“I want to do something for the famine-stricken peasants,” I began, and after a brief pause I went on:  “Money, of course, is a great thing, but to confine oneself to subscribing money, and with that to be satisfied, would be evading the worst of the trouble.  Help must take the form of money, but the most important thing is a proper and sound organization.  Let us think it over, my friends, and do something.”

Natalya Gavrilovna looked at me inquiringly and shrugged her shoulders as though to say, “What do I know about it?”

“Yes, yes, famine...” muttered Ivan Ivanitch.  “Certainly... yes.”

“It’s a serious position,” I said, “and assistance is needed as soon as possible.  I imagine the first point among the principles which we must work out ought to be promptitude.  We must act on the military principles of judgment, promptitude, and energy.”

“Yes, promptitude...” repeated Ivan Ivanitch in a drowsy and listless voice, as though he were dropping asleep.  “Only one can’t do anything.  The crops have failed, and so what’s the use of all your judgment and energy?...  It’s the elements....  You can’t go against God and fate.”

“Yes, but that’s what man has a head for, to contend against the elements.”

“Eh?  Yes... that’s so, to be sure....  Yes.”

Ivan Ivanitch sneezed into his handkerchief, brightened up, and as though he had just woken up, looked round at my wife and me.

“My crops have failed, too.”  He laughed a thin little laugh and gave a sly wink as though this were really funny.  “No money, no corn, and a yard full of labourers like Count Sheremetyev’s.  I want to kick them out, but I haven’t the heart to.”

Natalya Gavrilovna laughed, and began questioning him about his private affairs.  Her presence gave me a pleasure such as I had not felt for a long time, and I was afraid to look at her for fear my eyes would betray my secret feeling.  Our relations were such that that feeling might seem surprising and ridiculous.

She laughed and talked with Ivan Ivanitch without being in the least disturbed that she was in my room and that I was not laughing.

“And so, my friends, what are we to do?” I asked after waiting for a pause.  “I suppose before we do anything else we had better immediately open a subscription-list.  We will write to our friends in the capitals and in Odessa, Natalie, and ask them to subscribe.  When we have got together a little sum we will begin buying corn and fodder for the cattle; and you, Ivan Ivanitch, will you be so kind as to undertake distributing the relief?  Entirely relying on your characteristic tact and efficiency, we will only venture to express a desire that before you give any relief you make acquaintance with the details of the case on the spot, and also, which is very important, you should be careful that corn should be distributed only to those who are in genuine need, and not to the drunken, the idle, or the dishonest.”