Michiev himself is very much alive, and in even better health than he used to be.

Any day he could knock you up a britchka such as you could not procure even in Moscow.

However, he is now bound to work for only one master." "Indeed a splendid craftsman!" repeated the President.

"My only wonder is that you can have brought yourself to part with him." "Then think you that Michiev is the ONLY serf with whom I have parted?
Nay, for I have parted also with Probka Stepan, my carpenter, with Milushkin, my bricklayer, and with Teliatnikov, my bootmaker.

Yes, the whole lot I have sold." And to the President's inquiry why he had so acted, seeing that the serfs named were all skilled workers and indispensable to a household, Sobakevitch replied that a mere whim had led him to do so, and thus the sale had owed its origin to a piece of folly.