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〃Why are you telling me about shillispers？〃
〃Wha…at？ Why； you asked me yourself！ The gentry catch fish that way
too in our parts。 The silliest little boy would not try to catch a fish without
a weight。 Of course anyone who did not understand might go to fish
without a weight。 There is no rule for a fool。〃
〃So you say you unscrewed this nut to make a weight for your fishing
line out of it？〃
〃What else for？ It wasn't to play knuckle…bones with！〃
〃But you might have taken lead； a bullet 。 。 。 a nail of some sort。 。 。 。〃
〃You don't pick up lead in the road； you have to buy it； and a nail's no
good。 You can't find anything better than a nut。 。 。 。 It's heavy； and there's a
hole in it。〃
〃He keeps pretending to be a fool！ as though he'd been born yesterday
or dropped from heaven！ Don't you understand； you blockhead； what
unscrewing these nuts leads to？ If the watchman had not noticed it the
train might have run off the rails； people would have been killed you
would have killed people。〃
〃God forbid； your honour！ What should I kill them for？ Are we
heathens or wicked people？ Thank God； good gentlemen； we have lived
all our lives without ever dreaming of such a thing。 。 。 。 Save； and have
mercy on us； Queen of Heaven！ 。 。 。 What are you saying？〃
〃And what do you suppose railway accidents do come from？ Unscrew
two or three nuts and you have an accident。〃
Denis grins； and screws up his eye at the magistrate incredulously。
〃Why！ how many years have we all in the village been unscrewing
nuts； and the Lord has been merciful； and you talk of accidents； killing
people。 If I had carried away a rail or put a log across the line； say； then
maybe it might have upset the train； but。 。 。 pouf！ a nut！〃
〃But you must understand that the nut holds the rail fast to the
sleepers！〃
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〃We understand that。 。 。 。 We don't unscrew them all 。 。 。 we leave
some。 。 。 。 We don't do it thoughtlessly 。 。 。 we understand。 。 。 。〃
Denis yawns and makes the sign of the cross over his mouth。
〃Last year the train went off the rails here；〃 says the magistrate。 〃Now
I see why！〃
〃What do you say； your honour？〃
〃I am telling you that now I see why the train went off the rails last
year。 。 。 。 I understand！〃
〃That's what you are educated people for； to understand； you kind
gentlemen。 The Lord knows to whom to give understanding。 。 。 。 Here you
have reasoned how and what； but the watchman； a peasant like ourselves；
with no understanding at all； catches one by the collar and hauls one
along。 。 。 。 You should reason first and then haul me off。 It's a saying that a
peasant has a peasant's wit。 。 。 。 Write down； too； your honour； that he hit
me twice in the jaw and in the chest。〃
〃When your hut was searched they found another nut。 。 。 。 At what spot
did you unscrew that； and when？〃
〃You mean the nut which lay under the red box？〃
〃I don't know where it was lying； only it was found。 When did you
unscrew it？〃
〃I didn't unscrew it； Ignashka； the son of one…eyed Semyon； gave it me。
I mean the one which was under the box； but the one which was in the
sledge in the yard Mitrofan and I unscrewed together。〃
〃What Mitrofan？〃
〃Mitrofan Petrov。 。 。 。 Haven't you heard of him？ He makes nets in our
village and sells them to the gentry。 He needs a lot of those nuts。 Reckon a
matter of ten for each net。〃
〃Listen。 Article 1081 of the Penal Code lays down that every wilful
damage of the railway line committed when it can expose the traffic on
that line to danger； and the guilty party knows that an accident must be
caused by it 。 。 。 （Do you understand？ Knows！ And you could not help
knowing what this unscrewing would lead to 。 。 。） is liable to penal
servitude。〃
〃Of course； you know best。 。 。 。 We are ignorant people。 。 。 。 What do
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we understand？〃
〃You understand all about it！ You are lying； shamming！〃
〃What should I lie for？ Ask in the village if you don't believe me。 Only
a bleak is caught without a weight； and there is no fish worse than a
gudgeon； yet even that won't bite without a weight。〃
〃You'd better tell me about the shillisper next；〃 said the magistrate；
smiling。
〃There are no shillispers in our parts。 。 。 。 We cast our line without a
weight on the top of the water with a butterfly； a mullet may be caught
that way； though that is not often。〃
〃Come； hold your tongue。〃
A silence follows。 Denis shifts from one foot to the other； looks at the
table with the green cloth on it； and blinks his eyes violently as though
what was before him was not the cloth but the sun。 The magistrate writes
rapidly。
〃Can I go？〃 asks Denis after a long silence。
〃No。 I must take you under guard and send you to prison。〃
Denis leaves off blinking and； raising his thick eyebrows； looks
inquiringly at the magistrate。
〃How do you mean； to prison？ Your honour！ I have no time to spare； I
must go to the fair； I must get three roubles from Yegor for some
tallow！ 。 。 。〃
〃Hold your tongue； don't interrupt。〃
〃To prison。 。 。 。 If there was something to go for； I'd go； but just to go
for nothing！ What for？ I haven't stolen anything； I believe； and I've not
been fighting。 。 。 。 If you are in doubt about the arrears； your honour； don't
believe the elder。 。 。 。 You ask the agent 。 。 。 he's a regular heathen； the elder；
you know。〃
〃Hold your tongue。〃
I am holding my tongue； as it is；〃 mutters Denis； 〃but that the elder has
lied over the account； I'll take my oath for it。 。 。 。 There are three of us
brothers： Kuzma Grigoryev； then Yegor Grigoryev； and me； Denis
Grigoryev。〃
〃You are hindering me。 。 。 。 Hey； Semyon；〃 cries the magistrate； 〃take
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him away！〃
〃There are three of us brothers；〃 mutters Denis； as two stalwart
soldiers take him and lead him out of the room。 〃A brother is not
responsible for a brother。 Kuzma does not pay； so you； Denis； must answer
for it。 。 。 。 Judges indeed！ Our master the general is dead the Kingdom of
Heaven be his or he would have shown you judges。 。 。 。 You ought to
judge sensibly； not at random。 。 。 。 Flog if you like； but flog someone who
deserves it； flog with conscience。〃
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PEASANTS
I
NIKOLAY TCHIKILDYEEV； a waiter in the Moscow hotel；
Slavyansky Bazaar； was taken ill。 His legs went numb and his gait was
affected； so that on one occasion； as he was going along the corridor； he
tumbled and fell down with a tray full of ham and peas。 He had to leave
his job。 All his own savings and his wife's were spent on doctors and
medicines； they had nothing left to live upon。 He felt dull with no work to
do； and he made up his mind he must go home to the village。 It is better to
be ill at home； and living there is cheaper； and it is a true saying that the
walls of home are a help。
He reached Zhukovo towards evening。 In his memories of childhood
he had pictured his home as bright； snug； comfortable。 Now； going into the
hut； he was positively frightened； it was so dark； so crowded； so unclean。
His wife Olga and his daughter Sasha； who had come with him； kept
looking in bewilderment at the big untidy stove； which filled up almost
half the hut and was black with soot and flies。 What lots of flies！ The stove
was on one side； the beams lay slanting on the walls； and it looked as
though the hut were just going to f