resurrection(复活)-第55章

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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　buildin