I seemed to stand with ice on every side of me, and so frail was my trembling wooden bridge that it seemed an easy thing for the ice, that appeared to press with tremendous weight against its banks, to grind the supports to fragments. There was complete silence on every side of me. The street to my left was utterly deserted. I heard no cries nor calls--only the ice seemed once and again to quiver as though some submerged creature was moving beneath it. That vast crowd on the Nevski seemed to be a dream. I was in a world that had fallen into decay and desolation, and I could smell rotting wood, and could fancy that frozen blades of grass were pressing up through the very pavement stones. Suddenly an Isvostchick stumbled along past me, down the empty street, and the bumping rattle of the sledge on the snow woke me from my laziness. I started off homewards. When I had gone a little way and was approaching the bridge over the Neva some man passed me, looked back, stopped and waited for me. When I came up to him I saw to my surprise that it was the Rat. He had his coat-collar turned over his ears and his dirty fur cap pulled down over his forehead. His nose was very red, and his thin hollow cheeks a dirty yellow colour. "Good-evening, Barin," he said, grinning. "Good-evening," I said. "Where are you slipping off to so secretly?" "Slipping off?" He did not seem to understand my word. I repeated it. "Oh, I'm not slipping off," he said almost indignantly. "No, indeed. I'm just out for a walk like your Honour, to see the town." "What have they been doing this afternoon?" I asked. "There's been a fine fuss on the Nevski." "Yes, there has...." he said, chuckling. "But it's nothing to the fuss there will be." "Nonsense," I said. "The police have got it all in control already. You'll see to-morrow...." "And the soldiers, Barin?" "Oh, the soldiers won't do anything. Talk's one thing--action's another." He laughed to himself and seemed greatly amused. This irritated me. "Well, what do you know?" I asked. "I know nothing," he chuckled. "But remember, Barin, in a week's time, if you want me I'm your friend. Who knows? In a week I may be a rich man." "Some one else's riches," I answered. "Certainly," he said. "And why not? Why should he have things? Is he a better man than I? Possibly--but then it is easy for a rich man to keep within the law. And then Russia's meant for the poor man. However," he continued, with great contempt in his voice, "that's politics--dull stuff. While the others talk I act." "And what about the Germans?" I asked him. "Does it occur to you that when you've collected your spoils the Germans will come in and take them?" "Ah, you don't understand us, Barin," he said, laughing. "You're a good man and a kind man, but you don't understand us. What can the Germans do? They can't take the whole of Russia. Russia's a big country.... No, if the Germans come there'll be more for us to take."