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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 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 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。〃
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 fall to pieces。 In the corner； facing the
door； under the holy images； bottle labels and newspaper cuttings
were stuck on the walls instead of pictures。 The poverty； the
poverty！ Of the grown…up people there were none at home； all were
at work at the harvest。 On the stove was sitting a white…headed
girl of eight； unwashed and apathetic； she did not even glance at
them as they came in。 On the floor a white cat was rubbing itself
against the oven fork。
〃Puss； puss！〃 Sasha called to her。 〃Puss！〃
〃She can't hear；〃 said the little girl； 〃she has gone deaf。〃
〃How is that？〃
〃Oh； she was beaten。〃
Nikolay and Olga realized from the firs t glance what life was
like here； but said nothing to one another； in silence they put
down their bundles； and went out into the village street。 Their
hut was the third from the end； and seemed the very poorest and
oldest…looking； the second was not much better； but the last one
had an iron roof； and curtains in the windows。 That hut stood
apart； not enclosed； it was a tavern。 The huts were in a single
row； and the whole of the little village quiet and dreamy；
with willows； elders； and mountain…ash trees peeping out from the
yards had an attractive look。
Beyond the peasants homesteads there was a slope down to the
river； so steep and precipitous that huge stones jutted out bare
here and there through the clay。 Down the slope； among the stones
and holes dug by the potters； ran winding paths； bits of broken
pottery； some brown； some red； lay piled up in heaps； and below
there stretched a broad； level； bright green meadow； from which
the hay had been already carried； and in which the peasants'
cattle were wandering。 The river； three…quarters of a mile from
the village； ran twisting and turning； with beautiful leafy
banks； beyond it was again a broad meadow； a herd of cattle； long
strings of white geese； then； just as on the near side； a steep
ascent uphill； and on the top of the hill a hamlet