But in the little cabin, shut off from this chaos of noise only by a thin partition of wood, the two boys sat bent over the book, and one read aloud softly, "The knight caught the monster in his iron embrace, and it bellowed like thunder with wrath and pain." VII. After the book of the Knight and the dragon came other wonderful works of the same kind--"Guak, or Invincible Loyalty," then "The History of the Brave Prince Franzil of Venice and the Young Queen Renzivena," and all impressions of reality in Ilya's mind gave way before the knights and ladies. The comrades in turn stole twenty kopeck pieces out of the bar till, and so had no lack of books. They became acquainted with the adventurous journeys of "Jashka Sinentensky," they delighted in "Japantsha the Tartar Robber-chief," and more and more they deserted the harsh pitiless realities of life for a realm where man at all times could tear asunder the bonds of Fate and make a prize of happiness. They lived long in the thrall of these fairy tales. Ilya retained the memory of only one event of his daily life during this time. One day Perfishka was summoned to the police station. He went in fear and trembling, but came joyfully back, and with him, Pashka Gratshev, whom he held fast by the hand lest he should run away again. Pashka's eyes looked as quick and bright as ever, but he had become terribly thin and yellow, and his face had no longer its former froward expression. The cobbler brought him into the bar, and began to relate, his left eye twitching rapidly. "Behold, my friends, here we have Mr. Pavlusha Gratshev back again as large as life--just back from the town of Pensa conveyed by favour of the police. Ah! what people there are in the world! No staying happily at home for them! When they're hardly able to stand upright they're off into the wide world to seek their fortune." Pashka stood by, one hand in the pocket of his tattered trousers, while he strove to detach the other from the cobbler's hold, looking at him sideways, darkly. Some one advised Perfishka to give him a good sound thrashing, but the cobbler answered seriously, letting the boy go: "What for? let him wander a bit, perhaps he'll find his happiness." "He'll get jolly hungry, anyway," threw in Terenti, then added in a friendly tone, giving Pashka a bit of bread. "Here, eat it, Pashka." Pashka took the bread quietly and went towards the tap-room door. "Whew!" the cobbler whistled after him, "going off again? Good-bye then, my friend." Ilya, who had witnessed this scene from the door of his room, called Pashka back. The lad stayed a moment before answering, then went up to Ilya and asked, looking suspiciously round the little room: "What do you want?" "Only to say how d'ye do." "All right, good day to you." "Sit down a minute." "Why?" "Oh, we'll have a chat."