They were all silent. Only the ex-soldier said, "Yes, sir."
"And now tell me how would you distribute the land?"
"How? We would give each an equal share," said an oven-builder, rapidly raising and lowering his eyebrows.
"How else? Of course divide it equally," said a good-natured, lame peasant, whose feet, instead of socks, were wound in a white strip of linen.
This decision was acquiesced in by all as being satisfactory.
"But how?" asked Nekhludoff, "are the domestics also to receive equal shares?"
"No, sir," said the ex-soldier, assuming a cheerful mood. But the sober-minded tall peasant disagreed with him.
"If it is to be divided, everybody is to get an equal share," after considering awhile, he said in a deep basso.
"That is impossible," said Nekhludoff, who was already prepared with his objection. "If everyone was to get an equal share, then those who do not themselves work would sell their shares to the rich. Thus the land would again get into the hands of the rich. Again, the people that worked their own shares would multiply, and the landlords would again get the landless into their power."
"Yes, sir," the ex-soldier hastily assented.