Peredonov replied:
"They're not bad, but on my father's estate there was a hen that laid two large eggs every day all the year round."
"That's nothing to boast of," said Prepolovenskaya; "now in our village there was a hen that laid two eggs every day and a spoonful of butter."
"Yes, yes, we had one like that too," said Peredonov, not noticing that he was being made fun of. "If others could do it, ours did it too. We had an exceptional hen."
Varvara laughed.
"They're having a little joke," she said.
"Such nonsense makes one's ears wither!" said Grushina.
Peredonov looked at her savagely and replied:
"If your ears wither they'll have to be pulled off!"
Grushina was disconcerted.