When I endeavoured to explain to him my question, he simply knitted his brows and scratched the back of his head.

This latter movement is the Russian peasant's method of accelerating cerebral action; but in the present instance it had no practical result.

In spite of his efforts, Ivan could not get much further than the "Kak vam skazat' ?" that is to say, "How am I to tell you ?" It was not difficult to perceive that I had adopted an utterly false method of investigation, and a moment's reflection sufficed to show me the absurdity of my question.

I had asked from an uneducated man a philosophical definition, instead of extracting from him material in the form of concrete facts, and constructing therefrom a definition for myself.

These concrete facts Ivan was both able and willing to supply; and as soon as I adopted a rational mode of questioning, I obtained from him all I wanted.