Probably they did not believe what they said. There was one strange thing about these men, namely, that they painted themselves to others worse than they actually were. A man who has good in him does not mind sometimes showing his worse nature. * * * * * When all these people were gathered round the teacher, then the reading of the newspaper would begin. "Well, what does the newspaper discuss to-day? Is there any feuilleton?" "No," the teacher informs him. "Your publisher seems greedy ... but is there any leader?" "There is one to-day.... It appears to be by Gulyaeff." "Aha! Come, out with it. He writes cleverly, the rascal." "'The taxation of immovable property,'" reads the teacher, "'was introduced some fifteen years ago, and up to the present it has served as the basis for collecting these taxes in aid of the city revenue ...'" "That is simple," comments Captain Kuvalda. "It continues to serve. That is ridiculous. To the merchant who is moving about in the city, it is profitable that it should continue to serve. Therefore it does continue." "The article, in fact, is written on the subject," says the teacher. "Is it? That is strange, it is more a subject for a feuilleton..." "Such a subject must be treated with plenty of pepper...." Then a short discussion begins. The people listen attentively, as only one bottle of vodki has been drunk. After the leader, they read the local events, then the court proceedings, and, if in the police court it reports that the defendant or plaintiff is a merchant, then Aristid Kuvalda sincerely rejoices. If someone has robbed the merchant, "That is good," says he. "Only it is a pity they robbed him of so little." If his horses have broken down, "It is sad that he is still alive." If the merchant has lost his suit in court, "It is a pity that the costs were not double the amount." "That would have been illegal," remarks the teacher "Illegal! But is the merchant himself legal?" inquires Kuvalda, bitterly. "What is the merchant? Let us investigate this rough and uncouth phenomenon. First of all, every merchant is a mujik. He comes from a village, and in course of time becomes a merchant. In order to be a merchant, one must have money. Where can the mujik get the money from? It is well known that he does not get it by honest hard work, and that means that the mujik, somehow or other, has been swindling. That is to say, a merchant is simply a dishonest mujik."