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send to let me know。〃
The peasants gave no answer。
So Nekhludoff did not succeed in arriving at any result from this
interview。
〃If I might make a remark； Prince；〃 said the foreman； when they
got home； 〃you will never come to any agreement with them； they
are so obstinate。 At a meeting these people just stick in one
place； and there is no moving them。 It is because they are
frightened of everything。 Why； these very peasantssay that
white…haired one； or the dark one； who were refusing； are
intelligent peasants。 When one of them comes to the office and
one makes him sit down to cup of tea it's like in the Palace of
Wisdomhe is quite diplomatist；〃 said the foreman； smiling； 〃he
will consider everything rightly。 At a meeting it's a different
manhe keeps repeating one and the same 。 。 。〃
〃Well； could not some of the more intelligent men he asked to
come here？〃 said Nekhludoff。 〃I would carefully explain it to
them。〃
〃That can he done；〃 said the smiling foreman。
〃Well； then； would you mind calling them here to…morrow？〃
〃Oh； certainly I will；〃 said the foreman； and smiled still more
joyfully。 〃I shall call them to…morrow。〃
〃Just hear him； he's not artful； not he；〃 said a blackhaired
peasant； with an unkempt beard； as he sat jolting from side to
side on a well…fed mare； addressing an old man in a torn coat who
rode by his side。 The two men were driving a herd of the
peasants' horses to graze in the night； alongside the highroad
and secretly； in the landlord's forest。
〃Give you the land for nothingyou need only signhave they not
done the likes of us often enough？ No； my friend； none of your
humbug。 Nowadays we have a little sense；〃 he added； and began
shouting at a colt that had strayed。
He stopped his horse and looked round； but the colt had not
remained behind； it had gone into the meadow by the roadside。
〃Bother that son of a Turk； he's taken to getting into the
landowner's meadows；〃 said the dark peasant with the unkempt
beard； hearing the cracking of the sorrel stalks that the
neighing colt was galloping over as he came running back from the
scented meadow。
〃Do you hear the cracking？ We'll have to send the women folk to
weed the meadow when there's a holiday；〃 said the thin peasant
with the torn coat； 〃or else we'll blunt our scythes。〃
〃Sign；〃 he says。 The unkempt man continued giving his opinion of
the landlord's speech。 〃'Sign；' indeed； and let him swallow you
up。〃
〃That's certain；〃 answered the old man。 And then they were
silent； and the tramping of the horses' feet along the highroad
was the only sound to be heard。
CHAPTER VIII。
GOD'S PEACE IN THE HEART。
When Nekhludoff returned he found that the office had been
arranged as a bedroom for him。 A high bedstead； with a feather
bed and two large pillows； had been placed in the room。 The bed
was covered with a dark red doublebedded silk quilt； which was
elaborately and finely quilted； and very stiff。 It evidently
belonged to the trousseau of the foreman's wife。 The foreman
offered Nekhludoff the remains of the dinner； which the latter
refused； and； excusing himself for the poorness of the fare and
the accommodation； he left Nekhludoff alone。
The peasants' refusal did not at all bother Nekhludoff。 On the
contrary； though at Kousminski his offer had been accepted and he
had even been thanked for it； and here he was met with suspicion
and even enmity； he felt contented and joyful。
It was close and dirty in the office。 Nekhludoff went out into
the yard； and was going into the garden； but he remembered： that
night； the window of the maid…servant's room； the side porch； and
he felt uncomfortable； and did not like to pass the spot
desecrated by guilty memories。 He sat down on the doorstep； and
breathing in the warm air； balmy with the strong scent of fresh
birch leaves； he sat for a long time looking into the dark garden
and listening to the mill； the nightingales； and some other bird
that whistled monotonously in the bush close by。 The light
disappeared from the foreman's window； in the cast； behind the
barn； appeared the light of the rising moon； and sheet lightning
began to light up the dilapidated house； and the blooming；
over…grown garden more and more frequently。 It began to thunder
in the distance； and a black cloud spread over one…third of the
sky。 The nightingales and the other birds were silent。 Above the
murmur of the water from the mill came the cackling of geese； and
then in the village and in the foreman's yard the first cocks
began to crow earlier than usual； as they do on warm； thundery
nights。 There is a saying that if the cocks crow early the night
will be a merry one。 For Nekhludoff the night was more than
merry； it was a happy； joyful night。 Imagination renewed the
impressions of that happy summer which he had spent here as an
innocent lad； and he felt himself as he had been not only at that
but at all the best moments of his life。 He not only remembered
but felt as he had felt when； at the age of 14； he prayed that
God would show him the truth； or when as a child he had wept on
his mother's lap； when parting from her； and promising to be
always good； and never give her pain； he felt as he did when he
and Nikolenka Irtenieff resolved always to support each other in
living a good life and to try to make everybody happy。
He remembered how he had been tempted in Kousminski； so that he
had begun to regret the house and the forest and the farm and the
land； and he asked himself if he regretted them now； and it even
seemed strange to think that he could regret them。 He remembered
all he had seen to…day； the woman with the children； and without
her husband； who was in prison for having cut down trees in his
（Nekhludoff's） forest； and the terrible Matrona； who considered；
or at least talked as if she considered； that women of her
position must give themselves to the gentlefolk； he remembered
her relation to the babies； the way in which they were taken to
the Foundlings' Hospital； and the unfortunate； smiling； wizened
baby with the patchwork cap； dying of starvation。 And then he
suddenly remembered the prison； the shaved heads； the cells； the
disgusting smells； the chains； and； by the side of it all； the
madly lavish city lift of the rich； himself included。
The bright moon； now almost full； rose above the barn。 Dark
shadows fell across the yard； and the iron roof of the ruined
house shone bright。 As if unwilling to waste this light； the
nightingales again began their trills。
Nekhludoff called to mind how he had begun to consider his life
in the garden of Kousminski when deciding what he was going to
do； and remembered how confused he had become； how he could not
arrive at any decision； how many difficulties each question had
presented。 He asked himself these questions now； and was
surprised how simple it all was。 It was simple because he was not
thinking now of what would be the results for himself； but only
thought of what he had to do。 And； strange to say； what he had to
do for himself he could not decide； but what he had to do for
others he knew without any doubt。 He had no doubt that he must
not leave Katusha； but