The village. [Translation from the original Russian text by Isabel Hapgood] Read Online Free PDF Page B

pale image of former boasts! A different sort of talk speedily made itself heard.
    "We have more land than we can manage!" said Tikhon Hitch, in the stern tone of an expert—probably for the first time in the whole course of his life not referring to his own land in Durnovka, but to the whole expanse of Russia. " 'Tis not war, sir, but downright madness!"
    Another thing made itself felt, the sort of thing which has prevailed from time immemorial—the inclination to take the winning side. And the news about the frightful defeats of the Russian army excited his enthusiasm: "Ukh, that's fine. Curse them, the brutes!" He waxed enthusiastic also over the conquests of the revolution, over the assassinations: "That Minister got a smashing blow!" said Tikhon Hitch occasionally, in the fire of his ecstasy. "He got such a good one that not even his ashes were left!"
    But his uneasiness increased, too. As soon as any discussion connected with the land came up, his wrath awoke. Tis all the work of the Jews! Of the Jews, and of those frowzy long-haired fellows, the students!" What irritated Tikhon Hitch worst of all was, that the son of the deacon in Ulianovka, a student in the Theological Seminary who was hanging around without work and living on his father, called himself a Social-

    THE VILLAGE
    Democrat. And the whole situation was incomprehensible. Everybody was talking about the revolution, the Revolution, while round about everything was going on the same as ever, in the ordinary everyday fashion: the sun shone, the rye blossomed in the fields, the carts wended their way to the station. The populace were incomprehensible in their taciturnity, in the evasiveness of their talk.
    "They're an underhand lot, the populace! They fairly scare one with their slyness!" said Tikhon Hitch. And, forgetting the Jews, he added: "Let us assume that not all that music is craft. Changing the government and evening up the shares of land—why, an infant could understand that, sir. And, naturally, 'tis perfectly clear to whom they will pay court—that populace, sir. But, of course, they hold their tongues. And, of course, we must watch, and try to meet their humour, so that they may go on holding their tongues. We must put a spoke in their wheel! If you don't, look out for yourself: they'll scent success, they'll get wind of the fact that they've got the breeching under their tail—and they'll smash things to smithereens, sir!" -
    When he read or heard that land was to be taken from only such as possessed more than five hundred desyatini 1 he himself became an "agitator." He even entered into disputes with the Durnovka people. This is the sort of thing that would happen:—
    A peasant stood alongside Tikhon Hitch's shop; the
    1 A desyatina is a unit of land measurement equalling 2.07 acres.— trans.

    THE VILLAGE
    man had bought vodka at the railway station, dried salt fish and cracknels at the shop, and had doffed his cap; but he prolonged his enjoyment, and said:
    "No, Tikhon Hitch, 'tis no use your explaining. It can be taken, at a just price. But not the way you say —that's no good."
    An odour arose from the pine boards piled up near the granary, opposite the yard. The dried fish and the linden bast on which the cracknels were strung had an irritating smell. The hot locomotive of the freight-train could be heard hissing and getting up steam beyond the trees, behind the buildings of the railway station. Tikhon Hitch stood bare-headed beside his shop, screwing up his eyes and smiling slily. Smilingly he made reply:
    "Bosh! But what if he is not a master, but a tramp?"
    "Who? The noble owner, you mean?"
    "No—a low-born man."
    "Well, that's a different matter. 'Tis no sin to take it from such a man, with all his innards to boot!"
    "Well now, that's exactly the point!"
    But another rumour reached them: the land would be taken from those who owned less than five hundred desyatini! And immediately his soul was assailed by preoccupation,