t badly!" he said, shaking his head.

"The power is in your hands," Dron rejoined sadly.

"Eh, Dron, drop it!" Alpatych repeated, withdrawing his hand from his
bosom and solemnly pointing to the floor at Dron's feet. "I can see
through you and three yards into the ground under you," he continued,
gazing at the floor in front of Dron.

Dron was disconcerted, glanced furtively at Alpatych and again lowered
his eyes.

"You drop this nonsense and tell the people to get ready to leave their
homes and go to Moscow and to get carts ready for tomorrow morning
for the princess' things. And don't go to any meeting yourself, do you
hear?"

Dron suddenly fell on his knees.

"Yakov Alpatych, discharge me! Take the keys from me and discharge me,
for Christ's sake!"

"Stop that!" cried Alpatych sternly. "I see through you and three yards
under you," he repeated, knowing that his skill in beekeeping, his
knowledge of the right time to sow the oats, and the fact that he had
been able to retain the old prince's favor for twenty years had long
since gained him the reputation of being a wizard, and that the power of
seeing three yards under a man is considered an attribute of wizards.

Dron got up and was about to say something, but Alpatych interrupted
him.

"What is it you have got into your heads, eh?... What are you thinking
of, eh?"

"What am I to do with the people?" said Dron. "They're quite beside
themselves; I have already told them..."

"'Told them,' I dare say!" said Alpatych. "Are they drinking?" he asked
abruptly.

"Quite beside themselves, Yakov Alpatych; they've fetched another
barrel."

"Well, then, listen! I'll go to the police officer, and you tell them
so, and that they must stop this and the carts must be got ready."

"I understand."

Alpatych did not insist further. He had managed people for a long time
and knew that the chief way to make them obey is to show no suspicion
that they can possibly disobey. Having wrung a submissive "I understand"
from Dron, Alpatych contented himself with that, though he not only
doubted but felt almost certain that without the help of troops the
carts would not be forthcoming.

And so it was, for when evening came no carts had been provided. In the
village, outside the drink shop, another meeting was being held, which
decided that the horses should be driven out into the woods and the
carts should not be provided. Without saying anything of this to the
princess, Al