pon the marriage of one of the younger men,
which was to come off in a neighboring village two days later, at the
conclusion of the fast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. A middle-aged
peasant took up the subject in a rather unpleasant and not very
respectful manner, saying that he saw no use for priests, who had
everything provided for them (_na gatovayu ruku_), and charged so high
for baptizing and marrying.

"They demand seven rubles for marrying this fellow," said he. "I'll do
it for a ruble, and be glad to."

"If it is so easy, go pass your examinations and become a priest at
once," replied the countess.

"I don't know enough for that."

"Then go hire yourself out as a clown. You are always making bad jokes."

The man was subdued. The count took no part in this conversation, and
looked somewhat disturbed when the other men joined disagreeably in the
laugh against their comrade. He turned the subject.

"Look at the oldest of these men," he said to us in English. "He has
lost the first joint of all the fingers on one hand from frost."

He was a weak-looking, withered little man, but when they began to mow
again, at the count's suggestion, he grasped his scythe as well as any
of them. The scythes were short, thick, straight, looked very heavy, and
were set on very long, straight handles, so that it was not necessary to
stoop in mowing.

We watched the party for a while. The count made good progress over the
uneven ground and thin grass, as though he were used to the work which
he has described so inimitably in "Anna Karenin." (Another reminder of
this book is the old nurse of Levin, who still lives on the place, has
charge of the dogs because she is fond of animals, and carries her mania
to the extent of feeding and petting the black beetles. The grave of
Karl Ivanovitch, the tutor in "Childhood, Boyhood, Youth," which lies in
the cemetery a mile or two distant, is another memento of his writings.)
As we strolled back to the house, we paused to look at the long white
stables, the thatched granary with walls of wattled tree boughs, and
other farm buildings. In the space between the house and the
dining-table we found the children, with their cousins, the French
tutor, and the English governess, engaged in a game of ball called
_wapta_, which involves much running and some skill.

To this table the _samovar_ was brought about half past seven, and the
early tea, the children's tea, was served at twilight in the op