on a pine. Then I gave a shout--you should have seen it run!” The others also began to talk and to ask questions. The singers ended their song and scattered in all directions to play. The golden-haired instructress went up to the sisters and asked: “Have you come from town? Are you pleased with what you have seen here?” “Yes, it’s splendid here,” said Elisaveta. “Our place adjoins this. We are the Rameyevs. I am Elisaveta. And this is my sister Elena.” The golden-haired girl suddenly blushed as if she felt ashamed that the wealthy young women were looking at her naked shoulders and at her legs naked to the knee. But seeing that they too were barefoot and wore short skirts, she quickly recovered and smiled at them. “My name is Nadezhda Vestchezerova,” she said. She looked attentively at the sisters. Elisaveta thought that she had heard the name somewhere in town--perhaps a tale in connexion with it, she could not remember exactly what. For some reason she did not mention this to Nadezhda. Perhaps it was a tragic history.