Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 02.djvu/71

 Rh at the master and continually shaking her head, began to speak with him:

"What is the reason, sir, you are honouring Dutlóv with a visit?"

"I want him to rent from me thirty desyatínas of land, and start a farm of his own, and also to buy some timber with me. He has money,—why should it lie idle? What do you think about that, nurse?"

"Well! Of course, sir, the Dutlóvs are powerful people. I suppose he is the first peasant in the whole estate," answered the nurse, nodding her head. "Last year he added a new structure out of his own timber,—he did not trouble the master. Of horses, there will be some six sets of three, outside of colts and yearlings; and of stock, there are so many cows and sheep that when they drive them home from the field, and the women go out to drive them into the yard, there is a terrible crush at the gate; and of bees, there must be two hundred hives, and maybe more. He is a powerful peasant, he must have money, too."

"Do you think he has much money?" the master asked.

"People say, of course, out of malice, that the man has a great deal; naturally, he would not tell, nor would he let his sons know, but he must have. Why should he not put his money out for a forest? Unless he should be afraid to let out the rumour about having money. Some five years ago he invested a little money in bottom meadows with Shkálik the porter; but I think Shkálik cheated him, so that the old man was out of three hundred roubles; since then he has given it up. And why should he not be well fixed, your Grace," continued the nurse, "he is living on three parcels of land, the family is large, all workers, and the old man himself—there is nothing to be said against him—is a fine manager. He has luck in