sugar. Although the taste of it all was poor, Nekhludoff kept on
eating, being absorbed in the thoughts which relieved him of the
sadness that oppressed him on his return from the village.

After dinner Nekhludoff with difficulty seated the superserviceable
clerk, and in order to make sure of himself and at the same time to
confide to some one the thoughts uppermost in his mind, told him of
his project and asked his opinion. The clerk smiled, as though he had
been thinking of the same thing, and was very glad to hear it, but in
reality did not understand it, not because Nekhludoff did not express
himself plainly enough, but because, according to this project,
Nekhludoff deprived himself of advantages for the benefit of others,
whereas the truth that every man strives to obtain advantages at the
expense of others, was so firmly rooted in the clerk's mind, that he
thought that he misunderstood Nekhludoff when the latter said that the
entire income of the land was to go into the community's treasury.

"I understand. So you will draw the interest on the capital?" he said,
becoming radiant.

"No, no. I transfer the land to them entirely."

"In that case you will get no income?" asked the clerk and he ceased
to smile.

"I relinquish that."

The clerk sighed deeply, then began to smile again. Now he understood.
He understood that Nekhludoff's mind was not entirely sound, and he
immediately tried to find a way of profiting by Nekhludoff's project,