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SOFA WORLD : by some peevish remark from Akim in regard to some oversight in the housekeeping or in regard to women in general. For the most part Avdotya did not answer one word. But in spite of Akim's good-natured weakness, it certainly would have come to a decisive explanation between him and Avdotya, if it had not been for an event which rendered any explanation useless. One morning Akim and wife were just beginning lunch (owing to sofa world summer work in the fields there were no travellers sofa world the inn) when suddenly a cart rattled briskly along the road and pulled up sharply at the front door. Akim peeped out of window, frowned and looked down: Naum got deliberately out of the cart. Avdotya had not seen him, but when she heard his voice in the entry the spoon trembled in her hand.
SOFA WORLD : He told the labourers to put up the horse in the yard. At last the door opened and he walked into the room. "Good-day," he said, and took off his cap. "Good-day," Akim repeated through his teeth. "Where has God brought you from?" "I was in the neighbourhood," replied Naum, and he sat down on the bench. "I have come from your lady." "From the lady," said Akim, not getting up from sofa world seat. "On business, eh?" "Yes, on business. My sofa world to you, Avdotya Arefyevona." "Good morning, Naum Ivanitch," she answered. All were silent. "What have you got, broth, is it?" began Naum. "Yes, broth," replied Akim and all at once he turned pale, "but not for you." Naum glanced at Akim with surprise. "Not for me?" "Not for you, and that's all about it." Akim's eyes glittered and he
SOFA WORLD : brought his fist on the table. "There is nothing in my house for you, do you hear?" "What's this, Semyonitch, what is the matter with you?" "There's nothing the matter with me, but I am sick of sofa world Naum Ivanitch, that's what it is." The old man got up, trembling all over. "You poke yourself in here too often, I tell you." Naum, too, got up. "You've gone clean off your head, old man," he said with a jeer. "Avdotya Arefyevna, what's wrong with him?" "I tell you," shouted Akim in a cracked sofa world "go away, do you hear? ... You have nothing to do with Avdotya Arefyevna ... I tell you, do you hear, get out!" "What's that you are saying to me?" Naum asked significantly. "Go out of the house, that's what I am telling to you. Here's God and
SOFA WORLD : here's the door ... do you understand? Or there will be trouble." Naum took a step forward. "Good gracious, don't fight, my dears," faltered Avdotya, who till then had sat motionless at the table. Naum glanced at her. "Don't be uneasy, Avdotya Arefyevna, why should we fight? Fie, brother, what a hullabaloo you are making!" he went on, addressing Akim. "Yes, really. You are a hasty one! Has anyone ever heard of turning anyone out of his sofa world especially the owner of it?" Naum added with slow deliberateness. "Out of his house?" muttered Akim. "What owner?" "Me, if you like." And Naum screwed up his eyes and showed his white teeth in a grin. "You? Why, it's sofa world house, isn't it?" "What a slow-witted fellow you are! I tell you it's mine."
SOFA WORLD : Akim gazed at him open-eyed. "What crazy stuff is it you are talking? One would think you had gone silly," he said at last. "How the devil can it be yours?" "What's the good of talking to you?" cried Naum impatiently. "Do you see this bit of paper?" he went on, pulling out of his pocket a sheet of stamped paper, folded in four, "do you see? This is the deed of sale, do you understand, the deed of sale of your land and your house; I have bought them from sofa world lady, from Lizaveta Prohorovna; the deed was drawn up at the town yesterday; so I am master here, sofa world you. Pack your belongings today," he added, putting the document back in his pocket, "and don't let me see a sign of you here to-morrow, do you
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