Onceaquarrelbrokeoutandtheclamorwaslikeacagefulofwildbeastsatfeeding-time。Thenahealthwasdrunkandtherewasmuchstampingandcheering。
Onlyoncewasthelongvigilbroken。Awomancameforthfromthehouseandwalkedupanddown，withherfacesunkuponherbreast。
Shewastallandslender，butherfeaturescouldnotbeseenforawimpleoverherhead。Wearysadnesscouldbereadinherbowedbackanddraggingsteps。OnceonlytheysawherthrowhertwohandsuptoHeavenasonewhoisbeyondhumanaid。Thenshepassedslowlyintothehouseagain。Amomentlaterthedoorofthehallwasflungopen，andashoutingstumblingthrongcamecrowdingforth，withwhoopandyell，intothesilentnight。
Linkingarmsandstrikingupachorus，theymarchedpastthepeat-cutting，theirvoicesdwindlingslowlyawayastheymadefortheirhomes。
“Now，Samkin，now！”criedSimon，andjumpingoutfromthehiding-placehemadeforthedoor。Ithadnotyetbeenfastened。