THE PEASANT PROPRIETOR OVSYANIKOV
'You have been doing nothing but playing billiards, I wager, and drinking tea, and running to and fro about the government offices, drawing up petitions in little back rooms, flaunting about with merchants' sons? That's it, of course? . . . Tell us!'
'Perhaps that is about it,' said Mitya with a smile. . . . 'Ah! I had almost forgotten—Funtikov, Anton Parfenitch asks you to dine with him next Sunday.'
'I shan't go to see that old tub. He gives you costly fish and puts rancid butter on it. God bless him!'
'And I met Fedosya Mihalovna.'
'What Fedosya is that?'
'She belongs to Garpentchenko, the landowner, who bought Mikulino by auction. Fedosya is from Mikulino. She lived in Moscow as a dressmaker, paying her service in money, and she paid her service-money accurately—a hundred and eighty two-roubles and a half year. . . . And she knows her business; she got good orders in Moscow. But now Garpentchenko has written for her back, and he retains her here, but does not provide any duties for her. She would be prepared to buy her freedom, and has spoken to the master, but he will not give any decisive answer. You, uncle, are acquainted with Garpentchenko . . . so couldn't you just say a word to him? . . . And Fedosya would give a good price for her freedom.'
109
