resh straw
from the threshing machine. He used to lie the whole day long on the
fragrant straw, with fresh, delicately smelling apples in heaps at his
side, looking out in every direction to prevent the village boys from
stealing fruit; and he used to whistle and sing meanwhile, to amuse
himself. He knew no end of songs, and had a fine voice. When peasant
women and young girls came to ask for apples, and to have a chat with
him, Vassily gave them larger or smaller apples according as he liked
their looks, and received eggs or money in return. The rest of the time
he had nothing to do, but to lie on his back and get up for his meals
in the kitchen. He had only one shirt left, one of pink cotton, and that
was in holes. But he was strongly built and enjoyed excellent health.
When the kettle with black gruel was taken from the stove and served to
the working men, Vassily used to eat enough for three, and filled the
old watchman on the estate with unceasing wonder. At nights Vassily
never slept. He whistled or shouted from time to time to keep off
thieves, and his piercing, cat-like eyes saw clearly in the darkness.

One night a company of young lads from the village made their way
stealthily to the orchard to shake down apples from the trees. Vassily,
coming noiselessly from behind, attacked them; they tried to escape, but
he took one of them prisoner to his master.

Vassily's first shed stood at the farthest end of the orchard, but after
the pears had been picked he had to remove to another shed only forty
paces away from the house of his master. He liked this new place very
much. The whole day long he could see the young ladies and gentlemen
enjoying themselves; going out for drives in the evenings and quite late
at nights, playing the piano or the violin, and singing and dancing.
He saw the ladies sitting with the young students on the window sills,
engaged in animated conversation, and then going in pairs to walk the
dark avenue of lime trees, lit up only by streaks of moonlight. He saw
the servants running about with food and drink, he saw the cooks, the
stewards, the laundresses, the gardeners, the coachmen, hard at work
to supply their masters with food and drink and constant amusement.
Sometimes the young people from the master's house came to the shed,
and Vassily offered them the choicest apples, juicy and red. The young
ladies used to take large bites out of the apples on the spot, praising
their taste, and spok