human
Why is it, father? why do you wish to visit Dutlof?
gpt
Oh, I am anxious for him to take thirty desiatins[43] of land of me, and enlarge his domain; and moreover I want him to buy some wood from me also. You see, he has money, so why should it be idle? What do you think about it, nurse?
human
Well, what can I say? The Dutlofs are strong people: he's the leading peasant in the whole estate, replied the nurse, shaking her head.
gpt
Last summer he built another building out of his own lumber. He did not call upon the estate at all. He has horses, and yearling colts besides, at least six troïkas, and cattle, cows, and sheep; so that it is a sight worth seeing when they are driven along the street from pasture, and the women of the house come out to get them into the yard. There is such a crush of animals at the gate that they can scarcely get through, so many of them there are. And two hundred bee-hives at the very least. He is a strong peasant, and must have money.
human
But what do you think,--has he much money?
gpt
Men say, out of spite of course, that the old man has no little money. But he does not go round talking about it, and he does not tell even his sons, but he must have. Why shouldn't he take hold of the woodland? Perhaps he is afraid of getting the reputation for money. Five years ago he went into a small business with Shkalik the porter. They got some meadow-land; and this Shkalik, some way or other, cheated him, so that the old man was three hundred rubles out of pocket. And from that time he has sworn off. How can he help being forehanded, your excellency, father? continued the nurse.
human
He has three farms, a big family, all workers; and besides, the old man--it is hard to say it--is a capital manager. He is lucky in every thing; it is surprising,--in his grain and in his horses and in his cattle and in his bees, and he's lucky in his children. Now he has got them all married off. He has found husbands for his daughters; and he has just married Ilyushka, and given him his freedom. He himself bought the letter of enfranchisement. And so a fine woman has come into his house.
gpt
Well, do they live harmoniously?
human
As long as there's the right sort of a head to the house, they get along. Yet even the Dutlofs--but of course that's among the women. The daughters-in-law bark at each other a little behind the oven, but the old man generally holds them in hand; and the sons live harmoniously.
gpt
Now, the old man, we hear, wants to leave his eldest son, Karp, as master of the house. 'I am getting old,' says he. 'It's my business to attend to the bees.' Well, Karp is a good peasant, a careful peasant; but he doesn't manage to please the old man in the least. There's no sense in it.
human
Well, perhaps Karp wants to speculate in land and wood. What do you think about it?
gpt
Scarcely, sir, [44] continued the nurse.
human
The old man hasn't disclosed his money to his son. As long as he lives, of course, the money in the house will be under the old man's control; and it will increase all the time too.
gpt
But isn't the old man willing?
human
He is afraid.
gpt
What is he afraid of?
human
How is it possible, sir, for a seignorial peasant to make a noise about his money? And it's a hard question to decide what to do with money anyway. Here he went into business with the porter, and was cheated. Where was he to get redress? And so he lost his money. But with the proprietor he would have any loss made good immediately, of course.
gpt
Yes, hence, ... said Nekhliudof, reddening.
human
But good-by, nurse.
gpt
Good-by, sir, your excellency. Greatly obliged to you.
human
Hadn't I better go home?