XVI.
"I wanted to ask your Grace about my children," said the old man, accidentally or purposely paying no attention to the master's angry look.
"What?"
"Thank the Lord, we are well off for horses, and we have a hired man, so there will be no trouble about the manorial dues."
"What of it?"
"If you would be kind enough to let my sons substitute money payment for their manorial labour, Ilyúshka and Ignát would take out three tróykas to do some teaming all summer. They may be able to earn something."
"Where will they go?"
"Wherever it may be," replied Ilyúshka, who had in the meantime tied the horses under the shed, and had come up to his father. "The Kadmá boys took eight tróykas out to Rómen, and they made a good living, and brought back home thirty roubles for each tróyka; and they say fodder is cheap in Odessa."
"It is precisely this that I wanted to talk to you about," said the master, turning to the old man, and trying to introduce the discussion about the farm as deftly as possible. "Tell me, if you please, is it more profitable to do hauling than attend to a farm?"
"No end more profitable, your Grace!" again interrupted Ilyá, boldly shaking his hair. "There is no fodder at home to feed the horses with."
63
