, onthethirddayafterhisarrivalhewent, angryandscowlingandwithoutansweringquestionsastowherehewasgoing, toMitenka', apeasantdelegate, andthevillageclerk, whowerewaitinginthepassage, heardwithfearanddelightfirsttheyoungcount'svoiceroaringandsnappingandrisinglouderandlouder, andthenwordsofabuse, dreadfulwords, ejaculatedoneaftertheother.
"Robber!...Ungratefulwretch!...I'llhackthedogtopieces! I'mnotmyfather!...Robbingus!..." andsoon.
Thenwithnolessfearanddelighttheysawhowtheyoungcount, redinthefaceandwithbloodshoteyes, draggedMitenkaoutbythescruffoftheneckandappliedhisfootandkneetohisbehindwithgreatagilityatconvenientmomentsbetweenthewords, shouting, "Beoff! Neverletmeseeyourfacehereagain, youvillain!"
Mitenkaflewheadlongdownthesixstepsandranawayintotheshrubbery.(, returningtipsyfromthetown, usedtohidethere, andmanyoftheresidentsatOtradnoe, hidingfromMitenka, knewofitsprotectivequalities.)
Mitenka'swifeandsisters-in-lawthrusttheirheadsandfrightenedfacesoutofthedoorofaroomwhereabrightsamovarwasboilingandwherethesteward'shighbedsteadstoodwithitspatchworkquilt.
Theyoungcountpaidnoheedtothem, but, breathinghard, passedbywithresolutestridesandwentintothehouse.
Thecountess, whoheardatoncefromthemaidswhathadhappenedatthelodge, wascalmedbythethoughtthatnowtheiraffairswouldcertainlyimprove, , ashelightedonepipeafteranother.
Nextdaytheoldcountcalledhissonasideand, withanembarrassedsmile, saidtohim:
"Butyouknow, mydearboy, it'sapityyougotexcited! Mitenkahastoldmeallaboutit."
"Iknew," thoughtNicholas, "thatIshouldneverunderstandanythinginthiscrazyworld."
"—andyoudidnotlookattheotherpage."
"Papa, heisablackguardandathief! Iknowheis!AndwhatIhavedone, Ihavedone; but, ifyoulike, Iwon'tspeaktohimagain."
"No, mydearboy" (thecount, too, 'spropertyandwastoblametowardhischildren, buthedidnotknowhowtoremedyit)."No, .I..."
"No, ."
"Deviltakeallthesepeasants, andmoneymatters, andcarryingsforwardfrompagetopage," hethought."Iusedtounderstandwhata 'corner' andthestakesatcardsmeant, butcarryingforwardtoanotherpageIdon'tunderstandatall," saidhetohimself, , andaskedhimwhathethoughtofdoingwithit.
"This," answeredNicholas.", Idon'tlikeAnnaMikhaylovnaandIdon'tlikeBoris, , this!" andhetoreupthenote, , youngRostovtooknofurtherpartinanybusinessaffairs, butdevotedhimselfwithpassionateenthusiasmtowhatwastohimanewpursuit—thechase—forwhichhisfatherkeptalargeestablishment.
