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does it matter？〃
Elena Ivanovna looked at the broad； tranquil river； pondering；
and tears flowed down her cheeks。 And Rodion was troubled by
those tears； he almost cried himself。
〃Never mind 。 。 。〃 he muttered。 〃Have patience for a couple of
years。 You can have the school； you can have the roads； only not
all at once。 If you went； let us say； to sow corn on that mound
you would first have to weed it out； to pick out all the stones；
and then to plough； and work and work 。 。 。 and with the people；
you see； it is the same 。 。 。 you must work and work until you
overcome them。〃
The crowd had moved away from Rodion's hut； and was coming along
the street towards the mountain ash。 They began singing songs and
playing the concertina； and they kept coming closer and closer。 。
。 。
〃Mamma； let us go away from here；〃 said the little girl； huddling
up to her mother； pale and shaking all over； 〃let us go away；
mamma！
〃Where？〃
〃To Moscow。 。 。 。 Let us go； mamma。〃
The child began crying。
Rodion was utterly overcome； his face broke into profuse
perspiration； he took out of his pocket a little crooked
cucumber； like a half…moon； covered with crumbs of rye bread； and
began thrusting it into the little girl's hands。
〃Come； come；〃 he muttered； scowling severely； 〃take the little
cucumber； eat it up。 。 。 。 You mustn't cry。 Mamma will whip you。
。 。 。 She'll tell your father of you when you get home。 Come；
come。 。 。 。〃
They walked on； and he still followed behind them； wanting to say
something friendly and persuasive to them。 And seeing that they
were both absorbed in their own thoughts and their own griefs；
and not noticing him； he stopped and； shading his eyes from the
sun； looked after them for a long time till they disappeared into
their copse。
IV
The engineer seemed to grow irritable and petty； and in every
trivial incident saw an act of robbery or outrage。 His gate was
kept bolted even by day； and at night two watchmen walked up and
down the garden beating a board； and they gave up employing
anyone from Obrutchanovo as a labourer。 As ill…luck would have it
someone （either a peasant or one of the workmen） took the new
wheels off the cart and replaced them by old ones； then soon
afterwards two bridles and a pair of pincers were carried off；
and murmurs arose even in the village。 People began to say that a
search should be made at the Lytchkovs' and at Volodka's； and
then the bridles and the pincers were found under the hedge in
the engineer's garden； someone had thrown them down there。
It happened that the peasants were coming in a crowd out of the
forest； and again they met the engineer on the road。 He stopped；
and without wishing them good…day he began； looking angrily first
at one； then at another：
〃I have begged you not to gather mushrooms in the park and near
the yard； but to leave them for my wife and children； but your
girls come before daybreak and there is not a mushroom left。 。 。
。Whether one asks you or not it makes no difference。 Entreaties；
and friendliness； and persuasion I see are all useless。〃
He fixed his indignant eyes on Rodion and went on：
〃My wife and I behaved to you as human beings； as to our equals；
and you？ But what's the use of talking！ It will end by our
looking down upon you。 There is nothing left！〃
And making an effort to restrain his anger； not to say too much；
he turned and went on。
On getting home Rodion said his prayer； took off his boots； and
sat down beside his wife。
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 he began with a sigh。 〃We were walking along just
now； and Mr。 Kutcherov met us。 。 。 。 Yes。 。 。 。 He saw the girls
at daybreak。 。 。 'Why don't they bring mushrooms；' 。 。 。 he said
'to my wife and children？' he said。 。 。 。 And then he looked at
me and he said： 'I and my wife will look after you；' he said。 I
wanted to fall down at his feet； but I hadn't the courage。 。 。 。
God give him health。 。 。 God bless him！ 。 。 。〃
Stephania crossed herself and sighed。
〃They are kind； simple…hearted people；〃 Rodion went on。 〃 'We
shall look after you。' 。 。 。 He promised me that before everyone。
In our old age 。 。 。 it wouldn't be a bad thing。 。 。 。 I should
always pray for them。 。 。 。 Holy Mother； bless them。 。 。 。〃
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross； the fourteenth of
September； was the festival of the village church。 The Lytchkovs；
father and son； went across the river early in the morning and
returned to dinner drunk； they spent a long time going about the
village； alternately singing and swearing； then they had a fight
and went to the New Villa to complain。 First Lytchkov the father
went into the yard with a long ashen stick in his hands。 He
stopped irresolutely and took off his hat。 Just at that moment
the engineer and his family were sitting on the verandah；
drinking tea。
〃What do you want？〃 shouted the engineer。
〃Your honour 。 。 。〃 Lytchkov began； and burst into tears。 〃Show
the Divine mercy； protect me 。 。 。 my son makes my life a misery
。 。 。 your honour。 。 。〃
Lytchkov the son walked up； too； he； too； was bareheaded and had
a stick in his hand； he stopped and fixed his drunken senseless
eyes on the verandah。
〃It is not my business to settle your affairs；〃 said the
engineer。 〃Go to the rural captain or the police officer。〃
〃I have been everywhere。 。 。 。 I have lodged a petition 。 。 。〃
said Lytchkov the father； and he sobbed。 〃Where can I go now？ He
can kill me now； it seems。 He can do anything。 Is that the way to
treat a father？ A father？〃
He raised his stick and hit his son on the head； the son raised
his stick and struck his father just on his bald patch such a
blow that the stick bounced back。 The father did not even flinch；
but hit his son again and again on the head。 And so they stood
and kept hitting one another on the head； and it looked not so
much like a fight as some sort of a game。 And peasants； men and
women； stood in a crowd at the gate and looked into the garden；
and the faces of all were grave。 They were the peasants who had
come to greet them for the holiday； but seeing the Lytchkovs；
they were ashamed and did not go in。
The next morning Elena Ivanovna went with the children to Moscow。
And there was a rumour that the engineer was selling his house。 。
。 。
V
The peasants had long ago grown used to the sight of the bridge；
and it was difficult to imagine the river at that place without a
bridge。 The heap of rubble left from the building of it had long
been overgrown with grass； the navvies were forgotten； and
instead of the strains of the 〃Dubinushka〃 that they used to
sing； the peasants heard almost every hour the sounds of a
passing train。
The New Villa has long ago been sold； now it belongs to a
government clerk who comes here from the town for the holidays
with his family； drinks tea on the terrace； and then goes back to
the town again。 He wears a cockade on his cap； he talks and
clears his throat as though he were a very important official；
though he is only of the rank of a collegiate secretary； and when
the peasants bow he makes no response。
In Obrutchanovo everyone has grown older； Kozov is dead。 In
Rodion's hut there are even m