land can produce," said the toothless, angry old man.

"I am of the same opinion as you," said Nekhludoff, "and that is the
reason I want to give you the land."

"Well, that would be a kind deed," said a broad-shouldered old peasant
with a curly, grayish beard like that of Michael Angelo's Moses,
evidently thinking that Nekhludoff intended to rent out the land.

"That is why I came here. I do not wish to own the land any longer,
but it is necessary to consider how to dispose of it."

"You give it to the peasants--that's all," said the toothless, angry
peasant.

For a moment Nekhludoff was confused, seeing in these words doubt of
the sincerity of his purpose. But he shook it off, and took advantage
of the remark to say what he intended.

"I would be only too glad to give it," he said, "but to whom and how
shall I give it? Why should I give it to your community rather than to
the Deminsky community?" Deminsky was a neighboring village with very
little land.

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.