You must act
carefully here. There are not many such leaflets!"
"And how about your fear?" the mother observed again with a smile.
This curly-haired, robust fellow put her into a good humor by his
sincerity, which sounded in his every word, and shone from his
round, determined face.
"Fear is fear, and business is business!" he answered with a grin.
"Why are you laughing at me, eh? You, too! Why, isn't it natural
to be afraid in this matter? Well, and if it's necessary a man'll
go into a fire. Such an affair, it requires it."
"Ah, you, my child!"
Ignaty, embarrassed, smiled. "Well, there you are--child!" he said.
Nikolay began to speak, all the time looking good-naturedly with
screwed-up eyes at the young peasant.
"You're not going there!"
"Then what'll I do? Where am I to be?" Ignaty asked uneasily.
"Another fellow will go in place of you. And you'll tell him in
detail what to do and how to do it."
"All right!" said Ignaty. But his consent was not given at once,
and then only reluctantly.
"And for you we'll obtain a good passport and make you a forester."
The young fellow quickly threw back his head and asked uneasily:
"But if the peasants come there for wood, or there--in general--
what'll I do? Bind them? That doesn't suit me.
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