“I do not know what it is, but I am speaking of facts,” Nekhludoff continued.  “He knows that the officials are robbing him.  He knows that we, the landlords, own the land which ought to be common property, and when he gathers some twigs for his oven we send him to jail and try to convince him that he is a thief.”

“I do not understand, and if I do, I cannot agree with you.  The land cannot be nobody’s property.  If you divide it,” Ignatius Nikiforovitch began, being fully convinced that Nekhludoff was a socialist, and that the theory of socialism demands that all the land should be divided equally; that such division is foolish, and that he can easily refute it.  “If you should divide the land to-day, giving each inhabitant an equal share, to-morrow it will again find its way into the hands of the more industrious and able among them——­”

“Nobody even thinks of dividing the land into equal shares.  There ought to be no property in land, and it ought not to be the subject of purchase and sale or renting.”

“The right of property is a natural right.  Without property right there would be no interest in cultivating the land.  Destroy property right and we will return to the condition of the savage,” authoritatively said Ignatius Nikiforovitch.

“On the contrary, only then will land not lie idle, as it is now.”

“But, Dimitri Ivanovich, it is perfect madness!  Is it possible in our time to destroy property in land?  I know it is your old hobby.  But permit me to tell you plainly——­” Ignatius Nikiforovitch turned pale and his voice trembled.  The question was evidently of particular concern to him.  “I would advise you to consider that question well before attempting its practical solution.”

“You are speaking of my personal affairs?”

“Yes.  I assume that we are all placed in a certain position, and must assume the duties that result from that position, must support those conditions of existence into which we were born, which we have inherited from our forefathers, and which we must hand over to our posterity.”

“I consider it my duty——­”

“Excuse me,” continued Ignatius Nikiforovitch, who would not be interrupted.  “I am not speaking of myself and my children.  The fortune of my children is secure, and I earn enough to live in easy circumstances, and, therefore, my protest against your, permit me to say, ill-considered actions is not based on personal interest, but on principle.  And I would advise you to give it a little more thought, to read——­”

“You had better let me decide my own affairs.  I think I know what to read and what not to read,” said Nekhludoff, turning pale, and, feeling that he could not control himself, became silent and began to drink his tea.

CHAPTER XXI.

“Well, how are the children?” Nekhludoff asked his sister, having calmed down.

Thus the unpleasant conversation was changed.  Natalie became calm and talked about her children.  She would not speak, however, about those things which only her brother understood in the presence of her husband, and in order to continue the conversation she began to talk of the latest news, the killing of Kanesky in the duel.