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Updated: May 25, 2025
"What do I want with that devil?" shouted Gavryl to some one. "He deserves to be killed!" Ivan stopped and listened for a moment, when he shook his head threateningly and entered the room. When he came in, the apartment was already lighted. His daughter-in-law was working with her loom, while the old woman was preparing the supper. The other son was sitting by the table reading a book.
Ivan, now terribly excited, shouted, "You shall not escape me!" and started in pursuit; but just as he reached him and was about to grasp the collar of his coat, Gavryl succeeded in jumping to one side, and Ivan's coat became entangled in something and he was thrown violently to the ground.
While Ivan was regaining his feet Gavryl succeeded in reaching his house, but Ivan followed so quickly that he caught up with him before he could enter. Just as he was about to grasp him he was struck on the head with some hard substance. He had been hit on the temple as with a stone.
He fed the cattle, however, and opened the gate that Taraska might take his horses to pasture for the night, after which he closed it again and went into the house for his supper. By this time he had forgotten all about Gavryl and what his father had said to him. Yet, just as he touched the door-knob, he heard sounds of quarrelling proceeding from his neighbor's house.
They related how the latter's daughter-in-law had threatened to secure the influence of the manager of a certain noble's estate in behalf of his friend Gavryl; also that the school-teacher was writing a petition to the Czar himself against Ivan, explaining in detail his theft of the perchbolt and partial destruction of Gavryl's garden declaring that half of Ivan's land was to be given to them.
Ivan, on hearing these words, instantly returned to the court, and going up to the judges said: "Oh! just judges, he threatens to burn my house and all it contains." A messenger was immediately sent in search of Gavryl, who was soon found and again brought into the presence of the judges. "Is it true," they asked, "that you said you would burn Ivan's house and all it contained?"
The woman being in delicate health, the worst results were feared. Ivan, glad of a fresh opportunity to harass his neighbor, lodged a formal complaint before the district-attorney, hoping to rid himself forever of Gavryl by having him sent to Siberia. On examining the complaint the district-attorney would not consider it, as by that time the injured woman was walking about and as well as ever.
Gavryl replied: "I did not say anything of the kind. You may give me as many lashes as you please that is, if you have the power to do so. It seems to me that I alone have to suffer for the truth, while he," pointing to Ivan, "is allowed to do and say what he pleases."
Everything was burned, including the cattle and all the farm implements. The women lost their trunks, which were filled with quantities of clothing, the accumulation of years. The storehouse and all the provisions perished in the flames, not even the chickens being saved. Gavryl, however, more fortunate than Ivan, saved his cattle and a few other things. The village was burning all night.
What was left of the previous year's supply of provisions was ample for their needs, and they sold a quantity of oats sufficient to pay their taxes and other expenses. Thus life went smoothly for Ivan. The peasant's next-door neighbor was a son of Gordey Ivanoff, called "Gavryl the Lame."
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