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Erofay fitted in the new axle, first exposing it to a severe and most unjust criticism; and an hour later I set off, leaving a small sum of money with Kassyan, which at first he was unwilling to accept, but afterwards, after a moment's thought, holding it in his hand, he put it in his bosom.
'Tell me, please, Erofay, I began, 'what sort of a man is Kassyan? Erofay did not answer me at once: he was, in general, a reflective and deliberate fellow; but I could see directly that my question was soothing and cheering to him. 'The Flea? he said at last, gathering up the reins; 'he's a queer fellow; yes, a crazy chap; such a queer fellow, you wouldn't find another like him in a hurry.
When the little cart was quite ready, and I, together with my dog, had been installed in the warped wicker body of it, and Kassyan huddled up into a little ball, with still the same dejected expression on his face, had taken his seat in front, Erofay came up to me and whispered with an air of mystery: 'You did well, your honour, to drive with him.
In the course of this hour he had scarcely uttered a single word; he stood as before, leaning against the gate. He made no reply to the reproaches of my coachman, and took leave very coldly of me. Directly I turned round, I could see that my worthy Erofay was in a gloomy frame of mind.... To be sure, he had found nothing to eat in the country; the only water for his horses was bad. We drove off.
He is such a queer fellow; he's cracked, you know, and his nickname is the Flea. I don't know how you managed to make him out.... I tried to say to Erofay that so far Kassyan had seemed to me a very sensible man; but my coachman continued at once in the same voice: 'But you keep a look-out where he is driving you to.
'Good health to you, Erofay, upright man! replied Kassyan in a dejected voice. I at once made known his suggestion to the coachman; Erofay expressed his approval of it and drove into the yard. While he was busy deliberately unharnessing the horses, the old man stood leaning with his shoulders against the gate, and looking disconsolately first at him and then at me.
He seemed in some uncertainty of mind; he was not very pleased, as it seemed to me, at our sudden visit. 'So they have transported you too? Erofay asked him suddenly, lifting the wooden arch of the harness. 'Yes. 'Ugh! said my coachman between his teeth. 'You know Martin the carpenter.... Of course, you know Martin of Ryaby? 'Yes. 'Well, he is dead. We have just met his coffin.
And Erofay slowly got off his seat, untied the pail, went to the pool, and coming back, listened with a certain satisfaction to the hissing of the box of the wheel as the water suddenly touched it.... Six times during some eight miles he had to pour water on the smouldering axle, and it was quite evening when we got home at last.
'That? broke in Erofay, and going up to Kassyan's nag, he tapped it disparagingly on the back with the third finger of his right hand. 'See, he added contemptuously, 'it's asleep, the scare-crow! I asked Erofay to harness it as quickly as he could. I wanted to drive myself with Kassyan to the clearing; grouse are fond of such places.
Erofay looked at me over his shoulder, and grinned all over his face. 'He, he!... yes, they are relations. She is an orphan; she has no mother, and it's not even known who her mother was. But she must be a relation; she's too much like him.... Anyway, she lives with him.
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