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been there twice since； and once； at his mother's request； he had
taken a German steward there； and had with him verified the
accounts。 The state of things there and the peasants' relations
to the management； i。e。； the landlord； had therefore been long
known to him。 The relations of the peasants to the administration
were those of utter dependence on that management。 Nekhludoff
knew all this when still a university student； he had confessed
and preached Henry Georgeism； and； on the basis of that teaching；
had given the land inherited from his father to the peasants。 It
is true that after entering the army； when he got into the habit
of spending 20；000 roubles a year； those former occupations
ceased to be regarded as a duty； and were forgotten； and he not
only left off asking himself where the money his mother allowed
him came from； but even avoided thinking about it。 But his
mother's death； the coming into the property； and the necessity
of managing it； again raised the question as to what his position
in reference to private property in land was。 A month before
Nekhludoff would have answered that he had not the strength to
alter the existing order of things； that it was not he who was
administering the estate； and would one way or another have eased
his conscience； continuing to live far from his estates； and
having the money sent him。 But now he decided that he could not
leave things to go on as they were； but would have to alter them
in a way unprofitable to himself； even though he had all these
complicated and difficult relations with the prison world which
made money necessary； as well as a probable journey to Siberia
before him。 Therefore he decided not to farm the land； but to let
it to the peasants at a low rent； to enable them to cultivate it
without depending on a landlord。 More than once； when comparing
the position of a landowner with that of an owner of serfs；
Nekhludoff had compared the renting of land to the peasants
instead of cultivating it with hired labour； to the old system by
which serf proprietors used to exact a money payment from their
serfs in place of labour。 It was not a solution of the problem；
and yet a step towards the solution； it was a movement towards a
less rude form of slavery。 And it was in this way he meant to
act。
Nekhludoff reached Kousminski about noon。 Trying to simplify his
life in every way； he did not telegraph； but hired a cart and
pair at the station。 The driver was a young fellow in a nankeen
coat； with a belt below his long waist。 He was glad to talk to
the gentleman； especially because while they were talking his
broken…winded white horse and the emaciated spavined one could go
at a foot…pace； which they always liked to do。
The driver spoke about the steward at Kousminski without knowing
that he was driving 〃the master。〃 Nekhludoff had purposely not
told him who he was。
〃That ostentatious German；〃 said the driver （who had been to town
and read novels） as he sat sideways on the box； passing his hand
from the top to the bottom of his long whip； and trying to show
off his accomplishments〃that ostentatious German has procured
three light bays； and when he drives out with his lady…oh； my！
At Christmas he had a Christmas…tree in the big house。 I drove
some of the visitors there。 It had 'lectric lights； you could
not see the like of it in the whole of the government。 What's it
to him； he has cribbed a heap of money。 I heard say he has bought
an estate。〃
Nekhludoff had imagined that he was quite indifferent to the way
the steward managed his estate； and what advantages the steward
derived from it。 The words of the long…waisted driver； however；
were not pleasant to hear。
A dark cloud now and then covered the sun； the larks were soaring
above the fields of winter corn； the forests were already covered
with fresh young green； the meadows speckled with grazing cattle
and horses。 The fields were being ploughed； and Nekhludoff
enjoyed the lovely day。 But every now and then he had an
unpleasant feeling； and； when he asked himself what it was caused
by； he remembered what the driver had told him about the way the
German was managing Kousminski。 When he got to his estate and set
to work this unpleasant feeling vanished。
Looking over the books in the office； and a talk with the
foreman； who naively pointed out the advantages to be derived
from the facts that the peasants had very little land of their
own and that it lay in the midst of the landlord's fields； made
Nekhludoff more than ever determined to leave off farming and to
let his land to the peasants。
From the office books and his talk with the foreman； Nekhludoff
found that two…thirds of the best of the cultivated land was
still being tilled with improved machinery by labourers receiving
fixed wages； while the other third was tilled by the peasants at
the rate of five roubles per desiatin ＇about two and
three…quarter acres＇。 So that the peasants had to plough each
desiatin three times； harrow it three times； sow and mow the
corn； make it into sheaves； and deliver it on the threshing
ground for five roubles； while the same amount of work done by
wage labour came to at least 10 roubles。 Everything the peasants
got from the office they paid for in labour at a very high price。
They paid in labour for the use of the meadows； for wood； for
potato…stalks； and were nearly all of them in debt to the office。
Thus； for the land that lay beyond the cultivated fields； which
the peasants hired； four times the price that its value would
bring in if invested at five per cent was taken from the
peasants。
Nekhludoff had known all this before； but he now saw it in a new
light； and wondered how he and others in his position could help
seeing how abnormal such conditions are。 The steward's arguments
that if the land were let to the peasants the agricultural
implements would fetch next to nothing； as it would be impossible
to get even a quarter of their value for them； and that the
peasants would spoil the land； and how great a loser Nekhludoff
would be； only strengthened Nekhludoff in the opinion that he was
doing a good action in letting the land to the peasants and thus
depriving himself of a large part of his income。 He decided to
settle this business now； at once； while he was there。 The
reaping and selling of the corn he left for the steward to manage
in due season； and also the selling of the agricultural
implements and useless buildings。 But he asked his steward to
call the peasants of the three neighbouring villages that lay in
the midst of his estate （Kousminski） to a meeting； at which he
would tell them of his intentions and arrange about the price at
which they were to rent the land。
With the pleasant sense of the firmness he had shown in the face
of the steward's arguments； and his readiness to make a
sacrifice； Nekhludoff left the office； thinking over the business
before him； and strolled round the house； through the neglected
flower…gardenthis year the flowers were planted in front of the
steward's houseover the tennis ground； now overgrown with
dandelions； and along the lime…tree walk； where he used to smoke
his cig