He was Isay, a peasant of Vasili Andreevich’s acquaintance, and well known as the principal horse-thief in the district.
‘Ah, Vasili Andreevich! Where are you off to?’ said Isay, enveloping Nikita in the odour of the vodka he had drunk.
‘We were going to Goryachkin.’
‘And look where you’ve got to! You should have gone through Molchanovka.’
‘Should have, but didn’t manage it,’ said Vasili Andreevich, holding in the horse.
‘That’s a good horse,’ said Isay, with a shrewd glance at Mukhorty, and with a practised hand he tightened the loosened knot high in the horse’s bushy tail.
‘Are you going to stay the night?’
‘No, friend. I must get on.’
‘Your business must be pressing. And who is this? Ah, Nikita Stepanych!’
‘Who else?’ replied Nikita. ‘But I say, good friend, how are we to avoid going astray again?’