Page:Korolenko - Makar's Dream and Other Stories.djvu/299

Rh until it seemed as if it must wake the whole of the sleeping world. Then it suddenly broke off short.

The young women poured out of the wood as poppies might pour out of a girl's apron, saw the long-tailed dandy standing before them, and instantly huddled together in a group at the farther end of the dam.

"Who is that standing there?" asked one of the girls.

"It's the miller," answered another.

"The miller! Why, it doesn't look like him one bit!"

"Perhaps it's his workman."

"Who ever saw a workman dressed like that?"

"Tell us who you are if you're not a bad spirit!" called the widow Buchilikha, evidently the boldest of the party.

The devil bowed to them from a distance, and then approached, cringing and scraping like any little upstart who tries to appear a gentleman.

"Don't be afraid, my birdies," said he. "I'm a young man, but I won't do you any harm. Come on, and don't be afraid."

Each trying to push the other ahead, the women and girls stepped on to the dam, and soon surrounded the devil. Ah, there is nothing pleasanter than to be surrounded by a dozen or so frolicsome lasses bombarding you with swift glances, nudging one another with their elbows, and giggling. The devil's heart