Summary

In Chapter 7, as Pahom lies in bed that night, he thinks of the land. He figures that he can cover a perimeter of 35 miles in one day. He will farm the best area of land himself and will rent the leftover areas to other people. Pahom feels very excited, and he does not manage to fall asleep until slightly before dawn. He has a dream in which he hears laughter. He walks towards the laughter and sees that it is the Chief. He then walks closer and sees that the laughing person is actually the Devil, and that Pahom’s dead body is lying on the ground. Pahom awakes, dismisses the dream and then meets the chief outside at dawn.

In Chapter 8, at sunrise, Pahom begins to walk along the land. He carries a shovel, and he occasionally digs a mark in the...