Theygotintoconversation。Thestrangerseemedtobeamanfondoftalkingandreadyofspeech，andDyudyalearnedfromhimthathewasfromthetown，wasofthetradesmanclass，andhadahouseofhisown，thathisnamewasMatveySavitch，thathewasonhiswaynowtolookatsomegardensthathewasrentingfromsomeGermancolonists，andthattheboy’snamewasKuzka。Theeveningwashotandclose，noonefeltinclinedforsleep。Whenitwasgettingdarkandpalestarsbegantotwinklehereandthereinthesky，MatveySavitchbegantotellhowhehadcomebyKuzka。
AfanasyevnaandSofyastoodalittlewayoff，listening。Kuzkahadgonetothegate。
“It’sacomplicatedstory，oldman，“beganMatveySavitch，“andifIweretotellyoualljustasithappened，itwouldtakeallnightandmore。Tenyearsagoinalittlehouseinourstreet，nextdoortome，wherenowthere’satallowandoilfactory，therewaslivinganoldwidow，MarfaSemyonovnaKapluntsev，andshehadtwosons:onewasaguardontherailway，buttheother，Vasya，whowasjustmyownage，livedathomewithhismother。
OldKapluntsevhadkeptfivepairofhorsesandsentcarriersalloverthetown；hiswidowhadnotgivenupthebusiness，butmanagedthecarriersaswellasherhusbandhaddone，sothatsomedaystheywouldbringinasmuchasfiveroublesfromtheirrounds。
“Theyoungfellow，too，madeatrifleonhisownaccount。Heusedtobreedfancypigeonsandsellthemtofanciers；attimeshewouldstandforhoursontheroof，wavingabroomintheairandwhistling；hispigeonswererightupintheclouds，butitwasn’tenoughforhim，andhe’dwantthemtogohigheryet。Siskinsandstarlings，too，heusedtocatch，andhemadecagesforsale。Alltrifles，but，mindyou，he’dpickupsometenroublesamonthoversuchtrifles。Well，astimewenton，theoldladylosttheuseofherlegsandtooktoherbed。Inconsequenceofwhicheventthehousewasleftwithoutawomantolookafterit，andthat’sforalltheworldlikeamanwithoutaneye。TheoldladybestirredherselfandmadeuphermindtomarryVasya。Theycalledinamatchmakeratonce，thewomengottotalkingofonethingandanother，andVasyawentofftohavealookatthegirls。HepickedoutMashenka，awidow’sdaughter。Theymadeuptheirmindswithoutlossoftimeandinaweekitwasallsettled。Thegirlwasalittleslipofathing，seventeen，butfair-skinnedandpretty-looking，andlikealadyinallherways；