In the hut everything was in disorder. Vassili looked round for the bottle of vodka, and finding it among the sacks, he picked it up, with difficulty withdrew the cork, and placing the neck of the bottle in his mouth he tried to drink.... But the bottle knocked against his teeth, and the liquid ran out over his beard and his chest The alcohol tasted as flat as water. Everything seemed to turn round in Vassili's head; his heart felt heavy, his back hurt him. "I am old.... That's what's the matter!" he said out loud. And he threw himself on the sand at the door of the hut. Before him lay the vast sea, sighing idly, full of strength and of beauty. The waves were laughing as they always did noisily and light-heartedly. Vassili contemplated the water for a long time, and recalled the covetous words of his son-- "If only that were all land, rich black land that could be ploughed!" An acute feeling of weariness invaded the peasant's soul. He rubbed his chest hard, and sighed deeply. His head fell forward, and his back bent as if an immense weight were crushing him. A spasm seemed to seize his throat He coughed and made the sign of the cross, looking up to the sky. Some terrible thought seemed to overwhelm him. Because for a lost girl he had abandoned his wife with whom he had lived honestly for more than fifteen years, the Lord had punished him through the revolt of his son. Yes, Lord!... His son had mocked him, and had tom his heart Killing was too good for him after what he had done against the soul of his father.... And all that for a light woman! And he, old already, had become entangled with her! In his sin he had forgotten his wife and his son.... And now the Lord in His just anger reminded him of his sin, making use of his son to strike the father's heart with a well-deserved punishment. Yes, Lord!... Vassili remained seated, making the sign of the cross, and blinking his eyes to get rid of the tears which blinded him. And the sun sank Into the sea, and the red twilight faded out of the sky. A cool wind came to caress the peasant's face, which was bathed In tears. Plunged in thoughts of repentance, he remained there till he fell asleep a short time before dawn. CHAPTER VI The day after the quarrel Jakoff went off with a party of workmen in a boat, which was taken out by a tug. They were going out to a distance of about thirty versts to fish for sturgeon in a bay.