re not your own."

"Mishinka," she persisted, "I have had a frightful dream concerning you.
You had better let the moujiks go."

"Yes," said he; "I perceive that you have gained so much flesh of late
that you think you would not feel the whip. Lookout!"

Rudely thrusting his hot pipe against her cheek, Michael chased his wife
from the room, after which he ordered his dinner. After eating a hearty
meal consisting of cabbage-soup, roast pig, meat-cake, pastry with
milk, jelly, sweet cakes, and vodki, he called his woman cook to him and
ordered her to be seated and sing songs, Simeonovitch accompanying her
on the guitar.

While the superintendent was thus enjoying himself to the fullest
satisfaction in the musical society of his cook the elder returned,
and, making a low bow to his superior, proceeded to give the desired
information concerning the serfs.

"Well," asked Michael, "did they plough?"

"Yes," replied the elder; "they have accomplished about half the field."

"Is there no fault to be found?"

"Not that I could discover. The work seems to be well done. They are
evidently afraid of you."

"How is the soil?"

"Very good. It appears to be quite soft."

"Well," said Simeonovitch, after a pause, "what did they say about me?
Cursed me, I suppose?"

As the elder hesitated somewhat, Michael commanded him to speak and tell
him the whole truth. "Tell me all," said he; "I want to know their exact
words. If you tell me the truth I shall reward you; but if you conceal
anything from me you will be punished. See here, Catherine, pour out a
glass of vodki to give him courage!"

After drinking to the health of his superior, the elder said to himself:
"It is not my fault if they do not praise him. I shall tell him the
truth." Then turning suddenly to the superintendent he said:

"They complain, Michael Simeonovitch! They complain bitterly."

"But what did they say?" demanded Michael. "Tell me!"

"Well, one thing they said was, 'He does not believe in God.'"

Michael laughed. "Who said that?" he asked.

"It seemed to be their unanimous opinion. 'He has been overcome by the
Evil One,' they said."

"Very good," laughed the superintendent; "but tell me what each of them
said. What did Vasili say?"

The elder did not wish to betray his people, but he had a certain grudge
against Vasili, and he said:

"He cursed you more than did any of the others."

"But what did he say?"

"It is awful to repeat it, sir. V