“Yes, yes, it _ought_ to be done,” said the _barin_ thoughtfully. Then he went out to look at the veranda. “Yes, certainly the thing is breaking up,” he continued as he see-sawed one of the planks like a cradle. “They have been loose ever since the veranda was made,” some one remarked. “How so?” asked the _barin_. “They are loose only because the floor has not been mended for sixteen years. It was done then by Luka. He _was_ a carpenter, if you like! Now he is dead, may God rest his soul! Workmen are not as clever as they used to be--they merely spoil things.” From that old Oblomov turned his attention to something else; and to this day--so report has it--the veranda is rickety, though not actually fallen to pieces. Certainly Luka _must_ have been a good workman! However, to do the master and the mistress justice, they were capable of being shaken out of their apathy, even to the point of growing angry and heated, should any failure or misfortune occur. How, they would inquire, could such and such a matter have come to be overlooked or neglected? At once due measures must be taken. Perhaps this would be relative to the fact that the footbridge over the moat needed mending, or that the garden fence called for repairs at a spot where the planking was lying flat upon the ground and allowing the cattle to enter and spoil the shrubs. Indeed, so solicitous was the _barin_ for his property that once, when walking in the garden, he, with his own hands, and with many grunts and groans, lifted up a length of fencing, and ordered the gardener to fix a couple of props to the same; and to this activity on the part of the proprietor was due the fact that the said fence remained upright during the whole of the remainder of the summer--until once more a winter snowstorm laid it low. Also, when Antip, with his horse and water-cart, fell through the bridge into the moat three new planks were inserted into the structure! Indeed, Antip had not recovered from his bruising before the bridge was looking almost as good as new! And even when the garden fence collapsed a second time the cows and the goats did not reap very much advantage from the event. True, they managed to devour a few currant-bushes, and also to strip a dozen lime-trees; but before they could begin also upon the apple-trees an order was issued that the fence should be properly dug in and reditched. But this was only after two cows and a goat had been caught redhanded. You should have seen the distension of their stomachs with the generous fare!...