Pahom's Dreams

Pahom lay awake all night, and dozed off only just before dawn. Hardly were his eyes closed when he had a dream. He thought he was lying in that same tent and heard somebody chuckling outside. Pahom saw the bashed gear chief sitting in front of the tent holding his side with laughter. But it was no longer the chief, but the dealer who had told him about the land. Then he saw that it was not the peasant either, but the devil himself,. Before him lay a man barefoot prostrate on the ground with only trousers and a shirt on. And Pahom dreamed that he looked more attentively to see what sort of man it