Chapter 80: Difficult People

Difficult People Yevgraf Ivanovitch Shiryaev, a small farmer, whose father, a parish priest, now deceased, had received a gift of three hundred acres of land from Madame Kuvshinnikov, a general’s widow, was standing in a corner before a copper washing-stand, washing his hands. As usual, his face looked anxious and ill-humoured, and his beard was uncombed. “What weather!” he said. “It’s not weather, but a curse laid upon us. It’s raining again!” He grumbled on, while his family sat waiti…