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 When he saw the master, the laborer Vasili started toward the cart, and Mishka began to sow. This was all wrong, but Levin rarely got angry with his laborers. When Vasili came up to him, Levin ordered him to lead the horse to the side of the field.

"It won't do any harm, sir; it will spring up again."

"Please not discuss it," replied Levin, "but do what I say."

"I will obey," said Vasili, taking the horse by the head. "What splendid seed, Konstantin Dmitritch," he added, to regain favor. "Best kind! But it is frightful going! You drag a pud on each foot."

"But why was n't the earth sifted?" asked Levin.

"Oh! it'll come out all right," replied Vasili, taking up some seed, and crushing the lump in his palm.

It was not Vasili's fault that they were scattering the unsifted soil; but it was vexatious, nevertheless. Having more than once to his advantage made use of a well-known means of wreaking his vexation, which always seemed to him foolish, Levin now determined to try it and see if he could recover his good temper. He noticed how Mishka strode along dragging huge clods of clay which stuck to each of his feet; so, dismounting, he took the seed-cod from Vasili and began to scatter the seed.

"Where did you stop?"

Vasili touched the spot with his foot, and Levin went on as best he could, scattering the earth with the seed. But it was as hard as wading through a marsh, and after he had gone a row he stopped all in a sweat, and returned the seed-cod.

"Well, barin, if that row does n't come out well next summer, don't blame me for it!" said Vasili.

"Indeed I won't," replied Levin, gayly, already feeling the efficacy of the means he had employed.

"But just look at the summer we're going to have! 'T will be magnificent! If you'll notice, that's where I sowed last spring. How well I planted it! Why, Konstantin Dmitritch, I work as if I were working for my