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　　Iv&aacute；nsighed，andthought，’Whathesaysistrue，’andhisheartgrewlighter。Onlyhedidnotknowhow，now，tobegintoputmattersright。

　　Butagaintheoldmanbegan，asifhehadguessedwhatwasinIvan’smind。

　　’Go，Iv&aacute；n，don’tputitoff！Putoutthefirebeforeitspreads，oritwillbetoolate。’

　　Theoldmanwasgoingtosaymore，butbeforehecoulddosothewomencamein，chatteringlikemagpies。ThenewsthatGabrielwassentencedtobeflogged，andofhisthreattosetfiretothehouse，hadalreadyreachedthem。Theyhadheardallaboutitandaddedtoitsomethingoftheirown，andhadagainhadarow，inthepasture，withthewomenofGabriel’shousehold。TheybegantellinghowGabriel’sdaughter-in-lawthreatenedafreshaction:Gabrielhadgottherightsideoftheexaminingmagistrate，whowouldnowturnthewholeaffairupsidedown；

　　andtheschoolmasterwaswritingoutanotherpetition，totheTsarhimselfthistime，aboutIv&aacute；n；andeverythingwasinthepetition——allaboutthecoupling-pinandthekitchen-garden——sothathalfofIvan’shomesteadwouldbetheirssoon。Iv&aacute；nheardwhattheyweresaying，andhisheartgrewcoldagain，andhegaveupthethoughtofmakingpeacewithGabriel。

　　Inafarmsteadthereisalwaysplentyforthemastertodo。Iv&aacute；ndidnotstoptotalktothewomen，butwentouttothethreshing-floorandtothebarn。Bythetimehehadtidiedupthere，thesunhadsetandtheyoungfellowshadreturnedfromthefield。Theyhadbeenploughingthefieldforthewintercropswithtwohorses。Iv&aacute；nmetthem，questionedthemabouttheirwork，helpedtoputeverythinginitsplace，setatornhorse-collarasidetobemended，andwasgoingtoputawaysomestakesunderthebarn，butithadgrownquitedusk，sohedecidedtoleavethemwheretheyweretillnextday。Thenhegavethecattletheirfood，openedthegate，letoutthehorses。Tar&aacute；swastotaketopastureforthenight，andagainclosedthegateandbarredit。

　　’Now，’thoughthe，’I’llhavemysupper，andthentobed。’Hetookthehorse-collarandenteredthehut。BythistimehehadforgottenaboutGabrielandaboutwhathisoldfatherhadbeensayingtohim。But，justashetookholdofthedoor-handletoenterthepassage，heheardhisneighbourontheothersideofthefencecursingsomebodyinahoarsevoice:’Whatthedevilishegoodfor？’Gabrielwassaying。’He’sonlyfittobekilled！’AtthesewordsallIvan’sformerbitternesstowardshisneighbourre-awoke。HestoodlisteningwhileGabrielscolded，and，whenhestopped，Iv&aacute；nwentintothehut。

　　Therewasalightinside；hisdaughter-in-lawsatspinning，hiswifewasgettingsupperready，hiseldestsonwasmakingstrapsforbarkshoes，hissecondsatnearthetablewithabook，andTar&aacute；swasgettingreadytogoouttopasturethehorsesforthenight。Everythinginthehutwouldhavebeenpleasantandbright，butforthatplague——abadneighbour！

　　Iv&aacute；nentered，sullenandcross；threwthecatdownfromthebench，andscoldedthewomenforputtingtheslop-pailinthewrongplace。Hefeltdespondent，andsatdown，frowning，tomendthehorse-collar。Gabriel’swordskeptringinginhisears:histhreatatthelawcourt，andwhathehadjustbeenshoutinginahoarsevoiceaboutsomeonewhowas’onlyfittobekilled。’

　　HiswifegaveTar&aacute；shissupper，and，havingeatenit，Tar&aacute；sputonanoldsheepskinandanothercoat，tiedasashroundhiswaist，tooksomebreadwithhim，andwentouttothehorses。Hiseldestbrotherwasgoingtoseehimoff，butIv&aacute；nhimselfroseinstead，andwentoutintotheporch。Ithadgrownquitedarkoutside，cloudshadgathered，andthewindhadrisen。Iv&aacute；nwentdownthesteps，helpedhisboytomount，startedthefoalafterhim，andstoodlisteningwhileTar&aacute；srodedownthevillageandwastherejoinedbyotherladswiththeirhorses。Iv&aacute；nwaiteduntiltheywerealloutofhearing。AshestoodtherebythegatehecouldnotgetGabriel’swordsoutofhishead:’Mindthatsomethingofyoursdoesnotburnworse！’

　　’Heisdesperate，’thoughtIv&aacute；n。’Everythingisdry，andit’swindyweatherbesides。He’llcomeupatthebacksomewhere，setfiretosomething，andbeoff。He’llburntheplaceandescapescotfree，thevillain！……Therenow，ifonecouldbutcatchhimintheact，he’dnotgetoffthen！’Andthethoughtfixeditselfsofirmlyinhismindthathedidnotgoupthestepsbutwentoutintothestreetandroundthecorner。I’lljustwalkroundthebuildings；

　　whocantellwhathe’safter？’AndIv&aacute；n，steppingsoftly，passedoutofthegate。Assoonashereachedthecorner，helookedroundalongthefence，andseemedtoseesomethingsuddenlymoveattheoppositecorner，asifsomeonehadcomeoutanddisappearedagain。Iv&aacute；nstopped，andstoodquietly，listeningandlooking。Everythingwasstill；onlytheleavesofthewillowsflutteredinthewind，andthestrawsofthethatchrustled。Atfirstitseemedpitchdark，but，whenhiseyeshadgrownusedtothedarkness，hecouldseethefarcorner，andaploughthatlaythere，andtheeaves。Helookedawhile，butsawnoone。

　　’Isupposeitwasamistake，’thoughtIv&aacute；n；’butstillIwillgoround，’andIv&aacute；nwentstealthilyalongbytheshed。Iv&aacute；nsteppedsosoftlyinhisbarkshoesthathedidnothearhisownfootsteps。Ashereachedthefarcorner，somethingseemedtoflareupforamomentneartheploughandtovanishagain。Iv&aacute；nfeltasifstrucktotheheart；andhestopped。Hardlyhadhestopped，whensomethingflaredupmorebrightlyinthesameplace，andheclearlysawamanwithacaponhishead，crouchingdown，withhisbacktowardshim，lightingabunchofstrawheheldinhishand。Iv&aacute；n’sheartflutteredwithinhimlikeabird。Strainingeverynerve，heapproachedwithgreatstrides，hardlyfeelinghislegsunderhim。’Ah，’thoughtIv&aacute；n，’nowhewon’tescape！I’llcatchhimintheact！’

　　Iv&aacute；nwasstillsomedistanceoff，whensuddenlyhesawabrightlight，butnotinthesameplaceasbefore，andnotasmallflame。

　　Thethatchhadflaredupattheeaves，theflameswerereachinguptotheroof，and，standingbeneathit，Gabriel’swholefigurewasclearlyvisible。

　　Likeahawkswoopingdownonalark，Iv&aacute；nrushedatLimpingGabriel。

　　’NowI’llhavehim；heshan’tescapeme！’thoughtIv&aacute；n。

　　ButGabrielmusthaveheardhissteps，andhoweverhemanagedit

　　glancinground，hescuttledawaypastthebarnlikeahare。

　　’Youshan’tescape！’shoutedIv&aacute；n，dartingafterhim。

　　JustashewasgoingtoseizeGabriel，thelatterdodgedhim；butIv&aacute；nmanagedtocatchtheskirtofGabriel’scoat。Ittorerightoff，andIv&aacute；nfelldown。Herecoveredhisfeet，andshouting，’Help！Seizehim！Thieves！Murder！’ranonagain。ButmeanwhileGabrielhadreachedhisowngate。ThereIv&aacute；novertookhimandwasabouttoseizehim，whensomethingstruckIv&aacute；nastunningblow，asthoughastonehadhithistemple，quitedeafeninghim。ItwasGabrielwho，seizinganoakwedgethatlaynearthegate，hadstruckoutwithallhismight。

　　Iv&aacute；nwasstunned；sparksflewbeforehiseyes，thenallgrewdarkandhestaggered。WhenhecametohissensesGabrielwasnolongerthere:itwasaslightasday，andfromthesidewherehishomesteadwassomethingroaredandcrackledlikeanengineatwork。Iv&aacute；nturnedroundandsawthathisbackshedwasallablaze，andthesideshedhadalsocaughtfire，andflamesandsmokeandbitsofburningstrawmixedwiththesmoke，werebeingdriventowardshishut。

　　’Whatisthis，friends？……’criedIv&aacute；n，liftinghisarmsandstrikinghisthighs。’Why，allIhadtodowasjusttosnatchitoutfromundertheeavesandtrampleonit！Whatisthis，friends？……’hekeptrepeating。Hewishedtoshout，buthisbreathfailedhim；

　　hisvoicewasgone。Hewantedtorun，buthislegswouldnotobeyhim，andgotineachother’sway。Hemovedslowly，butagainstaggeredandagainhisbreathfailed。Hestoodstilltillhehadregainedbreath，andthenwenton。Beforehehadgotroundthebackshedtoreachthefire，thesideshedwasalsoallablaze；

　　andthecornerofthehutandthecoveredgatewayhadcaughtfireaswell。Theflameswereleapingoutofthehut，anditwasimpossibletogetintotheyard。Alargecrowdhadcollected，butnothingcouldbedone。Theneighbourswerecarryingtheirbelongingsoutoftheirownhouses，anddrivingthecattleoutoftheirownsheds。AfterIvan’shouse，Gabriel’salsocaughtfire，then，thewindrising，theflamesspreadtotheothersideofthestreetandhalfthevillagewasburntdown。

　　AtIvan’shousetheybarelymanagedtosavehisoldfather；andthefamilyescapedinwhattheyhadon；everythingelse，exceptthehorsesthathadbeendrivenouttopastureforthenight，waslost；

　　allthecattle，thefowlsontheirperches，thecarts，ploughs，andharrows，thewomen’strunkswiththeirclothes，andthegraininthegranaries——allwereburntup！

　　AtGabriel’s，thecattleweredrivenout，andafewthingssavedfromhishouse。

　　Thefirelastedallnight。Iv&aacute；nstoodinfrontofhishomesteadandkeptrepeating，’Whatisthis？……Friends！……Oneneedonlyhavepulleditoutandtrampledonit！’Butwhentherooffellin，Iv&aacute；nrushedintotheburningplace，andseizingacharredbeam，triedtodragitout。Thewomensawhim，andcalledhimback；buthepulledoutthebeam，andwasgoinginagainforanotherwhenhelosthisfootingandfellamongtheflames。Thenhissonmadehiswayinafterhimanddraggedhimout。Iv&aacute；nhadsingedhishairandbeardandburnthisclothesandscorchedhishands，buthefeltnothing。’Hisgriefhasstupefiedhim，’saidthepeople。Thefirewasburningitselfout，butIv&aacute；nstillstoodrepeating:’Friends！……Whatisthis？……Oneneedonlyhavepulleditout！’

　　InthemorningthevillageElder’ssoncametofetchIv&aacute；n。

　　’DaddyIv&aacute；n，yourfatherisdying！Hehassentforyoutosaygood-bye。’

　　Iv&aacute；nhadforgottenabouthisfather，anddidnotunderstandwhatwasbeingsaidtohim。

　　’Whatfather？’hesaid。’Whomhashesentfor？’

　　’Hesentforyou，tosaygood-bye；heisdyinginourcottage！Comealong，daddyIv&aacute；n，’saidtheElder’sson，pullinghimbythearm；andIv&aacute；nfollowedthelad。

　　Whenhewasbeingcarriedoutofthehut，someburningstrawhadfallenontotheoldmanandburnthim，andhehadbeentakentothevillageElder’sinthefartherpartofthevillage，whichthefiredidnotreach。

　　WhenIv&aacute；ncametohisfather，therewasonlytheElder’swifeinthehut，besidessomelittlechildrenonthetopoftheoven。Alltherestwerestillatthefire。Theoldman，whowaslyingonabenchholdingawaxcandle[10]inhishand，keptturninghiseyestowardsthedoor。Whenhissonentered，hemovedalittle。Theoldwomanwentuptohimandtoldhimthathissonhadcome。