As soon as they got in they had their new house blessed. It was necessary, according to Peredonov's calculations, to show that he was one of the faithful. During this ceremony the fumes of incense made his head dizzy and induced in him a religious mood.
One strange circumstance puzzled him. There came running from somewhere a strange indescribable creature—a small, grey and nimble nedotikomka.[1] It nodded, and it trembled, and circled round Peredonov. When he stretched out his hand to catch it, it glided swiftly out of sight, hid itself behind the door or the sideboard, but reappeared a moment later, and trembled and mocked again—the grey, featureless, nimble creature.
At last when the blessing was over Peredonov, suspecting something, repeated a charm in a whisper. The nedotikomka hissed very, very quietly, shrivelled into a little ball and rolled away behind the door. Peredonov gave a sigh of relief.
"Yes, it's good that it has rolled away altogether, but it's possible that it lives in this house somewhere under the floor and will come out again to mock at me."
Peredonov felt cold and depressed.
"What's the use of all these unclean demons in the world?" he thought.
When the ceremony was over and the visitors gone Peredonov thought a longtime as to where the nedotikomka could have hidden itself. Varvara left with Grushina, and Peredonov began to search and rummage among her things.
"I wonder if Varvara carried it away in her pocket," thought Peredonov. "It doesn't need much room. It could hide in a pocket and stay there until its time comes to show itself."
One of Varvara's dresses attracted Peredonov's attention. It was made up of flounces, bows and ribbons, as if made purposely to hide something. Peredonov examined it for a long time, then by force and with the help of a knife he partly tore, partly cut away, the pocket and threw it on the stove, and then began to tear and cut the whole dress into small pieces. Strange, confused thoughts wandered through his brain and his soul felt hopelessly gloomy.
Soon Varvara returned—Peredonov was still cutting the remains of the dress into shreds. She thought he was drunk and began to abuse him. Peredonov listened for a long time and said at last: