"No, I will go to him at the hives: I wish to see what he's building there. But I should like a talk with you," said Nekhliudof, drawing him to the other side of the yard, so that Ignát might not overhear what he was about to talk about with Karp.
The self-confidence and degree of pride noticeable in the deportment of the two peasants, and what the nurse had told the young prince, so troubled him, that it was difficult for him to make up his mind to speak with them about the matter proposed.
He had a sort of guilty feeling, and it seemed to him easier to speak with one brother out of the hearing of the other. Karp seemed surprised that the prince took him to one side, but he followed him.
"Well, now," began Nekhliudof awkwardly,—"I wished to inquire of you if you had many horses."
"We have about five troïkas, also some colts," replied Karp in a free-and-easy manner, scratching his back.
"Well, are your brothers going to take out relays of horses for the post?"
"We shall send out three troïkas to carry the mail. And there's Ilyushka, he has been off with his team; but he's just come back."
"Well, is that profitable for you? How much do you earn that way?"
"What do you mean by profit, your excellency? We at least get enough to live on and bait our horses, thank God for that!"
"Then, why don't you take hold of something else? You see, you might buy wood, or take more land."