all the strange, uprooted people among the
first settlers, those two men were the strang-
est and the most aloof. Their last names
were unpronounceable, so they were called
Pavel and Peter. They went about making
signs to people, and until the Shimerdas came
they had no friends. Krajiek could understand
them a little, but he had cheated them in a
trade, so they avoided him. Pavel, the tall
one, was said to be an anarchist; since he had
no means of imparting his opinions, probably
his wild gesticulations and his generally excited
and rebellious manner gave rise to this supposi-
tion. He must once have been a very strong
man, but now his great frame, with big, knotty
joints, had a wasted look, and the skin was
drawn tight over his high cheek-bones. His
breathing was hoarse, and he always had a
cough.

Peter, his companion, was a very different
sort of fellow; short, bow-legged, and as fat as
butter. He always seemed pleased when he
met people on the road, smiled and took off
his cap to every one, men as well as women.
At a distance, on his wagon, he looked like an
old man; his hair and beard were of such a
pale flaxen color that they seemed white in

[[37]]

p036 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p037w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p038

v?