"Why can't you understand me? Do I wish to make Dutlof unhappy? Have I any thing against him? God is my witness how ready I am to do every thing for them. [She glanced at the picture in the corner, but remembered that it was not a holy picture. "Well, it's all the same, that's not the point at all," she thought. Again it was strange that it did not occur to her to offer the three hundred rubles!] But what can I do about it? Do I know the ways and means? I have no way of knowing. Well, I depend upon you; you know my wishes. Do what you can to satisfy everybody; but have it legal. What's to be done? They are not the only ones. Troublous times come to all. Only, Polikéï must not be sent. You must know that that would be terrible for me." She would have gone on speaking,--she was so excited,--but just then a chambermaid came into the room. "Is that you, Duniasha?" "A muzhík is here, and asks for Yégor Mikhaïluitch; they are waiting for him at the meeting," said Duniasha, and looked angrily at Yégor Mikhaïlovitch. "What an overseer he is!" she said to herself, "stirring up my mistress. Now she won't get to sleep till two o'clock again." "Now go, Yégor," said the lady. "Do the best you can." "I obey. [He now said nothing at all about Dutlof.] But shall I send to the gardener for the money?" "Hasn't Petrushka got back from town." "Not yet." "But can't Nikolaï go?" "Papa has the lumbago," said Duniasha. "Won't you have me go to-morrow?" asked the overseer. "No, you are needed here, Yégor." The lady paused to consider. "How much money?" "Four hundred and sixty-two rubles." "Send Polikéï to me," said the lady, looking resolutely into Yégor's face. The overseer not opening his teeth stretched his lips into a sort of smile, but did not alter his expression. "Very well." "Send him to me." "Very well." And Yégor Mikhaïlovitch went to his office. [Footnote 1: Most of the serfs in Russia were attached to the land, and could not be sold apart from It. Others, called _dvoróvui,_ constituted the class of domestic servants, and plied various trades. Their owners gave them monthly rations or a small allowance for rations. Often they were allowed to go to the large cities on _obrok,_ a sort of leave of absence, for which they paid their masters out of their earnings. The _bárin_ or _báruin'ya--_that is, the lord or lady of the estate--had the right to excuse any one from the conscription; but unless a substitute were sent, a sum of money was required. Other things being equal, the draft was made first on families where there were three or more grown-up men besides the head of the house, the _troïniki;_ next, on the _dvoïniki,_ families where there were two grown-up sons or nephews; and last of all, where there was only one. Families where several generations, and even with collateral branches, lived under one roof, were apt to be more prosperous than when the sous scattered, and took separate farms.] [Footnote 2: _mir_]