"Well," she decided at last, "I'll give you the vodka, Yefrem
Alexandritch; but mind now, none of your pranks." "Don't you worry, Ulyana Fyodorovna." And fortifying himself with a glass, Yefrem made his way to the inn. It was only just getting light when he rode up to the inn but, already
a cart and a horse were standing at the gate and one of Naum's
labourers was sitting on the box holding the reins. "Where are you off to?" asked Yefrem. "To the town," the man answered reluctantly. "What for?" The man simply shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. Yefrem
jumped off his horse and went into the house. In the entry he came
upon Naum, fully dressed and with his cap on. "I congratulate the new owner on his new abode," said Yefrem, who knew
him. "Where are you off to so early?" "Yes, you have something to congratulate me on," Naum answered grimly. "On the very first day the house has almost been burnt down." Yefrem started. "How so?" "Oh, a kind soul turned up who tried to set fire to it. Luckily I
caught him in the act; now I am taking him to the town." "Was it Akim, I wonder?" Yefrem asked slowly. "How did you know? Akim. He came at night with a burning log in a pot
and got into the yard and was setting fire to it ... all my men are
witnesses. Would you like to see him? It's time for us to take him, by
the way." "My good Naum Ivanitch," Yefrem began, "let him go, don't ruin the old
man altogether. Don't take that sin upon your soul, Naum Ivanitch. Only think--the man was in despair--he didn't know what he was doing." "Give over that nonsense," Naum cut him short. "What! Am I likely to
let him go! Why, he'd set fire to the house to-morrow if I did." "He wouldn't, Naum Ivanitch, believe me. Believe me you will be easier
yourself for it--you know there will be questions asked, a trial--you
can see that for yourself." "Well, what if there is a trial? I have no reason to be afraid of it." "My good Naum Ivanitch, one must be afraid of a trial." "Oh, that's enough. I see you are drunk already, and to-day a saint's
day, too!" Yefrem all at once, quite unexpectedly, burst into tears. "I am drunk but I am speaking the truth," he muttered. "And for the
sake of the holiday you ought to forgive him." "Well, come along, you sniveller." And Naum went out on to the steps. "Forgive him, for Avdotya Arefyevna's sake," said Yefrem following him
on to the steps. Naum went to the cellar and flung the door wide open. With timid
curiosity Yefrem craned his neck from behind Naum and with difficulty
made out the figure of Akim in the corner of the cellar. The once
well-to-do innkeeper, respected all over the neighbourhood, was
sitting on straw with his hands tied behind him like a criminal. Hearing a noise he raised his head.... It seemed as though he had
grown fearfully thin in those last few days, especially during the
previous night--his sunken eyes could hardly be seen under his high,
waxen-yellow forehead, his parched lips looked dark ... his whole face
was changed and wore a strange expression--savage and frightened. "Get up and come along," said Naum. Akim got up and stepped over the threshold. "Akim Semyonitch!" Yefrem wailed, "you've brought ruin on yourself, my
dear!" Akim glanced at him without speaking. "If I had known why you asked for vodka I would not have given it to
you, I really would not. I believe I would have drunk it all myself! Eh, Naum Ivanitch," he added clutching at Naum's arm, "have mercy upon
him, let him go!" "What next!" Naum replied with a grin. "Well, come along," he added
addressing Akim again. "What are you waiting for?" "Naum Ivanitch," Akim began. "What is it?" "Naum Ivanitch," Akim repeated, "listen: I am to blame; I wanted to
settle my accounts with you myself; but God must be the judge between
us. You have taken everything from me, you know yourself, everything I
had. Now you can ruin me, only I tell you this: if you let me go now,
then--so be it--take possession of everything! I agree and wish you
all success. I promise you as before God, if you let me go you will
not regret it. God be with you." Akim shut his eyes and ceased speaking. "A likely story!" retorted Naum, "as though one could believe you!" "But, by God, you can," said Yefrem, "you really can. I'd stake my
life on Akim Semyonitch's good faith--I really would." "Nonsense," cried Naum. "Come along." Akim looked at him. "As you think best, Naum Ivanitch. It's for you to decide. But you are
laying a great burden on your soul. Well, if you are in such a hurry,
let us start." Naum in his turn looked keenly at Akim. "After all," he thought to himself, "hadn't I better let him go? Or
people will never have done pestering me about him. Avdotya will give
me no peace." While Naum was reflecting, no one uttered a word. The
labourer in the cart who could see it all through the gate did nothing
but toss his head and flick the horse's sides with the reins. The two
other labourers stood on the steps and they too were silent. "Well, listen, old man," Naum began, "when I let you go and tell these
fellows" (he motioned with his head towards the labourers) "not to
talk, shall we be quits--do you understand me--quits ... eh?" "I tell you, you can have it all." "You won't consider me in your debt?" "You won't be in my debt, I shall not be in yours." Naum was silent again. "And will you swear it?" "Yes, as God is holy," answered Akim. "Well, I know I shall regret it," said Naum, "but there, come what
may! Give me your hands." Akim turned his back to him; Naum began untying him. "Now, mind, old man," he added as he pulled the cord off his wrists,
"remember, I have spared you, mind that!" "Naum Ivanitch, my dear," faltered Yefrem, "the Lord will have mercy
upon you!" Akim freed his chilled and swollen hands and was moving towards the
gate. Naum suddenly "showed the Jew" as the saying is--he must have
regretted that he had let Akim off. "You've sworn now, mind!" he shouted after him. Akim turned, and
looking round the yard, said mournfully, "Possess it all, so be it
forever! ... Good-bye." And he went slowly out into the road accompanied by Yefrem. Naum
ordered the horse to be unharnessed and with a wave of his hand went
back into the house. "Where are you off to, Akim Semyonitch? Aren't you coming back to me?" cried Yefrem, seeing that Akim was hurrying to the right out of the
high road. "No, Yefremushka, thank you," answered Akim. "I am going to see what
my wife is doing." "You can see afterwards.... But now we ought to celebrate the
occasion." "No, thank you, Yefrem.... I've had enough. Good-bye." And Akim walked off without looking round. "Well! 'I've had enough'!" the puzzled sacristan pronounced. "And I
pledged my word for him! Well, I never expected this," he added, with
vexation, "after I had pledged my word for him, too!" He remembered that he had not thought to take his knife and his pot
and went back to the inn.... Naum ordered his things to be given to
him but never even thought of offering him a drink.