II + 

“So you say you, too, are from Russia?” I asked of the old man when we reentered the hut, and he had placed a small old samovar on the table. The boy had gone behind the partition and was trying to amuse his sister. From time to time, a weak, childish laughter was heard from within, that sounded like the jingling of small pieces of glass thrown about. + 

The old man arranged a little table cloth and then replied somewhat reluctantly. + 

“Yes⁠ ⁠… Of course⁠ ⁠… They were born here, so they belong here, too. The children are not of common stock, though⁠ ⁠…” + 

“What’s their name?” I asked. + 

“Oh, well!”⁠ ⁠… he replied reluctantly. “Avdeyev is what they are called here. But their real name is Chernyshov⁠ ⁠…” + 

Suddenly he ceased laying the table cloth and looked at me attentively and with interest. + 

“So you say you have read about Zakhar Grigoryevich Chernyshov? He was a general, wasn’t he?” + 

“Yes, there was a general by that name in Catherine’s time. Only he was never exiled to Siberia.” + 

“Well, not he, but somebody of the same name⁠ ⁠… In the time of Nicholas⁠ ⁠… When he became Emperor, or something⁠ ⁠…” + 

He looked at me attentively, but I could not recall the story. The old man shook his head sadly. + 

“They say the old man was very fond of books. When he was dying, his last word to his children was to be sure to read books⁠ ⁠…” + 

He was silent for a moment, and then added, “Oh, well, of course. You know yourself how it is to live here⁠ ⁠… My daughter married his grandson, so they were called Avdeyevs⁠ ⁠… But they won’t live long. The father died and the mother died too, and left me with the two children⁠ ⁠… I am old, and they are sickly⁠ ⁠… The boy is an epileptic⁠ ⁠… There won’t be a trace left of us.” + 

The door opened, admitting a teamster who made the sign of the cross, standing in front of the image, and then said, “Avdeyev, go over to the Elder’s and take down the travelers’ names⁠ ⁠…” + 

“All right.” + 

“Is your name Avdeyev, too?” I asked. + 

“That’s the way they call me here now⁠ ⁠… After them, I guess.” + 

And the old man, perhaps the only literate man in the whole Nuysk hamlet, took his dog-eared ledger and left the room. + 

I learned nothing more about the genealogy of this old family, and soon left forever the gloomy Nuysk hamlet. About two hours later, coming to another bend of the river, I saw the sun directly in front of me⁠ ⁠… It was already close to the horizon, but its splendor still glittered in the water and on the shore⁠ ⁠… And its quiet, saddened light seemed to me at that time bright and gladsome. + 