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days passed quietly and peacefully as though no bridge…building
were going on； and only in the evening； when camp fires gleamed
near the bridge； the wind faintly wafted the songs of the
navvies。 And by day there was sometimes the mournful clang of
metal； don…don…don。
It happened that the engineer's wife came to see him。 She was
pleased with the river…banks and the gorgeous view over the green
valley with trees； churches； flocks； and she began begging her
husband to buy a small piece of ground and to build them a
cottage on it。 Her husband agreed。 They bought sixty acres of
land； and on the high bank in a field； where in earlier days the
cows of Obrutchanovo used to wander； they built a pretty house of
two storeys with a terrace and a verandah； with a tower and a
flagstaff on which a flag fluttered on Sundays they built it
in about three months； and then all the winter they were planting
big trees； and when spring came and everything began to be green
there were already avenues to the new house； a gardener and two
labourers in white aprons were digging near it； there was a
little fountain； and a globe of looking…glass flashed so
brilliantly that it was painful to look at。 The house had already
been named the New Villa。
On a bright； warm morning at the end of May two horses were
brought to Obrutchanovo to the village blacksmith； Rodion Petrov。
They came from the New Villa。 The horses were sleek； graceful
beasts； as white as snow； and strikingly alike。
〃Perfect swans！〃 said Rodion； gazing at them with reverent
admiration。
His wife Stepanida； his children and grandchildren came out into
the street to look at them。 By degrees a crowd collected。 The
Lytchkovs； father and son； both men with swollen faces and
entirely beardless； came up bareheaded。 Kozov； a tall； thin old
man with a long； narrow beard； came up leaning on a stick with a
crook handle： he kept winking with his crafty eyes and smiling
ironically as though he knew something。
〃It's only that they are white； what is there in them？〃 he said。
〃Put mine on oats； and they will be just as sleek。 They ought to
be in a plough and with a whip； too。 。 。 。〃
The coachman simply looked at him with disdain； but did not utter
a word。 And afterwards； while they were blowing up the fire at
the forge； the coachman talked while he smoked cigarettes。 The
peasants learned from him various details： his employers were
wealthy people； his mistress； Elena Ivanovna； had till her
marriage lived in Moscow in a poor way as a governess； she was
kind…hearted； compassionate； and fond of helping the poor。 On the
new estate； he told them； they were not going to plough or to
sow； but simply to live for their pleasure； live only to breathe
the fresh air。 When he had finished and led the horses back a
crowd of boys followed him； the dogs barked； and Kozov； looking
after him； winked sarcastically。
〃Landowners； too…oo！〃 he said。 〃They have built a house and set
up horses； but I bet they are nobodies landowners； too…oo。〃
Kozov for some reason took a dislike from the first to the new
house； to the white horses； and to the handsome； well…fed
coachman。 Kozov was a solitary man； a widower； he had a dreary
life （he was prevented from working by a disease which he
sometimes called a rupture and sometimes worms） he was maintained
by his son； who worked at a confectioner's in Harkov and sent him
money； and from early morning till evening he sauntered at
leisure
about the river or about the village； if he saw； for instance； a
peasant carting a log； or fishing； he would say： 〃That log's dry
wood it is rotten；〃 or； 〃They won't bite in weather like
this。〃 In times of drought he would declare that there would not
be a drop of rain till the frost came； and when the rains came he
would say that everything would rot in the fields； that
everything was ruined。 And as he said these things he would wink
as though he knew something。
At the New Villa they burned Bengal lights and sent up fireworks
in the evenings； and a sailing…boat with red lanterns floated by
Obrutchanovo。 One morning the engineer's wife； Elena Ivanovna；
and her little daughter drove to the village in a carriage with
yellow wheels and a pair of dark bay ponies； both mother and
daughter were wearing broad…brimmed straw hats； bent down over
their ears。
This was exactly at the time when they were carting manure； and
the blacksmith Rodion； a tall； gaunt old man； bareheaded and
barefooted； was standing near his dirty and repulsive…looking
cart and； flustered； looked at the ponies； and it was evident by
his face that he had never seen such little horses before。
〃The Kutcherov lady has come！〃 was whispered around。 〃Look； the
Kutcherov lady has come！〃
Elena Ivanovna looked at the huts as though she were selecting
one； and then stopped at the very poorest； at the windows of
which there were so many children's heads flaxen； red； and
dark。 Stepanida； Rodion's wife； a stout woman； came running out
of the hut； her kerchief slipped off her grey head； she looked at
the carriage facing the sun； and her face smiled and wrinkled up
as though she were blind。
〃This is for your children；〃 said Elena Ivanovna； and she gave
her three roubles。
Stepanida suddenly burst into tears and bowed down to the ground。
Rodion； too； flopped to the ground； displaying his brownish bald
head； and as he did so he almost caught his wife in the ribs with
the fork。 Elena Ivanovna was overcome with confusion and drove
back。
II
The Lytchkovs； father and son； caught in their meadows two
cart…horses； a pony； and a broad…faced Aalhaus bull…calf； and
with the help of red…headed Volodka； son of the blacksmith
Rodion； drove them to the village。 They called the village elder；
collected witnesses； and went to look at the damage。
〃All right； let 'em！〃 said Kozov； winking； 〃le…et em！ Let them
get out of it if they can； the engineers！ Do you think there is
no such thing as law？ All right！ Send for the police inspector；
draw up a statement！ 。 。 。〃
〃Draw up a statement；〃 repeated Volodka。
〃I don't want to let this pass！〃 shouted the younger Lytchkov。 He
shouted louder and louder； and his beardless face seemed to be
more and more swollen。 〃They've set up a nice fashion！ Leave them
free； and they will ruin all the meadows！ You've no sort of right
to ill…treat people！ We are not serfs now！〃
〃We are not serfs now！〃 repeated Volodka。
〃We got on all right without a bridge；〃 said the elder Lytchkov
gloomily； 〃we did not ask for it。 What do we want a bridge for？
We don't want it！〃
〃Brothers； good Christians； we cannot leave it like this！〃
〃All right； let 'em！〃 said Kozov； winking。 〃Let them get out of
it if they can！ Landowners； indeed！〃
They went back to the village； and as they walked the younger
Lytchkov beat himself on the breast with his fist and shouted all
the way； and Volodka shouted； too； repeating his words。 And
meanwhile quite a crowd had gathered in the village round the
thoroughbred bull…calf and the horses。 The bullcalf was
embarrassed and looked up from under his brows； but suddenly
lowered his muzzle to the ground and took to his heels； kickin