A Russian Proprietor

n and posts," was what followed Y

with his overseer Yakof Alpátitch, who, while the prince was still at a distance, took off h

kof! Yakof, cover y

" asked Yakof, using his cap to shield his

pray, why does he act so?" asked the

he followed behind the prince in a respectful attitu

thievish, a liar; he persecutes his mother, and to all appearances he

excellency, that he

n. The old mother is dressed worse than a beggar, and has nothing to eat; but she wears

ghtfully when Nekhliudof

he was always on hand. And for three years, while I was overseer he was bailiff, and no fault was found with him. In the third year the warden took it into his head to depose him, so he was obliged to take to farming. Perhaps when he lived in town at the station he got drunk sometimes, so we had to devise some means. They used to threaten him, in fun, and he came to his senses again.

I have discussed that again and again. You know what ideas I have on this

h among peasants. When the mother or father has transferred the property[26] to the son, then the new owners get control, and the old mother is obliged to work for her own living to the utmost of her strength. Of course they are lacking in delicate feelings, but this is common enough among the peasantry; and so I take the liberty of explaining to you that you are stirred up about the old woman all for nothing. She is a clever old woman, and a good

o home now?

élui's or Kazyól's

his buckwheat wasn't even sowed yet. What do you wish done with such people? The old man taught his son, but still he's a good-for-nothing just the same; whether for himself or for the estate, he makes

the ol

-witted peasant; that is, he doesn't smoke and doesn't drink," explained Yakof; "and yet he's worse than the other who gets drunk. There's nothing else to do with him than to make a soldier of him or send him to Siberia. All the Kazyóls are the sam

f absent-mindedly, and turned hi

ard, nor cornkiln, nor barn. Only some sort of dirty stalls for cattle were built against o

rowing in the place where the

near the hovel, except a sow lying in

but as no one made answer, he went into

ed through the entry, peered into the

ing about over the floor and benches. When they saw a man they spread their wings,

the oven with its broken pipe, a loom, which in spite of its being summer-tim

eiling. Loft there was none. It was hard to realize that this was a human habitation, such decided evidence of neglect and disorder wa

p-skin,[32] was fast asleep, curled up on one corner of the oven. The panic-stricken hen, skipping up on th

el, was about to go, when a prolonge

s there?" cri

ed sigh was hear

here? Co

a bellow, and a heavy yawn r

who a

uge leg in a dilapidated boot was put down, then another, and finally Davidka's entire fig

o make greater haste than before; but still his motions were so slow, that Nekhliudof had time to

e in reality: his hair, and his body,

labby, unhealthy kind. His rather comely face, with pale-blue good-natured eyes, and a wide trimmed beard, bore the impress of ill health. There was not the slightes

dropsy, and they wore a growth of fine white hair. He was so drowsy th

sleeping in the very best part of the day,[35] when you oug

rms across his stomach, hung his head, inclining it a trifle to one side, and did not move a limb or say a word; but the expression of his fac

nd give him his thrashing as quickly as possible, even if he stru

khliudof endeavored by various questions to rouse

ave enough to last you a whole month here,

mained silent, a

answe

ething, and blinked

not harrowed, and no seed put in at the right time,-all from laziness. You asked me for grain: well, let us suppose that I gave it to you, so as to keep you from starv

vidka, raising his eyes t

peasants who work most will get most; but you work less than anybody. You are complained about on all sides. You work less than all the others, and yet you ask for more of the Lord's grain than all the rest. Why should it

the other slowly