for the fire engine were solidly built； had iron
roofs； and were painted at the right time。 In the
tool house carts； ploughs； harrows； stood in per…
fect order； the harness was well cleaned and oiled。
The horses were not very big； but all home…bred；
grey； well fed； strong and devoid of blemish。
The threshing machine worked in a roofed
barn； the forage was kept in a separate shed； and
a paved drain was made from the stables。 The
cows were home…bred； not very large； but giving
plenty of milk； fowls were also kept in the poultry
yard； and the hens were of a special kind； laying
a great quantity of eggs。 In the orchard the fruit
trees were well whitewashed and propped on poles
to enable them to grow straight。 Everything was
looked aftersolid； clean； and in perfect order。
Peter Nikolaevich rejoiced in the perfect condi…
tion of his estate； and was proud to have achieved
itnot by oppressing the peasants； but； on the
contrary； by the extreme fairness of his dealings
with them。
Among the nobles of his province he belonged
to the advanced party； and was more inclined to
liberal than conservative views； always taking the
side of the peasants against those who were still
in favour of serfdom。 〃Treat them well； and
they will be fair to you；〃 he used to say。 Of
course； he did not overlook any carelessness on
the part of those who worked on his estate； and
he urged them on to work if they were lazy； but
then he gave them good lodging； with plenty of
good food； paid their wages without any delay；
and gave them drinks on days of festival。
Walking cautiously on the melting snowfor
the time of the year was FebruaryPeter Nikol…
aevich passed the stables； and made his way to
the cottage where his workmen were lodged。
It was still dark； the darker because of the dense
fog； but the windows of the cottage were lighted。
The men had already got up。 His intention was
to urge them to begin work。 He had arranged
that they should drive out to the forest and bring
back the last supply of firewood he needed before
spring。
〃What is that？〃 he thought； seeing the door
of the stable wide open。 〃Hallo； who is there？〃
No answer。 Peter Nikolaevich stepped into
the stable。 It was dark； the ground was soft
under his feet； and the air smelt of dung； on the
right side of the door were two loose boxes for
a pair of grey horses。 Peter Nikolaevich
stretched out his hand in their directionone
box was empty。 He put out his footthe horse
might have been lying down。 But his foot did
not touch anything solid。 〃Where could they
have taken the horse？〃 he thought。 They cer…
tainly had not harnessed it； all the sledges stood
still outside。 Peter Nikolaevich went out of the
stable。
〃Stepan； come here！〃 he called。
Stepan was the head of the workmen's gang。
He was just stepping out of the cottage。
〃Here I am！〃 he said； in a cheerful voice。
〃Oh； is that you； Peter Nikolaevich？ Our men
are coming。〃
〃Why is the stable door open？
〃Is it？ I don't know anything about it。 I
say； Proshka； bring the lantern！〃
Proshka came with the lantern。 They all went
to the stable； and Stepan knew at once what had
happened。
〃Thieves have been here； Peter Nikolaevich；〃
he said。 〃The lock is broken。〃
〃No； you don't say so！〃
〃Yes； the brigands！ I don't see 'Mashka。'
'Hawk' is here。 But 'Beauty' is not。 Nor yet
'Dapple…grey。'〃
Three horses had been stolen！
Peter Nikolaevich did not utter a word at first。
He only frowned and took deep breaths。
〃Oh；〃 he said after a while。 〃If only I could
lay hands on them！ Who was on guard？〃
〃Peter。 He evidently fell asleep。〃
Peter Nikolaevich called in the police； and
making an appeal to all the authorities； sent his
men to track the thieves。 But the horses were
not to be found。
〃Wicked people；〃 said Peter Nikolaevich。
〃How could they！ I was always so kind to
them。 Now； wait！ Brigands！ Brigands the
whole lot of them。 I will no longer be kind。〃
X
IN the meanwhile the horses； the grey ones； had
all been disposed of； Mashka was sold to the gip…
sies for eighteen roubles； Dapple…grey was ex…
changed for another horse； and passed over to
another peasant who lived forty miles away from
the estate； and Beauty died on the way。 The man
who conducted the whole affair wasIvan Mi…
ronov。 He had been employed on the estate； and
knew all the whereabouts of Peter Nikolaevich。
He wanted to get back the money he had lost； and
stole the horses for that reason。
After his misfortune with the forged coupon；
Ivan Mironov took to drink； and all he possessed
would have gone on drink if it had not been for
his wife； who locked up his clothes； the horses'
collars； and all the rest of what he would other…
wise have squandered in public…houses。 In his
drunken state Ivan Mironov was continually
thinking； not only of the man who had wronged
him； but of all the rich people who live on robbing
the poor。 One day he had a drink with some
peasants from the suburbs of Podolsk； and was
walking home together with them。 On the way
the peasants； who were completely drunk； told him
they had stolen a horse from a peasant's cottage。
Ivan Mironov got angry； and began to abuse the
horse…thieves。
〃What a shame！〃 he said。 〃A horse is like
a brother to the peasant。 And you robbed him of
it？ It is a great sin； I tell you。 If you go in for
stealing horses； steal them from the landowners。
They are worse than dogs； and deserve anything。〃
The talk went on； and the peasants from Po…
dolsk told him that it required a great deal of
cunning to steal a horse on an estate。
〃You must know all the ins and outs of the
place； and must have somebody on the spot to
help you。〃
Then it occurred to Ivan Mironov that he knew
a landownerSventizky； he had worked on his
estate； and Sventizky； when paying him off； had
deducted one rouble and a half for a broken tool。
He remembered well the grey horses which he
used to drive at Sventizky's。
Ivan Mironov called on Peter Nikolaevich pre…
tending to ask for employment； but really in or…
der to get the information he wanted。 He took
precautions to make sure that the watchman was
absent； and that the horses were standing in their
boxes in the stable。 He brought the thieves to
the place； and helped them to carry off the three
horses。
They divided their gains； and Ivan Mironov
returned to his wife with five roubles in his pocket。
He had nothing to do at home； having no horse
to work in the field； and therefore continued to
steal horses in company with professional horse…
thieves and gipsies。
XI
PETER NIKOLAEVICH SVENTIZKY did his best to
discover who had stolen his horses。 He knew
somebody on the estate must have helped the
thieves； and began to suspect all his staff。 He
inquired who had slept out that night； and the
gang of the working men told him Proshka had
not been in the whole night。 Proshka； or Prokofy
Nikolaevich； was a young fellow who had just fin…
ished his military service； handsome； and skilful
in all he did； Peter Nikolaevich employed him at
times as coachman。 The district constable was a
friend of Peter Nikolaevich； as were the provin…
cial head of the police； the marshal of the nobility；
and also the rural councillor and the examining
magistrate。 They all came to his house on his
saint's day； drinking the cherry brandy he offered
them with pleasure； and eating the nice preserved
mushrooms of all kinds to accompany the liqueurs。
They all sympathised with him in his trouble and
tried to help him。
〃You always used to take the side of the peas…
ants；〃 said the district constable； 〃and there you
are！ I was right in saying they are worse than
wild beasts。 Flogging is the only way to keep
them in order。 Well； you say it is all Proshka's
doings。 Is it not he who was your coachman
sometimes？〃
〃Yes； that is he。〃
〃Will you kindly call him？〃
Proshka was summoned before the constable；
who began to examine him。
〃Where were you that night？〃
Proshka pushed back his hair； and his eyes
sparkled。
〃At home。〃
〃How so？ All the men say you were not in。〃
〃Just as you please； your honour。〃
〃My pleasure has nothing to do with the mat…
ter。 Tell me where you were that night。〃
〃At home。〃
〃Very well。 Policeman； bring him to the po…
lice…station。〃
The reason why Proshka did not say where he
had been that night was that he had spent it with
his sweetheart； Parasha； and had promised not to
give her away。 He kept his word。 No proofs
were discovered against him； and he was soon dis…
charged。 But Peter Nikolaevich was convinced
that Prokofy had been at the bottom of the whole
affair； and began to hate him。 One day Proshka
bought as usual at the merchant's two measures of
oats。 One and a half he gave to the horses； and
half a measure he gave back to the merchant； the
money for it he spent in drink。 Peter Nikolae…
vich found it out； and charged Prokofy with cheat…
ing。 The judge sentenced the man to three
months' imprisonment。
Prokofy had a rather proud nature； and thought
himself superior to others。 Prison was a great
humiliation for him。 He came out of it very
depressed； there was nothing more to be proud
of in life。 And more than that； he felt extremely
bitter； not only against Peter Nikolaevich； but
against the whole world。
On the whole； as all the people around him no…
ticed； Prokofy became another man after his im…
prisonment； both careless and lazy； he took to
drink； and he was soon caught stealing clothes at
some woman's house； and found himself again in
prison。
All that Peter Nikolaevich discovered about his
grey horses was the hide of one of them； Beauty；
which had been found somewhere on the estate。
The fact that the thieves had got off scot…free
irritated Peter Nikolaevich still more。 He was
unable now to speak of the peasants or to look at
them without anger。 And whenever he could he
tried to oppress them。
XII
AFTER having got rid of the coupon； Eugene
Mihailovich forgot all about it； but his wife； Ma…
ria Vassilievna； could not forgive herself for hav…
ing been taken in； nor yet her husband for his cruel
words。 And