labourers was sitting on the box holding the reins.
'Where are you off to?' asked Yefrem.
'To the town,' the man answered reluctantly.
'What for?'
The man simply shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. Yefrem
jumped off his horse and went into the house. In the entry he came
upon Naum, fully dressed and with his cap on.
'I congratulate the new owner on his new abode,' said Yefrem, who knew
him. 'Where are you off to so early?'
'Yes, you have something to congratulate me on,' Naum answered grimly.
'On the very first day the house has almost been burnt down.'
Yefrem started. 'How so?'
'Oh, a kind soul turned up who tried to set fire to it. Luckily I
caught him in the act; now I am taking him to the town.'
'Was it Akim, I wonder?' Yefrem asked slowly.
'How did you know? Akim. He came at night with a burning log in a pot
and got into the yard and was setting fire to it ... all my men are
witnesses. Would you like to see him? It's time for us to take him, by
the way.'
'My good Naum Ivanitch,' Yefrem began, 'let him go, don't ruin the old
man altogether. Don't take that sin upon your soul, Naum Ivanitch.
Only think--the man was in despair--he didn't know what he was doing.'
'Give over that nonsense,' Naum cut him short. 'What! Am I likely to
let him go! Why, he'd set fire to the house to-morrow if I did.'
'He wouldn't, Naum Ivanitch, believe me. Believe me you will be easier
yourself for it--you know there will be questions asked, a trial--you
can see that for yourself.'
'Well, what if there is a trial? I have no reason to be afraid of it.'
'My good Naum Ivanitch, one must be afraid of a trial.'
'Oh, that's enough. I see you are drunk already, and to-day a saint's
day, too!'
Yefrem all at once, quite unexpectedly, burst into tears.
'I am drunk but I am speaking the truth,' he muttered. 'And for the
sake of the holiday you ought to forgive him.'
'Well, come along, you sniveller.'
And Naum went out on to the steps.
'Forgive him, for Avdotya Arefyevna's sake,' said Yefrem following him
on to the steps.
Naum went to the cellar and flung the door wide open. With timid
curiosity Yefrem craned his neck from behind Naum and with difficulty
made out the figure of Akim in the corner of the cellar. The once
well-to-do innkeeper, respected all over the neighbourhood, was
sitting on straw with his hands tied behind him like a criminal.
Hearing a noise he raised his head.... It seemed as though he had
grown fearfully thin in those last few days, especially during the
previous night--his sunken eyes could hardly be seen under his high,
waxen-yellow forehead, his parched lips looked dark ... his whole face
was changed and wore a strange expression--savage and frightened.
'Get up and come along,' said Naum.
Akim got up and stepped over the threshold.
'Akim Semyonitch!' Yefrem wailed, 'you've brought ruin on yourself, my
dear!'
Akim glanced at him without speaking.
'If I had known why you asked for vodka I would not have given it to
you, I really would not. I believe I would have drunk it all myself!
Eh, Naum Ivanitch,' he added clutching at Naum's arm, 'have mercy upon
him, let him go!'
'What next!' Naum replied with a grin. 'Well, come along,' he added
addressing Akim again. 'What are you waiting for?'
'Naum Ivanitch,' Akim began.
'What is it?'
'Naum Ivanitch,' Akim repeated, 'listen: I am to blame; I wanted to
settle my accounts with you myself; but God must be the judge between
us. You have taken everything from me, you know yourself, everything I
had. Now you can ruin me, only I tell you this: if you let me go now,
