Book 2 Chapter 2 Efforts at Land Restoration

The next day Nekhludoff awoke at nine o'clock. The young office
clerk who attended on "the master" brought him his boots, shining
as they had never shone before, and some cold, beautifully clear
spring water, and informed him that the peasants were already
assembling.

Nekhludoff jumped out of bed, and collected his thoughts. Not a
trace of yesterday's regret at giving up and thus destroying his
property remained now. He remembered this feeling of regret with
surprise; he was now looking forward with joy to the task before
him, and could not help being proud of it. He could see from the
window the old tennis ground, overgrown with dandelions, on which
the peasants were beginning to assemble. The frogs had not
croaked in vain the night before; the day was dull. There was no
wind; a soft warm rain had begun falling in the morning, and hung
in drops on leaves, twigs, and grass. Besides the smell of the
fresh vegetation, the smell of damp earth, asking for more rain,
entered in at the window. While dressing, Nekhludoff several
times looked out at the peasants gathered on the tennis ground.
One by one they came, took off their hats or caps to one another,
and took their places in a circle, leaning on their sticks. The
steward, a stout, muscular, strong young man, dressed in a short
pea-jacket, with a green stand-up collar, and enormous buttons,
came to say that all had assembled, but that they might wait
until Nekhludoff had finished his breakfast--tea and coffee,
whichever he pleased; both were ready.