“Why, certainly.”  “That is quite right,” voices of peasants were heard.

Nekhludoff continued, saying that the income from the land should be distributed among all, and he therefore proposed that they take the land and pay into the common treasury such rent as they may decide upon, such money to be used for their own benefit.  Exclamations of consent and approbation continued to be heard, but the faces of the peasants became more and more grave, and the eyes that at first were fixed on the master were lowered, as if desiring not to shame him with the fact that his cunning was understood by all, and that he could not fool anybody.

Nekhludoff spoke very clearly, and the peasants were sensible folks; but he was not understood, and could not be understood by them for the same reason which prevented the clerk from understanding him for a long time.  They were convinced that it was natural for every man to look out for his own interest.  And as to the land owners, the experience of several generations had taught them long ago that these were always serving their own interests.

“Well, what rate do you intend to assess,” asked Nekhludoff.

“Why assess?  We cannot do that?  The land is yours; it is for you to say,” some in the crowd said.

“But understand that you are to use the money for the common wants.”

“We cannot do it.  The community is one thing, and this is another thing.”

“You must understand,” said the smiling clerk, wishing to explain the offer, “that the Prince is giving you the land for money which is to go into the community’s treasury.”

“We understand it very well,” said a toothless old man without raising his eyes.  “Something like a bank, only we must pay in time.  We cannot do it; it is hard enough as it is.  That will ruin us entirely.”

“That is to no purpose.  We would rather continue as before,” said several dissatisfied and even rough voices.

The resistance was particularly hot when Nekhludoff mentioned that he would draw a contract which he himself and they would have to sign.

“What is the good of a contract?  We will keep on working as we did before.  We don’t care for it.  We are ignorant people.”

“We cannot consent, because that is an uncustomary thing.  Let it be as it was before.  If you would only do away with the seed,” several voices were heard.

“Doing away with the seed” meant that under the present regime the sowing-seed was chargeable to the peasants, and they asked that it be furnished by the master.

“So you refuse to take the land?” asked Nekhludoff, turning to a middle-aged, bare-footed peasant in tattered caftan and with a radiant face who held his cap straight in front of him, like a soldier hearing “Hats off!”

“Yes, sir,” said this peasant.

“Then you have enough land?” asked Nekhludoff.

“No, sir,” said the ex-soldier, with artificial cheerfulness, holding his torn cap before him, as though offering it to anyone deserving to take it.