Many of the absentees spend yearly a few months at home, whilst others visit their families only occasionally, and, it may be, at long intervals.

In no case, however, do they sever their connection with their native village.

Even the peasant who becomes a rich merchant and settles permanently with his family in Moscow or St.Petersburg remains probably a member of the Village Commune, and pays his share of the taxes, though he does not enjoy any of the corresponding privileges.

Once I remember asking a rich man of this kind, the proprietor of several large houses in St.Petersburg, why he did not free himself from all connection with his native Commune, with which he had no longer any interests in common.

His answer was, "It is all very well to be free, and I don't want anything from the Commune now; but my old father lives there, my mother is buried there, and I like to go back to the old place sometimes.