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had left the seminary without finishing the course； met
Nekhludoff in the yard； with a smile on his face； and； still
smiling； asked him to come into the office； and； as if promising
something exceptionally good by this smile； he went behind a
partition。 For a moment some whispering was heard behind the
partition。 The isvostchik who had driven Nekhludoff from the
station； drove away after receiving a tip； and all was silent。
Then a barefooted girl passed the window； she had on an
embroidered peasant blouse； and long earrings in her ears； then a
man walked past； clattering with his nailed boots on the trodden
path。
Nekhludoff sat down by the little casement； and looked out into
the garden and listened。 A soft； fresh spring breeze； smelling of
newly…dug earth； streamed in through the window； playing with the
hair on his damp forehead and the papers that lay on the
window…sill； which was all cut about with a knife。
〃Tra…pa…trop； tra…pa…trop；〃 comes a sound from the river； as the
women who were washing clothes there slapped them in regular
measure with their wooden bats； and the sound spread over the
glittering surface of the mill pond while the rhythmical sound of
the falling water came from the mill； and a frightened fly
suddenly flew loudly buzzing past his ear。
And all at once Nekhludoff remembered how； long ago； when he was
young and innocent； he had heard the women's wooden bats slapping
the wet clothes above the rhythmical sound from the mill； and in
the same way the spring breeze had blown about the hair on his
wet forehead and the papers on the window…sill； which was all cut
about with a knife； and just in the same way a fly had buzzed
loudly past his car。
It was not exactly that he remembered himself as a lad of 15； but
he seemed to feel himself the same as he was then； with the same
freshness and purity； and full of the same grand possibilities
for the future； and at the same time； as it happens in a dream；
he knew that all this could be no more； and he felt terribly sad。
〃At what time would you like something to eat？〃 asked the
foreman； with a smile。
〃When you like； I am not hungry。 I shall go for a walk through
the village。〃
〃Would you not like to come into the house？ Everything is in
order there。 Have the goodness to look in。 If the outside…〃
〃Not now； later on。 Tell me； please； have you got a woman here
called Matrona Kharina？〃 （This was Katusha's aunt； the village
midwife。）
〃Oh； yes； in the village she keeps a secret pot…house。 I know she
does； and I accuse her of it and scold her； but as to taking her
up； it would be a pity。 An old woman； you know； she has
grandchildren；〃 said the foreman； continuing to smile in the same
manner； partly wishing to be pleasant to the master； and partly
because he was convinced that Nekhludoff understood all these
matters just as well as he did himself。
〃Where does she live？ I shall go across and see her。〃
〃At the end of the village； the further side； the third from the
end。 To the left there is a brick cottage； and her hut is beyond
that。 But I'd better see you there；〃 the foreman said with a
graceful smile。
〃No； thanks； I shall find it； and you be so good as to call a
meeting of the peasants； and tell them that I want to speak to
them about the land；〃 said Nekhludoff； with the intention of
coming to the same agreement with the peasants here as he had
done in Kousminski； and； if possible； that same evening。
CHAPTER IV。
THE PEASANTS' LOT。
When Nekhludoff came out of the gate he met the girl with the
long earrings on the well…trodden path that lay across the
pasture ground； overgrown with dock and plantain leaves。 She had
a long； brightly…coloured apron on； and was quickly swinging her
left arm in front of herself as she stepped briskly with her fat；
bare feet。 With her right arm she was pressing a fowl to her
stomach。 The fowl； with red comb shaking； seemed perfectly calm；
he only rolled up his eyes and stretched out and drew in one
black leg； clawing the girl's apron。 When the girl came nearer to
〃the master；〃 she began moving more slowly； and her run changed
into a walk。 When she came up to him she stopped； and； after a
backward jerk with her head； bowed to him； and only when he had
passed did she recommence to run homeward with the cock。 As he
went down towards the well； he met an old woman； who had a coarse
dirty blouse on； carrying two pails full of water； that hung on a
yoke across her bent back。 The old woman carefully put down the
pails and bowed； with the same backward jerk of her head。
After passing the well Nekhludoff entered the village。 It was a
bright； hot day； and oppressive； though only ten o'clock。 At
intervals the sun was hidden by the gathering clouds。 An
unpleasant； sharp smell of manure filled the air in the street。
It came from carts going up the hillside； but chiefly from the
disturbed manure heaps in the yards of the huts； by the open
gates of which Nekhludoff had to pass。 The peasants； barefooted；
their shirts and trousers soiled with manure； turned to look at
the tall； stout gentleman with the glossy silk ribbon on his grey
hat who was walking up the village street； touching the ground
every other step with a shiny； bright…knobbed walking…stick。 The
peasants returning from the fields at a trot and jotting in their
empty carts； took off their hats； and； in their surprise；
followed with their eyes the extraordinary man who was walking up
their street。 The women came out of the gates or stood in the
porches of their huts； pointing him out to each other and gazing
at him as he passed。
When Nekhludoff was passing the fourth gate； he was stopped by a
cart that was coming out； its wheels creaking； loaded high with
manure； which was pressed down； and was covered with a mat to sit
on。 A six…year…old boy； excited by the prospect of a drive；
followed the cart。 A young peasant； with shoes plaited out of
bark on his feet； led the horse out of the yard。 A long…legged
colt jumped out of the gate； but； seeing Nekhludoff； pressed
close to the cart； and scraping its legs against the wheels；
jumped forward； past its excited； gently…neighing mother； as she
was dragging the heavy load through the gateway。 The next horse
was led out by a barefooted old man； with protruding
shoulder…blades； in a dirty shirt and striped trousers。
When the horses got out on to the hard road； strewn over with
bits of dry； grey manure； the old man returned to the gate； and
bowed to Nekhludoff。
〃You are our ladies' nephew； aren't you？
〃Yes； I am their nephew。〃
〃You've kindly come to look us up； eh？〃 said the garrulous old
man。
〃Yes； I have。 Well； how are you getting on？
〃How do we get on？ We get on very badly；〃 the old man drawled； as
if it gave him pleasure。
〃Why so badly？〃 Nekhludoff asked； stepping inside the gate。
〃What is our life but the very worst life？〃 said the old man；
following Nekhludoff into that part of the yard which was roofed
over。
Nekhludoff stopped under the roof。
〃I have got 12 of them there；〃 continued the old man； pointing to
two women on the remainder of the manure heap； who stood
perspiring with forks in their hands； the kerchiefs tumbling off
their heads； with their skirts tucked up； showing the calves of
their dirty； bare legs。 〃Not a month passes but I have to buy six
poods ＇a pood is 36 English pounds＇ of corn； and where's the money to
come from？〃
〃Have you not got enough corn of your own？
〃My own？〃 repeated the old man； with a smile of contempt； 〃why I
have only got land for three； and last year we had not enough to
last till Christmas。〃
〃What do you do then？〃
〃What do we do？ Why； I hire out as a labourer； and then I
borrowed some money from your honour。 We spent it all before
Lent； and the tax is not paid yet。〃
〃And how much is the tax？〃
〃Why； it's 17 roubles for my household。 Oh； Lord； such a life！
One hardly knows one's self how one manages to live it。〃
〃May I go into your hut？〃 asked Nekhludoff； stepping across the
yard over the yellow…brown layers of manure that had been raked
up by the forks； and were giving off a strong smell。
〃Why not？ Come in；〃 said the old man； and stepping quickly with
his bare feet over the manure； the liquid oozing between his
toes； he passed Nekhludoff and opened the door of the hut。
The women arranged the kerchiefs on their heads and let down
their skirts； and stood looking with surprise at the clean
gentleman with gold studs to his sleeves who was entering their
house。 Two little girls； with nothing on but coarse chemises；
rushed out of the hut。 Nekhludoff took off his hat； and； stooping
to get through the low door； entered； through a passage into the
dirty； narrow hut； that smelt of sour food； and where much space
was taken up by two weaving looms。 In the but an old woman was
standing by the stove； with the sleeves rolled up over her thin；
sinewy brown arms。
〃Here is our master come to see us；〃 said the old man。
〃I'm sure he's very welcome；〃 said the old woman； kindly。
〃I would like to see how you live。〃
〃Well； you see how we live。 The hut is coming down； and might
kill one any day； but my old man he says it's good e