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perspiring； a white cap with a straight jockey peak； evidently a gift from
some open…handed young gentleman； perched jauntily on his handsome
flaxen head。 Across his shoulder hung a game…bag with a blackcock lying
in it。 The man held a double…barrelled gun cocked in his hand； and
screwed up his eyes in the direction of his lean old dog who was running
on ahead sniffing the bushes。 There was stillness all round； not a sound 。 。 。
everything living was hiding away from the heat。
〃Yegor Vlassitch！〃 the huntsman suddenly heard a soft voice。
He started and； looking round； scowled。 Beside him； as though she had
sprung out of the earth； stood a pale…faced woman of thirty with a sickle in
her hand。 She was trying to look into his face； and was smiling diffidently。
〃Oh； it is you； Pelagea！〃 said the huntsman； stopping and deliberately
uncocking the gun。 〃H'm！ 。 。 。 How have you come here？〃
〃The women from our village are working here； so I have come with
them。 。 。 。 As a labourer； Yegor Vlassitch。〃
〃Oh 。 。 。〃 growled Yegor Vlassitch； and slowly walked on。
Pelagea followed him。 They walked in silence for twenty paces。
〃I have not seen you for a long time； Yegor Vlassitch 。 。 。〃 said Pelagea
looking tenderly at the huntsman's moving shoulders。 〃I have not seen you
since you came into our hut at Easter for a drink of water 。 。 。 you came in
at Easter for a minute and then God knows how 。 。 。 drunk 。 。 。 you scolded
and beat me and went away 。 。 。 I have been waiting and waiting 。 。 。 I've
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tired my eyes out looking for you。 Ah； Yegor Vlassitch； Yegor Vlassitch！
you might look in just once！〃
〃What is there for me to do there？〃
〃Of course there is nothing for you to do 。 。 。 though to be sure 。 。 。
there is the place to look after。 。 。 。 To see how things are going。 。 。 。 You
are the master。 。 。 。 I say； you have shot a blackcock； Yegor Vlassitch！ You
ought to sit down and rest！〃
As she said all this Pelagea laughed like a silly girl and looked up at
Yegor's face。 Her face was simply radiant with happiness。
〃Sit down？ If you like 。 。 。〃 said Yegor in a tone of indifference； and he
chose a spot between two fir…trees。 〃Why are you standing？ You sit down
too。〃
Pelagea sat a little way off in the sun and； ashamed of her joy； put her
hand over her smiling mouth。 Two minutes passed in silence。
〃You might come for once；〃 said Pelagea。
〃What for？〃 sighed Yegor； taking off his cap and wiping his red
forehead with his hand。 〃There is no object in my coming。 To go for an
hour or two is only waste of time； it's simply upsetting you； and to live
continually in the village my soul could not endure。 。 。 。 You know yourself
I am a pampered man。 。 。 。 I want a bed to sleep in； good tea to drink； and
refined conversation。 。 。 。 I want all the niceties； while you live in poverty
and dirt in the village。 。 。 。 I couldn't stand it for a day。 Suppose there were
an edict that I must live with you； I should either set fire to the hut or lay
hands on myself。 From a boy I've had this love for ease； there is no help
for it。〃
〃Where are you living now？〃
〃With the gentleman here； Dmitry Ivanitch； as a huntsman。 I furnish
his table with game； but he keeps me 。 。 。 more for his pleasure than
anything。〃
〃That's not proper work you're doing； Yegor Vlassitch。 。 。 。 For other
people it's a pastime； but with you it's like a trade 。 。 。 like real work。〃
〃You don't understand； you silly；〃 said Yegor； gazing gloomily at the
sky。 〃You have never understood； and as long as you live you will never
understand what sort of man I am。 。 。 。 You think of me as a foolish man；
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gone to the bad； but to anyone who understands I am the best shot there is
in the whole district。 The gentry feel that； and they have even printed
things about me in a magazine。 There isn't a man to be compared with me
as a sportsman。 。 。 。 And it is not because I am pampered and proud that I
look down upon your village work。 From my childhood； you know； I have
never had any calling apart from guns and dogs。 If they took away my gun；
I used to go out with the fishing…hook； if they took the hook I caught
things with my hands。 And I went in for horse…dealing too； I used to go to
the fairs when I had the money； and you know that if a peasant goes in for
being a sportsman； or a horse…dealer； it's good…bye to the plough。 Once the
spirit of freedom has taken a man you will never root it out of him。 In the
same way； if a gentleman goes in for being an actor or for any other art； he
will never make an official or a landowner。 You are a woman； and you do
not understand； but one must understand that。〃
〃I understand； Yegor Vlassitch。〃
〃You don't understand if you are going to cry。 。 。 。〃
〃I 。 。 。 I'm not crying；〃 said Pelagea； turning away。 〃It's a sin； Yegor
Vlassitch！ You might stay a day with luckless me； anyway。 It's twelve
years since I was married to you； and 。 。 。 and 。 。 。 there has never once
been love between us！ 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 I am not crying。〃
〃Love 。 。 。〃 muttered Yegor； scratching his hand。 〃There can't be any
love。 It's only in name we are husband and wife； we aren't really。 In your
eyes I am a wild man； and in mine you are a simple peasant woman with
no understanding。 Are we well matched？ I am a free； pampered； profligate
man； while you are a working woman； going in bark shoes and never
straightening your back。 The way I think of myself is that I am the
foremost man in every kind of sport； and you look at me with pity。 。 。 。 Is
that being well matched？〃
〃But we are married； you know； Yegor Vlassitch；〃 sobbed Pelagea。
〃Not married of our free will。 。 。 。 Have you forgotten？ You have to
thank Count Sergey Paylovitch and yourself。 Out of envy； because I shot
better than he did； the Count kept giving me wine for a whole month； and
when a man's drunk you could make him change his religion； let alone
getting married。 To pay me out he married me to you when I was
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drunk。 。 。 。 A huntsman to a herd…girl！ You saw I was drunk； why did you
marry me？ You were not a serf； you know； you could have resisted。 Of
course it was a bi