IV + 

Theodore, the friend who drove Father Vasily back, was a sociable, merry giant with red hair and a red beard. His son had just been taken as a recruit, and to celebrate the event, Theodore had had a drink, and was therefore in a particularly happy frame of mind. + 

“Mitri’s mare was tired out,” he said; “why not help a friend? Why not help a friend? We ought to be kind to one another, oughtn’t we? Now then, my beauty!” he shouted to the bay horse with its tightly plaited tail, and touched it with the whip. + 

“Gently, gently,” said Father Vasily, shaken as he was by the jolting. + 

“Well, we can go slower. Is she dead?” + 

“Yes, she is at rest,” said the priest. + 

The red-haired man wanted to express his sympathy, but he also wanted to have a joke. + 

“God’s taken one wife. He’ll send another,” he said, wishing to have a laugh. + 

“Oh, it is terribly sad for the poor fellow!” said the priest. + 

“Of course it is. He is poor and has no one to help him. He came to me and said, ‘Take the priest home, will you; my mare can’t do any more.’ We must help one another, mustn’t we?” + 

“You’ve been drinking, I see. It’s wrong of you, Theodore. It’s a working-day.” + 

“Do you think I drank at the expense of others? I drank at my own. I was seeing my son off. Forgive me, Father, for God’s sake.” + 

“It is not my business to forgave. I only say it is better not to drink.” + 

“Of course it is, but what am I to do? If I were just nobody⁠—but, thank God, I am well off. I live openly. I am sorry for Mitri. Who could help being sorry for him? Why, only last year someone stole his horse. Oh, you have to keep a sharp eye on folk nowadays.” + 

Theodore began a long story about some horses that were stolen from a fair; how one was killed for the sake of its skin⁠—but the thief was caught and was beaten black and blue, said Theodore, with evident satisfaction. + 

“They ought not to have beaten him.” + 

“Do you think they ought to have patted him on the back?” + 

While conversing in this manner they reached Father Vasily’s house. + 

Father Vasily wanted to go to his room and rest, but during his absence two letters had come⁠—one from his son, one from the bishop. The bishop’s circular was of no importance, but the son’s letter gave rise to a stormy scene, which increased when his wife asked him for the half-rouble and found that he had given it away. Her anger grew, but the real cause was the boy’s letter and their inability to satisfy his demands⁠—due entirely to her husband’s carelessness, she thought. + 