“She’s fortunate, upon my word,” sighed Ivan Ivanitch.  “Though she takes no trouble, does not fuss or worry herself, she has become the most important person in the whole district.  Almost the whole business is in her hands, and they all gather round her, the doctor, the District Captains, and the ladies.  With people of the right sort that happens of itself.  Yes....  The apple-tree need take no thought for the apple to grow on it; it will grow of itself.”

“It’s only people who don’t care who take no thought,” said I.

“Eh?  Yes...” muttered Ivan Ivanitch, not catching what I said, “that’s true....  One must not worry oneself.  Just so, just so....  Only do your duty towards God and your neighbour, and then never mind what happens.”

“Eccellenza,” said Sobol solemnly, “just look at nature about us:  if you poke your nose or your ear out of your fur collar it will be frost-bitten; stay in the fields for one hour, you’ll be buried in the snow; while the village is just the same as in the days of Rurik, the same Petchenyegs and Polovtsi.  It’s nothing but being burnt down, starving, and struggling against nature in every way.  What was I saying?  Yes!  If one thinks about it, you know, looks into it and analyses all this hotchpotch, if you will allow me to call it so, it’s not life but more like a fire in a theatre!  Any one who falls down or screams with terror, or rushes about, is the worst enemy of good order; one must stand up and look sharp, and not stir a hair!  There’s no time for whimpering and busying oneself with trifles.  When you have to deal with elemental forces you must put out force against them, be firm and as unyielding as a stone.  Isn’t that right, grandfather?” He turned to Ivan Ivanitch and laughed.  “I am no better than a woman myself; I am a limp rag, a flabby creature, so I hate flabbiness.  I can’t endure petty feelings!  One mopes, another is frightened, a third will come straight in here and say:  ’Fie on you!  Here you’ve guzzled a dozen courses and you talk about the starving!’ That’s petty and stupid!  A fourth will reproach you, Eccellenza, for being rich.  Excuse me, Eccellenza,” he went on in a loud voice, laying his hand on his heart, “but your having set our magistrate the task of hunting day and night for your thieves—­excuse me, that’s also petty on your part.  I am a little drunk, so that’s why I say this now, but you know, it is petty!”

“Who’s asking him to worry himself?  I don’t understand!” I said, getting up.

I suddenly felt unbearably ashamed and mortified, and I walked round the table.

“Who asks him to worry himself?  I didn’t ask him to....  Damn him!”

“They have arrested three men and let them go again.  They turned out not to be the right ones, and now they are looking for a fresh lot,” said Sobol, laughing.  “It’s too bad!”

“I did not ask him to worry himself,” said I, almost crying with excitement.  “What’s it all for?  What’s it all for?  Well, supposing I was wrong, supposing I have done wrong, why do they try to put me more in the wrong?”