“I wanted to ask you something about my sons, your excellency,” said the old man, either pretending not to notice, or really not noticing, the prince’s angry face.
“What?”
“Well, we are well provided with horses, praise the Lord! and that’s our trade, and so we don’t have to work on your land.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you would only be kind enough to let my sons have leave of absence, then Ilyushka and Ignát would take three troikas, and go out teaming for all summer. Maybe they’d earn something.”
“Where would they go?”