And shadowy caverns.——

Her waving arms suggested wings.

Parfen Paramonitch ran up to Marioushka, took her by the hands and began to whirl her round and round, like a polar bear dancing with a snow fairy. Tichon would have never believed that this huge, portly body could dance with such ethereal lightness. Spinning round like a top he sang in his high-pitched voice:—

In the seventh heaven

Christ is spinning round.

Ah, friends! ah, friends!

Christ has shoes

Made of Saphia leather,

Stitched with finest stitches.

Other people rose and began to spin round.