Davidka's hovel[28] stood askew and alone at the very edge of the village. It had neither yard, nor cornkiln, nor barn. Only some sort of dirty stalls for cattle were built against one side. On the other a heap of brush-wood and logs was piled up, in imitation of a yard.[29] [Footnote 28: _izbá._] [Footnote 29: _dvor._] Tall green steppe-grass was growing in the place where the court-yard should have been. There was no living creature to be seen near the hovel, except a sow lying in the mire at the threshold, and grunting. Nekhliudof tapped at the broken window; but as no one made answer, he went into the entry and shouted, "Holloa there!"[30] [Footnote 30: _khozyáeva_; literally, "master and mistress."] This also brought no response. He passed through the entry, peered into the empty stalls, and entered the open hut. An old red cock and two hens with ruffs were scratching with their legs, and strutting about over the floor and benches. When they saw a man they spread their wings, and, cackling with terror, flew against the walls, and one took refuge on the oven. The whole hut, which was not quite fourteen feet[31] square, was occupied by the oven with its broken pipe, a loom, which in spite of its being summer-time was not taken down, and a most filthy table made of a split and uneven plank. [Footnote 31: Six _arshin_.] Although it was a dry situation, there was a filthy puddle at the door, caused by the recent rain, which had leaked through roof and ceiling. Loft there was none. It was hard to realize that this was a human habitation, such decided evidence of neglect and disorder was impressed upon both the exterior and the interior of the hovel; nevertheless, in this hovel lived Davidka Byélui and all his family. At the present moment, notwithstanding the heat of the June day, Davidka, with his head covered by his sheep-skin,[32] was fast asleep, curled up on one corner of the oven. The panic-stricken hen, skipping up on the oven, and growing more and more agitated, took up her position on Davidka's back, but did not awaken him. [Footnote 32: _polushubok._] Nekhliudof, seeing no one in the hovel, was about to go, when a prolonged humid sigh betrayed the sleeper.[33] [Footnote 33: _khozyáïn._] "Holloa! who's there?" cried the prince. A second prolonged sigh was heard from the oven. "Who's there? Come here!" Still another sigh, a sort of a bellow, and a heavy yawn responded to the prince's call. "Well, who are you?" Something moved slightly on the oven. The skirt of a torn sheep-skin[34] was lifted; one huge leg in a dilapidated boot was put down, then another, and finally Davidka's entire figure emerged. He sat up on the oven, and rubbed his eyes drowsily and morosely with his fist. [Footnote 34: _tulup._]