with his wife； and lay down to sleep on the hay。
He did not undress； but slept just as he was； with
a ragged coat for a coverlet。 His wife was in
the hut with the girlsthere were four of them；
and the youngest was only five weeks old。 Mitri
woke up before dawn as usual。 He groaned as
the memory of the day before broke in upon him
how the horse had struggled and struggled；
and then fallen down。 Now there was no horse；
and all he had was the price of the skin； four
roubles and eighty kopeks。 Getting up he ar…
ranged the linen bands on his legs； and went
through the yard into the hut。 His wife was put…
ting straw into the stove with one hand； with
the other she was holding a baby girl to her
breast； which was hanging out of her dirty
chemise。
Mitri crossed himself three times； turning
towards the corner in which the ikons hung； and
repeated some utterly meaningless words； which
he called prayers； to the Trinity and the Virgin；
the Creed and our Father。
〃Isn't there any water？〃
〃The girl's gone for it。 I've got some tea。
Will you go up to the squire？〃
〃Yes； I'd better 〃 The smoke from the stove
made him cough。 He took a rag off the wooden
bench and went into the porch。 The girl had
just come back with the water。 Mitri filled his
mouth with water from the pail and squirted it
out on his hands； took some more in his mouth
to wash his face； dried himself with the rag； then
parted and smoothed his curly hair with his fin…
gers and went out。 A little girl of about ten；
with nothing on but a dirty shirt； came towards
him。 〃Good…morning； Uncle Mitri；〃 she said；
〃you are to come and thrash。〃 〃All right； I'll
come；〃 replied Mitri。 He understood that he
was expected to return the help given the week
before by Kumushkir； a man as poor as he was
himself； when he was thrashing his own corn with
a horse…driven machine。
〃Tell them I'll comeI'll come at lunch time。
I've got to go to Ugrumi 〃 Mitri went back to
the hut； and changing his birch…bark shoes and the
linen bands on his legs； started off to see the
squire。 After he had got three roubles from
Volgin； and the same sum from Nicholas Petro…
vich； he returned to his house； gave the money to
his wife； and went to his neighbour's。 The thrash…
ing machine was humming； and the driver was
shouting。 The lean horses were going slowly
round him； straining at their traces。 The driver
was shouting to them in a monotone； 〃Now； there；
my dears 〃 Some women were unbinding sheaves；
others were raking up the scattered straw and ears；
and others again were gathering great armfuls of
corn and handing them to the men to feed the
machine。 The work was in full swing。 In the
kitchen garden； which Mitri had to pass； a girl；
clad only in a long shirt； was digging potatoes
which she put into a basket。
〃Where's your grandfather？〃 asked Mitri。
〃He's in the barn 〃 Mitri went to the barn and
set to work at once。 The old man of eighty knew
of Mitri's trouble。 After greeting him； he gave
him his place to feed the machine。
Mitri took off his ragged coat； laid it out of the
way near the fence； and then began to work vig…
orously； raking the corn together and throwing
it into the machine。 The work went on without
interruption until the dinner…hour。 The cocks
had crowed two or three times； but no one paid
any attention to them； not because the workers
did not believe them； but because they were
scarcely heard for the noise of the work and the
talk about it。 At last the whistle of the squire's
steam thrasher sounded three miles away； and then
the owner came into the barn。 He was a straight
old man of eighty。 〃It's time to stop；〃 he said；
〃it's dinner…time 〃 Those at work seemed to
redouble their efforts。 In a moment the straw
was cleared away； the grain that had been
thrashed was separated from the chaff and brought
in； and then the workers went into the hut。
The hut was smoke…begrimed； as its stove had
no chimney； but it had been tidied up； and benches
stood round the table； making room for all those
who had been working； of whom there were nine；
not counting the owners。 Bread； soup； boiled
potatoes； and kvass were placed on the table。
An old one…armed beggar； with a bag slung over
his shoulder； came in with a crutch during the meal。
〃Peace be to this house。 A good appetite to
you。 For Christ's sake give me something。〃
〃God will give it to you；〃 said the mistress；
already an old woman； and the daughter…in…law of
the master。 〃Don't be angry with us 〃 An old
man； who was still standing near the door； said；
〃Give him some bread； Martha。 How can you？〃
〃I am only wondering whether we shall have
enough。〃 〃Oh； it is wrong； Martha。 God tells
us to help the poor。 Cut him a slice。〃
Martha obeyed。 The beggar went away。 The
man in charge of the thrashing…machine got up；
said grace； thanked his hosts； and went away to
rest。
Mitri did not lie down； but ran to the shop to
buy some tobacco。 He was longing for a smoke。
While he smoked he chatted to a man from
Demensk； asking the price of cattle； as he saw
that he would not be able to manage without sell…
ing a cow。 When he returned to the others； they
were already back at work again； and so it went
on till the evening。
Among these downtrodden； duped； and de…
frauded men； who are becoming demoralised by
overwork； and being gradually done to death
by underfeeding； there are men living who
consider themselves Christians； and others so
enlightened that they feel no further need for
Christianity or for any religion； so superior do
they appear in their own esteem。 And yet their
hideous； lazy lives are supported by the degrading；
excessive labour of these slaves； not to mention
the labour of millions of other slaves； toiling in
factories to produce samovars； silver； carriages；
machines； and the like for their use。 They live
among these horrors； seeing them and yet not
seeing them； although often kind at heartold
men and women； young men and maidens； mothers
and childrenpoor children who are being viti…
ated and trained into moral blindness。
Here is a bachelor grown old； the owner of
thousands of acres； who has lived a life of idle…
ness； greed； and over…indulgence； who reads The
New Times； and is astonished that the govern…
ment can be so unwise as to permit Jews to enter
the university。 There is his guest； formerly the
governor of a province； now a senator with a big
salary； who reads with satisfaction that a congress
of lawyers has passed a resolution in favor of
capital punishment。 Their political enemy； N。 P。；
reads a liberal paper； and cannot understand the
blindness of the government in allowing the union
of Russian men to exist。
Here is a kind； gentle mother of a little girl
reading a story to her about Fox； a dog that
lamed some rabbits。 And here is this little girl。
During her walks she sees other children； bare…
footed； hungry； hunting for green apples that have
fallen from the trees； and； so accustomed is she
to the sight； that these children do not seem to her
to be children such as she is； but only part of the
usual surroundingsthe familiar landscape。
Why is this？