"What are you eyeing me for?" he asked harshly. "There are no patterns on me. Are you trying to cast a spell on me?" Vladya was frightened and turned away his eyes. "I'm sorry," he added timidly, "I didn't do it on purpose." "And do you believe in the evil eye?" asked Marta. "Of course the evil eye is a superstition," said Peredonov angrily. "But it's so awfully rude to stare at people." There was an awkward silence for the next few minutes. "You're very poor, aren't you?" said Peredonov suddenly. "Well, we're not rich," said Marta, "but still we're not so poor. Each one of us has a little something put aside." Peredonov looked at her incredulously and said: "I'm sure you're poor. You go barefoot at home every day." "We don't do it from poverty," exclaimed Vladya. "What then? From wealth?" asked Peredonov, and burst into a laugh. "Not at all from poverty," said Vladya flushing. "It's very good for the health. It hardens one, and it's very pleasant in summer." "You're lying," said Peredonov coarsely, "rich people don't go barefoot. Your father has a lot of children and hasn't got tuppence to keep them on. You can't afford to buy so many boots." [1] Great Polish poet (1798-1855) who "is held to have been the greatest Slavonic poet with the exception of Pushkin." CHAPTER VII Varvara had no knowledge of Peredonov's trip. She passed an extremely distressing night. When Peredonov returned to town in the morning he did not go home, but asked to be driven to church--it was time for Mass. It seemed dangerous to him now not to go to church often--they might inform against him if he did not. At the church gate he met a pleasant-looking schoolboy, with a rosy, ingenuous face and innocent blue eyes. Peredonov said to him: "Hullo there, Mashenka, hullo, girlie!" Misha Koudryavtsev flushed painfully. Peredonov often teased him by calling him "Mashenka"--Misha did not understand why and could not make up his mind to complain. A number of his companions, stupid youngsters elbowing each other, laughed at Peredonov's words. They too liked to tease Misha. The church, dedicated to the prophet Elias, an old structure built in the days of Tsar Mikhail, stood in the square, facing the school. For this reason, on church holidays, at Mass and for Vespers, the schoolboys had to gather here and to stand in rows on the left by the chapel of St. Catherine the Martyr, while behind them stood one of the assistant masters in order to keep discipline. Here also in a row, nearer the centre of the church, stood the form masters, as well as the inspector and the Head-Master, with their families. It was usual for nearly all the orthodox schoolboys to gather here, except the few who were permitted to attend their parish churches with their parents.