"How else? Of course divide it equally," said a good-natured, lame
peasant, whose feet, instead of socks, were wound in a white strip of
linen.

This decision was acquiesced in by all as being satisfactory.

"But how?" asked Nekhludoff, "are the domestics also to receive equal
shares?"

"No, sir," said the ex-soldier, assuming a cheerful mood. But the
sober-minded tall peasant disagreed with him.

"If it is to be divided, everybody is to get an equal share," after
considering awhile, he said in a deep basso.

"That is impossible," said Nekhludoff, who was already prepared with
his objection. "If everyone was to get an equal share, then those who
do not themselves work would sell their shares to the rich. Thus the
land would again get into the hands of the rich. Again, the people
that worked their own shares would multiply, and the landlords would
again get the landless into their power."

"Yes, sir," the ex-soldier hastily assented.

"The selling of land should be prohibited; only those that cultivate
it themselves should be allowed to own it," said the oven-builder,
angrily interrupting the soldier.

To this Nekhludoff answered that it would be difficult to determine