Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/111

 poverty she would be a great hand for us. The wedding expense is not great; but the wrong done is great to the girl, so to speak. The girl is an orphan, that's it. And there was a wrong done.

. They all tell the same story.

. Uncle Akím, you ought to hear what we women have to say. We can tell you something.

. Lord, O Lord! Is not the girl a human being? Before God, so to speak, she is a human being, too. What do you think?

. There is no stopping him—

. Uncle Akím, you cannot believe everything the girls say. The young fellow is alive. He has something to say about it. Let us send for him and ask him whether it is true. He will not ruin a soul. Call the young fellow! (Anísya gets up.) Tell him his father wants to see him. (Anísya exit.)

. Now, our protector, this was a wise judgment to let the son decide. Nowadays they don't get people married by force. The young man ought to be considered. He will not be willing to marry her for anything in the world, for that would only disgrace him. It is my opinion that he had better stay with you and serve his master. There is no reason for taking him away in the summer,—we can hire somebody. You give us ten roubles, and let him stay with you.

. That is still ahead. Let us take everything in order. First end one thing, and then take up another.

. I have been saying all this, Peter Ignátych, because, so to speak, things happen like this: You, so to speak, arrange matters so as to be best for yourself, and so forget about God. You think it is better to look out