Book 2 Chapter 4 The Peasants Lot

When Nekhludoff was passing the fourth gate, he was stopped by a
cart that was coming out, its wheels creaking, loaded high with
manure, which was pressed down, and was covered with a mat to sit
on. A six-year-old boy, excited by the prospect of a drive,
followed the cart. A young peasant, with shoes plaited out of
bark on his feet, led the horse out of the yard. A long-legged
colt jumped out of the gate; but, seeing Nekhludoff, pressed
close to the cart, and scraping its legs against the wheels,
jumped forward, past its excited, gently-neighing mother, as she
was dragging the heavy load through the gateway. The next horse
was led out by a barefooted old man, with protruding
shoulder-blades, in a dirty shirt and striped trousers.

When the horses got out on to the hard road, strewn over with
bits of dry, grey manure, the old man returned to the gate, and
bowed to Nekhludoff.

"You are our ladies' nephew, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am their nephew."

"You've kindly come to look us up, eh?" said the garrulous old
man.

"Yes, I have. Well, how are you getting on?"

"How do we get on? We get on very badly," the old man drawled, as
if it gave him pleasure.

"Why so badly?" Nekhludoff asked, stepping inside the gate.

"What is our life but the very worst life?" said the old man,
following Nekhludoff into that part of the yard which was roofed
over.

Nekhludoff stopped under the roof.

"I have got 12 of them there," continued the old man, pointing to
two women on the remainder of the manure heap, who stood
perspiring with forks in their hands, the kerchiefs tumbling off
their heads, with their skirts tucked up, showing the calves of
their dirty, bare legs. "Not a month passes but I have to buy six
poods [a pood is 36 English pounds] of corn, and where's the money to
come from?"