Chapter 11

           

           InthemiddleofJulytheelderofthevillageonLevin’ssister’sestate,aboutfifteenmilesfromPokrovskoe,cametoLevintoreportonhowthingsweregoingthereandonthehay.Thechiefsourceofincomeonhissister’sestatewasfromtheriversidemeadows.Informeryearsthehayhadbeenboughtbythepeasantsfortwentyroublesthethreeacres.WhenLevintookoverthemanagementoftheestate,hethoughtonexaminingthegrasslandsthattheywereworthmore,andhefixedthepriceattwenty-fiveroublesthethreeacres.Thepeasantswouldnotgivethatprice,and,asLevinsuspected,keptoffotherpurchasers.ThenLevinhaddrivenoverhimself,andarrangedtohavethegrasscut,partlybyhiredlabor,partlyatapaymentofacertainproportionofthecrop.Hisownpeasantsputeveryhindrancetheycouldinthewayofthisnewarrangement,butitwascarriedout,andthefirstyearthemeadowshadyieldedaprofitalmostdouble.Thepreviousyearwhichwasthethirdyearthepeasantshadmaintainedthesameoppositiontothearrangement,andthehayhadbeencutonthesamesystem.Thisyearthepeasantsweredoingallthemowingforathirdofthehaycrop,andthevillageelderhadcomenowtoannouncethatthehayhadbeencut,andthat,fearingrain,theyhadinvitedthecounting-houseclerkover,haddividedthecropinhispresence,andhadrakedtogetherelevenstacksastheowner’sshare.

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