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He took young Rogatchov by the arm, went with him to look at the new buildings, talked to the carpenters, made some suggestions, with his own hands chopped a few chips off with the axe, asked to be shown Afanasey Lukitch's stud horses, himself trotted them out on a halter, and altogether so affected the good-hearted children of the steppes by his gracious affability that they both embraced him more than once.
Pavel Afanasievitch's father heard too of Vassily's presence, and after an interval of a few days 'for the sake of greater formality' he sallied off to Lutchinovka with the object of 'felicitating our honoured guest on his advent to the halls of his ancestors. Afanasey Lukitch was famed all over the countryside for his eloquence that is to say, for his capacity for enunciating without faltering a rather long and complicated speech, with a sprinkling of bookish phrases in it.
What'll Afanasey Lukitch say? Why, he'll drive us all out of the light of day.... Why are you fellows standing still? Take the uninvited guest in hand and show him out of the house, so that not a trace be left of him. 'Rogatchov! Vassily Ivanovitch shouted menacingly. 'You are crazy, Efimovna, you are shaming me, come, come... said Pavel Afanasievitch.
'I won't marry her, whispered Rogatchov, and he shut his eyes, and shook all over. Afanasey Lukitch began banging at the door of the summerhouse. 'You won't? shouted Vassily. Rogatchov shook his head. 'Well, damn you, then!
Suddenly, at the beginning of the spring, he became once more the charming, attractive person they had known of old... The first symptom of this sudden transformation was Vassily's unexpected visit to the Rogatchovs. Afanasey Lukitch, in particular, was fairly disconcerted at the sight of Lutchinov's carriage, but his dismay very quickly vanished.
On their way home, Pavel Afanasievitch whispered to his parent, 'Well, father? Afanasey Lukitch responded angrily also in a whisper, 'Don't speak of it! The Rogatchovs began to be less frequent visitors at Lutchinovka.
Suddenly Rogatchov heard the heart-rending wail of old age...he recognised the voice of his father. Afanasey Lukitch, bare-headed, with dishevelled hair, was running in front of them all, frantically waving his hands.... With a violent and unexpected turn of the blade Vassily sent the sword flying out of Pavel Afanasievitch's hand. 'Marry her, my boy, he said to him: 'give over this foolery!
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