“The school was destroyed by fire.”
“Long ago?”
“On All Soul’s day. The cause is not known—the whole village was burnt down.”
“Yes, one is constantly hearing of fires nowadays. A village close to us has been burnt down too.... Allow me to ask, though, how did you become a teacher?”
“After completing my education I lived in my brother’s house in the village of Khmyèlnoye. I did not work, but he supported me. Then I took a situation as tutor in a country gentleman’s house at Ogoùrtzov, at a salary of two roubles a month. But I did not stop with him long, and while there I served chiefly as coachman....”
“But why?”
“Because my pupil did not like studying, and his parents let him have his own way, and employed me temporarily as coachman....”
“That’s strange!”
“I did the work properly! I had no choice....”
“How much did you get for it?”