"Yes, the ikons, too. I took everything that belonged to me by law."
"Now the image case looks as if it has holes in it."
"What can you do?
You'll have to pray before it as it is.
God, you know, does not want your image case, but your prayers.
If you are sincere about it, your prayer will reach Him, even if it's done before poor ikons.
And if you just pray without meaning it, and look around and make a courtesy, then the best images will be of no avail."
Nevertheless, Yudushka rose and offered thanks to God for the fact that his images were "good."
"Well, and if you don't like the old image case, have a new one built and put in new ikons instead of those taken out.
My deceased mother acquired the old ikons at her own cost, and now it's up to you to get new ones."
Porfiry Vladimirych even tittered, so clear and simple did his reasoning seem to him.
"But tell me, please, what am I to do now?" Anninka asked.
"Well, wait a while.
Rest up first, loll around, get some sleep.
We'll talk the matter over and examine it from every angle, and we'll see what can be done. Both of us together may think up something."
"Sister and I are of age, I think?"
"Yes, of age. Quite so.
You can now manage yourself and your estate."
"Thank God at least for that."
"I have the honor to congratulate you."
Porfiry Vladimirych rose to kiss her.
"How funny you are, uncle, always kissing."
"Why shouldn't I kiss you?
You are not a stranger, I may say, you are my niece.
I like kinsfolk, my dear.
I am always for my relatives, near or distant, second, third, or fourth cousins, I'm always with them."
"You'd better tell me what I am to do. Must I go to town and see all the officials?"
"Yes, and we'll go to town and we'll attend to the matter—all in due time.
But before we do that, rest up a bit.
Stay here a while. You are not stopping at an inn but at your uncle's, I may say.
You'll have enough to eat and drink, and for your sweet tooth we've got plenty of everything.
If you don't like a dish, ask for a different one.
Demand, insist!
If you don't care for cabbage soup, ask for chicken soup.
Order cutlets, duck, pork. Get after Yevpraksia.
Here I boasted about pork and I don't really know if we've got any. Have we?"
Yevpraksia, holding the saucer with the hot tea to her mouth, nodded affirmatively.
"Well, you see, we've got pork too, and all in all you can have whatever your heart desires."
Yudushka approached Anninka again and like a good relative clapped her on the knee and quite inadvertently let his hand rest there a little, so that Anninka instinctively recoiled.
"But I've got to go," she said.
"That's just what I've been saying.
We'll discuss matters and talk things over and then we'll go with a prayer and a benediction, but not—hop! jump! run!
The more haste the less speed.
You may hurry to a fire, but our house is not ablaze.
Well, Lubinka has got to hurry to the fair, but what is your hurry?
Another thing I meant to ask you, Are you going to live in Pogorelka?"
"No, there's nothing for me to do there."
"That's just what I was going to say.
Move here, to my house.
We'll live here and have a fine time of it."