"Indeed, 'I think.' You always 'think,' but when you take a good look you find this is wrong and that is wrong. That's how we judge of other people's business. We 'think' and we 'guess!' But anyway, you've got a nice little estate. My late mother fixed it all up very nicely. She even spent a good deal of her own money on it. Well, it's only right to help orphans along."
Listening to these chants of praise, Anninka could not refrain from teasing her kindhearted uncle.
"Uncle, why did you take two cows away from Pogorelka?" she asked.
"Cows, what cows? Oh, you mean the black and the spotted one? Well, my dear, they belonged to my mother."
"And you are her legitimate heir? Oh, well, you can have them. Do you want me to send you a little calf? I will, if you want me to."
"Now, there! Look at her getting excited! Let's talk business, whom do you think the cows belong to?"
"How do I know? They were in Pogorelka."
"And I do know. I have proof that the cows belonged to mother. I found a memorandum written in her own hand. 'Mine,' is plainly written there."
"Oh, let's drop it. It isn't worth talking about."
"There's a pony at Pogorelka, too, little old Baldy, you know. Well, about Baldy I am not sure. I think Baldy belonged to mother, but I'm not sure. And I can't speak of what I don't know."