CHAPTER IV 



Departure for Kharkoff Town life. 



THE following year was to be spent at Kharkoff. 

 Katia was now seventeen and her marriage had to be 

 contemplated. 



The boys' life was still quite a childish one, made 

 up chiefly of games and mischief. Kolia had been 

 taught to read by the great-aunt ; Ilia had learnt by 

 himself, asking people now and then for the name of 

 some letter. He was able to read fluently quite early. 



The departure for Kharkoff was a great event, 

 prepared long beforehand. The children, delighted 

 at the prospect of a change, impatiently waited for 

 the moment to start. At last every one was seated 

 in the coaches and, saying to the coachman, " Off ! 

 God keep us," they started to drive along the high 

 road through the steppes. 



Life at Kharkoff was very much the same as 

 at Panassovka, with social elements added. More- 

 over, the children's liberty was somewhat restricted. 

 Already on the journey they were given to understand 

 that, in a town, they could not go out alone, nor 

 shout in the streets, nor point at people and things 

 with their finger, and that they should have to make 

 less noise, even in the house. For the first time they 

 unconsciously realised that their family was not the 

 centre of the universe, that there were many others 



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