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fresh vegetation； the smell of damp earth； asking for more rain；
entered in at the window。 While dressing； Nekhludoff several
times looked out at the peasants gathered on the tennis ground。
One by one they came； took off their hats or caps to one another；
and took their places in a circle； leaning on their sticks。 The
steward； a stout； muscular； strong young man； dressed in a short
pea…jacket； with a green stand…up collar； and enormous buttons；
came to say that all had assembled； but that they might wait
until Nekhludoff had finished his breakfasttea and coffee；
whichever he pleased； both were ready。
〃No； I think I had better go and see them at once；〃 said
Nekhludoff； with an unexpected feeling of shyness and shame at
the thought of the conversation he was going to have with the
peasants。 He was going to fulfil a wish of the peasants； the
fulfilment of which they did not even dare to hope forto let
the land to them at a low price； i。e。； to confer a great boon；
and yet he felt ashamed of something。 When Nekhludoff came up to
the peasants； and the fair； the curly； the bald； the grey heads
were bared before him； he felt so confused that he could say
nothing。 The rain continued to come down in small drops； that
remained on the hair； the beards； and the fluff of the men's
rough coats。 The peasants looked at 〃the master；〃 waiting for him
to speak； and he was so abashed that he could not speak。 This
confused silence was broken by the sedate； self…assured German
steward； who considered himself a good judge of the Russian
peasant； and who spoke Russian remarkably well。 This strong；
over…fed man； and Nekhludoff himself； presented a striking
contrast to the peasants； with their thin； wrinkled faces and the
shoulder blades protruding beneath their coarse coats。
〃Here's the Prince wanting to do you a favor； and to let the land
to you； only you are not worthy of it；〃 said the steward。
〃How are we not worthy of it； Vasili Karlovitch？ Don't we work
for you？ We were well satisfied with the deceased ladyGod have
mercy on her souland the young Prince will not desert us now。
Our thanks to him；〃 said a redhaired； talkative peasant。
〃Yes； that's why I have called you together。 I should like to let
you have all the land； if you wish it。〃
The peasants said nothing； as if they did not understand or did
not believe it。
〃Let's see。 Let us have the land？ What do you mean？〃 asked a
middle…aged man。
〃To let it to you； that you might have the use of it； at a low
rent。〃
〃A very agreeable thing；〃 said an old man。
〃If only the pay is such as we can afford；〃 said another。
〃There's no reason why we should not rent the land。〃
〃We are accustomed to live by tilling the ground。〃
〃And it's quieter for you； too； that way。 You'll have to do
nothing but receive the rent。 Only think of all the sin and worry
now！〃 several voices were heard saying。
〃The sin is all on your side；〃 the German remarked。 〃If only you
did your work； and were orderly。〃
〃That's impossible for the likes of us；〃 said a sharp…nosed old
man。 〃You say； 'Why do you let the horse get into the corn？' just
as if I let it in。 Why； I was swinging my scythe； or something of
the kind； the livelong day； till the day seemed as long as a
year； and so I fell asleep while watching the herd of horses at
night； and it got into your oats； and now you're skinning me。〃
〃And you should keep order。〃
〃It's easy for you to talk about order； but it's more than our
strength will bear；〃 answered a tall； dark； hairy middleaged man。
〃Didn't I tell you to put up a fence？〃
〃You give us the wood to make it of；〃 said a short； plain…
looking peasant。 〃I was going to put up a fence last year； and
you put me to feed vermin in prison for three months。 That was
the end of that fence。〃
〃What is it he is saying？〃 asked Nekhludoff； turning to the
steward。
〃Der ersto Dieb im Dorfe； ＇The greatest thief in the village＇
answered the steward in German。 〃He is caught stealing wood from
the forest every year。〃 Then turning to the peasant； he added；
〃You must learn to respect other people's property。〃
〃Why； don't we respect you？〃 said an old man。 〃We are obliged to
respect you。 Why； you could twist us into a rope； we are in your
hands。〃
〃Eh； my friend； it's impossible to do you。 It's you who are ever
ready to do us；〃 said the steward。
〃Do you； indeed。 Didn't you smash my jaw for me； and I got
nothing for it？ No good going to law with the rich； it seems。〃
〃You should keep to the law。〃
A tournament of words was apparently going on without those who
took part in it knowing exactly what it was all about； but it was
noticeable that there was bitterness on one side； restricted by
fear； and on the other a consciousness of importance and power。
It was very trying to Nekhludoff to listen to all this； so he
returned to the question。 of arranging the amount and the terms
of the rent。
〃Well； then； how about the land？ Do you wish to take it； and what
price will you pay if I let you have the whole of it？〃
〃The property is yours： it is for you to fix the price。〃
Nekhludoff named the price。 Though it was far below that paid in
the neighbourhood； the peasants declared it too high； and began
bargaining； as is customary among them。 Nekhludoff thought his
offer would be accepted with pleasure； but no signs of pleasure
were visible。
One thing only showed Nekhludoff that his offer was a profitable
one to the peasants。 The question as to who would rent the land；
the whole commune or a special society； was put； and a violent
dispute arose among those peasants who were in favour of
excluding the weak and those not likely to pay the rent
regularly； and the peasants who would have to be excluded on that
score。 At last； thanks to the steward； the amount and the terms
of the rent were fixed； and the peasants went down the hill
towards their villages； talking noisily； while Nekhludoff and the
steward went into the office to make up the agreement。 Everything
was settled in the way Nekhludoff wished and expected it to be。
The peasants had their land 30 per cent。 cheaper than they could
have got it anywhere in the district； the revenue from the land
was diminished by half； but was more than sufficient for
Nekhludoff； especially as there would be money coming in for a
forest he sold； as well as for the agricultural implements； which
would be sold； too。 Everything seemed excellently arranged； yet
he felt ashamed of something。 He could see that the peasants；
though they spoke words of thanks； were not satisfied； and had
expected something greater。 So it turned out that he had deprived
himself of a great deal； and yet not done what the peasants had
expected。
The next day the agreement was signed； and accompanied by several
old peasants； who had been chosen as deputies； Nekhludoff went
out； got into the steward's elegant equipage （as the driver from
the station had called it）； said 〃good…bye〃 to the peasants； who
stood shaking their heads in a dissatisfied and disappointed
manner； and drove off to the station。 Nekhludoff was dissatisfied
with himself without knowing why； but all the time he felt sad
and ashamed of something。
CHAPTER III。
OLD ASSOCIATIONS。
From Kousminski Nekhludoff went to the estate he had inherited
from his aunts； the same where he first met Katusha。 He meant to
arrange about the land there in the way he had done in
Kousminski。 Besides this； he wished to find out all he could
about Katusha and her baby； and when and how it had died。 He got
to Panovo early one morning； and the first thing that struck him
when he drove up was the look of decay and dilapidation that all
the buildings bore； especially the house itself。 The iron roofs；
which had once been painted green； looked red with rust； and a
few sheets of iron were bent back； probably by a storm。 Some of
the planks which covered the house from outside were torn away in
several places； these were easier to get by breaking the rusty
nails that held them。 Both porches； but especially the side porch
he remembered so well； were rotten and broken； only the banister
remained。 Some of the windows were boarded up； and the building
in which the foreman lived； the kitchen； the stablesall were
grey and decaying。 Only the garden had not decayed； but had
grown； and was in full bloom； from over the fence the cherry；
apple； and plum trees looked like white clouds。 The lilac bushes
that formed the hedge were in full bloom； as they had been when；
14 years ago； Nekhludoff had played gorelki with the 15…year…old
Katusha； and had fallen and got his hand stung by the nettles
behind one of those lilac bushes。 The larch that his aunt Sophia
had planted near the house； which then was only a short stick；
had grown into a tree； the trunk of which would have made a beam；
and its branches were covered with soft yellow green needles as
with down。 The river； now within its banks； rushed noisily over
the mill dam。 The meadow the other side of the river was dotted
over by the peasants' mixed herds。 The foreman； a student； who
had left the seminary without finishing the course； met
Nekhludoff in the yard； with a smile on his face； and； still