4 ADVENTURES IN IDEALISM 



"And so," writes his sister, "he worked very hard 

 and had very little time for play. But one great temp- 

 tation he had, and that was flying kites. Whenever 

 I was fortunate enough to get one, I knew Grisha would 

 join me and leave his books for that sport. 



"He was a great reader. Every moment he could 

 spare from his lessons and coaching, he spent in read- 

 ing. When we wanted to find Grisha we had only to 

 look to Mother's bed, and there he was, hidden in the 

 big feather mattress and pillows, cuddled in fairyland, 

 deep in his book. 



"Vacation time would come, but he was still the 

 busiest boy, for then he had to prepare pupils for 

 entrance examinations, and to coach those who had 

 failed in the examinations at the end of the year. So 

 altogether he worked hard. Every year he contributed 

 more and more toward the support of the family 

 and with the best will in the world. He was so grateful 

 to his elder brothers for giving him the chance that 

 they had missed that he felt he could never do enough 

 for them. 



"So it was that working hard, denying himself that 

 essential pleasure of childhood play, he caught a 

 severe cold. Inflammation settled on his lungs, and at 

 one time we thought that we should lose him. But 

 at last, the danger over, Grisha appeared among his 

 schoolmates once more, a very emaciated little boy. 

 He really looked as though he had been in the grip of 



