“That is impossible,” said Nekhludoff, who was already prepared with his objection.  “If everyone was to get an equal share, then those who do not themselves work would sell their shares to the rich.  Thus the land would again get into the hands of the rich.  Again, the people that worked their own shares would multiply, and the landlords would again get the landless into their power.”

“Yes, sir,” the ex-soldier hastily assented.

“The selling of land should be prohibited; only those that cultivate it themselves should be allowed to own it,” said the oven-builder, angrily interrupting the soldier.

To this Nekhludoff answered that it would be difficult to determine whether one cultivated the land for himself or for others.

Then the sober-minded old man suggested that the land should be given to them as an association, and that only those that took part in cultivating it should get their share.

Nekhludoff was ready with arguments against this communistic scheme, and he retorted that in such case it would be necessary that all should have plows, that each should have the same number of horses, and that none should lag behind, or that everything should belong to society, for which the consent of every one was necessary.

“Our people will never agree,” said the angry old man.

“There will be incessant fighting among them,” said the white-bearded peasant with the shining eyes.  “The women will scratch each other’s eyes out.”

“The next important question is,” said Nekhludoff, “how to divide the land according to quality.  You cannot give black soil to some and clay and sand to others.”

“Let each have a part of both,” said the oven-builder.

To this Nekhludoff answered that it was not a question of dividing the land in one community, but of the division of land generally among all the communities.  If the land is to be given gratis to the peasants, then why should some get good land, and others poor land?  There would be a rush for the good land.

“Yes, sir,” said the ex-soldier.

The others were silent.

“You see, it is not as simple as it appears at first sight,” said Nekhludoff.  “We are not the only ones, there are other people thinking of the same thing.  And now, there is an American, named George, who devised the following scheme, and I agree with him.”

“What is that to you?  You are the master; you distribute the land, and there is an end to it,” said the angry peasant.

This interruption somewhat confused Nekhludoff, but he was glad to see that others were also dissatisfied with this interruption.

“Hold on, Uncle Semen; let him finish,” said the old man in an impressive basso.

This encouraged Nekhludoff, and he proceeded to explain the single-tax theory of Henry George.

“The land belongs to no one—­it belongs to the Creator.”

“That’s so!”