"How so? I hear father's words, but I think it will be avoided." "If, for speaking between us, Pan Gideon's wife was weak-minded, if she left all to her husband he had the right to leave it to whomever he selected." Old Krepetski uttered the last words almost in a whisper, while looking around on all sides, though he knew that there was no one in the room except him and Martsian. "How could she leave it to him when she died suddenly?" asked Martsian. "It was dated the year after their marriage. It is clear that Pan Gideon wheedled her out of it, because they inhabited perilous places, and no man could know when the Tartars might howl out his requiem. They drew up wills to each other in the town at Pomorani; these wills were brought by Pan Gideon to this place. I thought to start lawsuits against him at that time, but saw that I could not do so successfully. Now it is different." "We shall succeed now without lawsuits." "If so, all the better; but we must be ready for action." "Ei! there is no need to be ready." "How, then?" "I will get on without father." Old Pan Krepetski, on hearing this, flashed into anger. "Thou wilt get on? What? How? But spoil not my labor. He will get on! But didst thou not advise me to leave the Silnitskis in peace touching Dranjkov? According to thee, there was no way to master them. No way? Why not? They had witnesses to swear to the land--a great thing! I made men put earth into their boots from my courtyard. Well, and what after that? They went to Silnitski's land, and took no false oath when each one of them testified: 'I swear that the land on which I am standing belongs to Krepetski.' Thou wouldst have thought a whole year, but never invented a reason of that kind. Thou wilt get on? Look at him!" And he began to move his toothless jaws angrily, as if he were chewing some substance; and his chin touched his nose, which was hooked like the beak of some bird of prey. "Pant out thy anger, my father, and listen," said Martsian. "Wherever it is a question of carrying on lawsuits I yield to thee always; but as to what concerns women, my experience is greater, and I trust in myself with more confidence." "Is it possible?" "Therefore, if it comes to a struggle with Parma Anulka it will not be before any tribunal." "What art thou working out?" "To divine is not difficult. Is this not my opportunity? Or wilt thou find another such girl in this region?" Martsian threw his head up and looked in the eyes of his father. The father looked at him, too, with a glance of inquiry, chewed with his gums, and then asked,-- "How is it, pray tell me." "Why not tell? Since yesterday it is circling through my head." "Hm! Why not? Because she is as needy as Lazarus."