welcomed with the words, 'Had a good day? Had a good day?'

'Why sing? It's not a holiday,' said one of the women. 'You're tight,
so you go and sing.'

Ergushov roared with laughter and nudged Nazarka. 'You'd better sing.
And I'll begin too. I'm clever, I tell you.'

'Are you asleep, fair ones?' said Nazarka. 'We've come from the cordon
to drink your health. We've already drunk Lukashka's health.'

Lukashka, when he reached the group, slowly raised his cap and stopped
in front of the girls. His broad cheekbones and neck were red. He stood
and spoke softly and sedately, but in his tranquillity and sedateness
there was more of animation and strength than in all Nazarka's
loquacity and bustle. He reminded one of a playful colt that with a
snort and a flourish of its tail suddenly stops short and stands as
though nailed to the ground with all four feet. Lukashka stood quietly
in front of the girls, his eyes laughed, and he spoke but little as he
glanced now at his drunken companions and now at the girls. When
Maryanka joined the group he raised his cap with a firm deliberate
movement, moved out of her way and then stepped in front of her with
one foot a little forward and with his thumbs in his belt, fingering
his dagger. Maryanka answered his greeting with a leisurely bow of her
head, settled down on the earth-bank, and took some seeds out of the
bosom of her smock. Lukashka, keeping his eyes fixed on Maryanka,
slowly cracked seeds and spat out the shells. All were quiet when
Maryanka joined the group.

'Have you come for long?' asked a woman, breaking the silence.

'Till to-morrow morning,' quietly replied Lukashka.

'Well, God grant you get something good,' said the Cossack; 'I'm glad
of it, as I've just been saying.'

'And I say so too,' put in the tipsy Ergushov, laughing. 'What a lot of
visitors have come,' he added, pointing to a soldier who was passing
by. 'The soldiers' vodka is good--I like it.'

'They've sent three of the devils to us,' said one of the women.
'Grandad went to the village Elders, but they say nothing can be done.'

'Ah, ha! Have you met with trouble?' said Ergushov.

'I expect they have smoked you out with their tobacco?' asked another
woman. 'Smoke as much as you like in the yard, I say, but we won't
allow it inside the hut. Not if the Elder himself comes, I won't allow
it. Besides, they may rob you. He's not quartered any of them on
himself, no fear, that devil's son of an Elder.'