“Thou art welcome. What good news hast thou?”
“See, mine uncle, I am shamed to speak, but ‘twould be a sin an I kept silent. Lend thy yard to Ivan for a night.”
The relative took counsel with himself, shook his head, and said:
“It can be lent, but care must be taken of a yard belonging to another.”
“We will take care of it, uncle. I swear by the Cross. And to-morrow, without fail, we will buy it outright of thee.”
“Go, then, and send Ivan to me.”
She bowed to the earth and left the house.
On the morrow she went to seek her father, asked of him three hundred roubles for her husband, and bought for herself a good yard.