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all about it。 It's so pleasant here that one can forget anything。〃
〃All right； but do be quick。 The horses have already been standing a
quarter of an hour； and the flies are biting viciously。 Can you wait；
Arsenty？〃 he asked the coachman。
〃Why not？〃 said the coachman； thinking to himself； 〃why do they
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order the horses when they aren't ready？ The rush the grooms and I had
just to stand here and feed the flies。〃
〃Directly； directly；〃 Volgin went towards his room； but turned back to
ask Nicholas Petrovich about the begging peasant。
〃Did you see him？He's a drunkard； but still he is to be pitied。 Do be
quick！〃 Volgin got out his case； with all the requisites for writing； wrote
the letter； made out a cheque for a hundred and eighty roubles； and；
sealing down the envelope； took it to Nicholas Petrovich。
〃Good…bye。〃
Volgin read the newspapers till luncheon。 He only read the Liberal
papers： The Russian Gazette； Speech； sometimes The Russian Wordbut
he would not touch The New Times； to which his host subscribed。
While he was scanning at his ease the political news； the Tsar's doings；
the doings of President； and ministers and decisions in the Duma； and was
just about to pass on to the general news； theatres； science； murders and
cholera； he heard the luncheon bell ring。
Thanks to the efforts of upwards of ten human beings counting
laundresses； gardeners； cooks； kitchen…maids； butlers and footmenthe
table was sumptuously laid for eight； with silver waterjugs； decanters；
kvass； wine； mineral waters； cut glass； and fine table linen； while two
men…servants were continually hurrying to and fro； bringing in and serving；
and then clearing away the hors d'oeuvre and the various hot and cold
courses。
The hostess talked incessantly about everything that she had been
doing； thinking； and saying； and she evidently considered that everything
that she thought； said； or did was perfect； and that it would please every
one except those who were fools。 Volgin felt and knew that everything she
said was stupid； but it would never do to let it be seen； and so he kept up
the conversation。 Theodorite was glum and silent； the student
occasionally exchanged a few words with the widow。 Now and again there
was a pause in the conversation； and then Theodorite interposed； and every
one became miserably depressed。 At such moments the hostess ordered
some dish that had not been served； and the footman hurried off to the
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kitchen； or to the housekeeper； and hurried back again。 Nobody felt
inclined either to talk or to eat。 But they all forced themselves to eat and
to talk； and so luncheon went on。
The peasant who had been begging because his horse had died was
named Mitri Sudarikov。 He had spent the whole day before he went to
the squire over his dead horse。 First of all he went to the knacker； Sanin；
who lived in a village near。 The knacker was out； but he waited for him；
and it was dinner…time when he had finished bargaining over the price of
the skin。 Then he borrowed a neighbour's horse to take his own to a field
to be buried； as it is forbidden to bury dead animals near a village。
Adrian would not lend his horse because he was getting in his potatoes；
but Stephen took pity on Mitri and gave way to his persuasion。 He even
lent a hand in lifting the dead horse into the cart。 Mitri tore off the shoes
from the forelegs and gave them to his wife。 One was broken； but the
other one was whole。 While he was digging the grave with a spade which
was very blunt； the knacker appeared and took off the skin； and the carcass
was then thrown into the hole and covered up。 Mitri felt tired； and went
into Matrena's hut； where he drank half a bottle of vodka with Sanin to
console himself。 Then he went home； quarrelled with his wife； and lay
down to sleep on the hay。 He did not undress； but slept just as he was；
with a ragged coat for a coverlet。 His wife was in the hut with the girls
there were four of them； and the youngest was only five weeks old。 Mitri
woke up before dawn as usual。 He groaned as the memory of the day
before broke in upon him how the horse had struggled and struggled； and
then fallen down。 Now there was no horse； and all he had was the price of
the skin； four roubles and eighty kopeks。 Getting up he arranged the
linen bands on his legs； and went through the yard into the hut。 His wife
was putting straw into the stove with one hand； with the other she was
holding a baby girl to her breast； which was hanging out of her dirty
chemise。
Mitri crossed himself three times； turning towards the corner in which
the ikons hung； and repeated some utterly meaningless words； which he
called prayers； to the Trinity and the Virgin； the Creed and our Father。
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〃Isn't there any water？〃
〃The girl's gone for it。 I've got some tea。 Will you go up to the
squire？〃
〃Yes； I'd better。〃 The smoke from the stove made him cough。 He
took a rag off the wooden bench and went into the porch。 The girl had just
come back with the water。 Mitri filled his mouth with water from the
pail and squirted it out on his hands； took some more in his mouth to wash
his face； dried himself with the rag； then parted and smoothed his curly
hair with his fingers and went out。 A little girl of about ten； with nothing
on but a dirty shirt； came towards him。 〃Good…morning； Uncle Mitri；〃
she said； 〃you are to come and thrash。〃 〃All right； I'll come；〃 replied
Mitri。 He understood that he was expected to return the help given the
week before by Kumushkir； a man as poor as he was himself； when he was
thrashing his own corn with a horse…driven machine。
〃Tell them I'll comeI'll come at lunch time。 I've got to go to
Ugrumi。〃 Mitri went back to the hut； and changing his birch…bark shoes
and the linen bands on his legs； started off to see the squire。 After he had
got three roubles from Volgin； and the same sum from Nicholas Petrovich；
he returned to his house； gave the money to his wife； and went to his
neighbour's。 The thrashing machine was humming； and the driver was
shouting。 The lean horses were going slowly round him； straining at their
traces。 The driver was shouting to them in a monotone； 〃Now； there； my
dears。〃 Some women were unbinding sheaves； others were raking up the
scattered straw and ears； and others again were gathering great armfuls of
corn and handing them to the men to feed the machine。 The work was in
full swing。 In the kitchen garden； which Mitri had to pass； a girl； clad only
in a long shirt； was digging potatoes which she put into a basket。
〃Where's your grandfather？〃 asked Mitri。 〃He's in the barn 〃Mitri
went to the barn and set to work at once。 The old man of eighty knew of
Mitri's trouble。 After greeting him； he gave him his place to feed the
machine。
Mitri took off his ragged coat； laid it out of the way near the fence； and
then began to work vigorously； raking the corn together and throwing it
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into the machine。 The work went on without interruption until the
dinner…hour。 The cocks had crowed two or three times； but no one paid any
attention to them； not because the workers did not believe them； but
because they were scarcely heard for the noise of the work and the talk
about it。 At last the whistle of