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the peasants； who were completely drunk； told him
they had stolen a horse from a peasant's cottage。
Ivan Mironov got angry； and began to abuse the
horse…thieves。
〃What a shame！〃 he said。 〃A horse is like
a brother to the peasant。 And you robbed him of
it？ It is a great sin； I tell you。 If you go in for
stealing horses； steal them from the landowners。
They are worse than dogs； and deserve anything。〃
The talk went on； and the peasants from Po…
dolsk told him that it required a great deal of
cunning to steal a horse on an estate。
〃You must know all the ins and outs of the
place； and must have somebody on the spot to
help you。〃
Then it occurred to Ivan Mironov that he knew
a landownerSventizky； he had worked on his
estate； and Sventizky； when paying him off； had
deducted one rouble and a half for a broken tool。
He remembered well the grey horses which he
used to drive at Sventizky's。
Ivan Mironov called on Peter Nikolaevich pre…
tending to ask for employment； but really in or…
der to get the information he wanted。 He took
precautions to make sure that the watchman was
absent； and that the horses were standing in their
boxes in the stable。 He brought the thieves to
the place； and helped them to carry off the three
horses。
They divided their gains； and Ivan Mironov
returned to his wife with five roubles in his pocket。
He had nothing to do at home； having no horse
to work in the field； and therefore continued to
steal horses in company with professional horse…
thieves and gipsies。
XI
PETER NIKOLAEVICH SVENTIZKY did his best to
discover who had stolen his horses。 He knew
somebody on the estate must have helped the
thieves； and began to suspect all his staff。 He
inquired who had slept out that night； and the
gang of the working men told him Proshka had
not been in the whole night。 Proshka； or Prokofy
Nikolaevich； was a young fellow who had just fin…
ished his military service； handsome； and skilful
in all he did； Peter Nikolaevich employed him at
times as coachman。 The district constable was a
friend of Peter Nikolaevich； as were the provin…
cial head of the police； the marshal of the nobility；
and also the rural councillor and the examining
magistrate。 They all came to his house on his
saint's day； drinking the cherry brandy he offered
them with pleasure； and eating the nice preserved
mushrooms of all kinds to accompany the liqueurs。
They all sympathised with him in his trouble and
tried to help him。
〃You always used to take the side of the peas…
ants；〃 said the district constable； 〃and there you
are！ I was right in saying they are worse than
wild beasts。 Flogging is the only way to keep
them in order。 Well； you say it is all Proshka's
doings。 Is it not he who was your coachman
sometimes？〃
〃Yes； that is he。〃
〃Will you kindly call him？〃
Proshka was summoned before the constable；
who began to examine him。
〃Where were you that night？〃
Proshka pushed back his hair； and his eyes
sparkled。
〃At home。〃
〃How so？ All the men say you were not in。〃
〃Just as you please； your honour。〃
〃My pleasure has nothing to do with the mat…
ter。 Tell me where you were that night。〃
〃At home。〃
〃Very well。 Policeman； bring him to the po…
lice…station。〃
The reason why Proshka did not say where he
had been that night was that he had spent it with
his sweetheart； Parasha； and had promised not to
give her away。 He kept his word。 No proofs
were discovered against him； and he was soon dis…
charged。 But Peter Nikolaevich was convinced
that Prokofy had been at the bottom of the whole
affair； and began to hate him。 One day Proshka
bought as usual at the merchant's two measures of
oats。 One and a half he gave to the horses； and
half a measure he gave back to the merchant； the
money for it he spent in drink。 Peter Nikolae…
vich found it out； and charged Prokofy with cheat…
ing。 The judge sentenced the man to three
months' imprisonment。
Prokofy had a rather proud nature； and thought
himself superior to others。 Prison was a great
humiliation for him。 He came out of it very
depressed； there was nothing more to be proud
of in life。 And more than that； he felt extremely
bitter； not only against Peter Nikolaevich； but
against the whole world。
On the whole； as all the people around him no…
ticed； Prokofy became another man after his im…
prisonment； both careless and lazy； he took to
drink； and he was soon caught stealing clothes at
some woman's house； and found himself again in
prison。
All that Peter Nikolaevich discovered about his
grey horses was the hide of one of them； Beauty；
which had been found somewhere on the estate。
The fact that the thieves had got off scot…free
irritated Peter Nikolaevich still more。 He was
unable now to speak of the peasants or to look at
them without anger。 And whenever he could he
tried to oppress them。
XII
AFTER having got rid of the coupon； Eugene
Mihailovich forgot all about it； but his wife； Ma…
ria Vassilievna； could not forgive herself for hav…
ing been taken in； nor yet her husband for his cruel
words。 And most of all she was furious against
the two boys who had so skilfully cheated her。
From the day she had accepted the forged coupon
as payment； she looked closely at all the school…
boys who came in her way in the streets。 One
day she met Mahin； but did not recognise him；
for on seeing her he made a face which quite
changed his features。 But when； a fortnight after
the incident with the coupon； she met Mitia
Smokovnikov face to face； she knew him at once。
She let him pass her； then turned back and
followed him； and arriving at his house she made
inquiries as to whose son he was。 The next day
she went to the school and met the divinity
instructor； the priest Michael Vedensky； in the
hall。 He asked her what she wanted。 She an…
swered that she wished to see the head of the
school。 〃He is not quite well；〃 said the priest。
〃Can I be of any use to you； or give him your
message？〃
Maria Vassilievna thought that she might as
well tell the priest what was the matter。 Michael
Vedensky was a widower； and a very ambitious
man。 A year ago he had met Mitia Smokovni…
kov's father in society； and had had a discussion
with him on religion。 Smokovnikov had beaten
him decisively on all points； indeed； he had made
him appear quite ridiculous。 Since that time the
priest had decided to pay special attention to
Smokovnikov's son； and； finding him as indifferent
to religious matters as his father was； he began
to persecute him； and even brought about his fail…
ure in examinations。
When Maria Vassilievna told him what young
Smokovnikov had done to her； Vedensky could
not help feeling an inner satisfaction。 He saw in
the boy's conduct a proof of the utter wickedness
of those who are not guided by the rules of the
Church。 He decided to take advantage of this
great opportunity of warning unbelievers of the
perils that threatened them。 At all events； he
wanted to persuade himself that this was the only
motive that guided him in the course he had re…
solved to take。 But at the bottom of his heart he
w