There was a dark night when Elizar came back home. Night comes early in the fall, in log huts sparks shone everywhere: till a dinner sit at house needlework for a long time, weave, spin, knit, “stranny” shveets sew a sheepskin odezha, passing from a log hut into a log hut where will call; alien sherstobita on a thick and long belt string beat wool. It was thought to Elizar: prosperity, but motionless, almost same, as a century ago, раскольничья Russia with heavy life, with ceremonial religiousness, with roughness, with Maslenitsa and fisticuffs.

      It was thought that it is difficult to punch still this thickness of the hardened, stiffened, old life and it, fully whether much more left her forward, whether much more became above it, having read something, and, above all – пообтершись on city factories and the plants where the worker’s life where golodny, than here, about the full, grain, prosperous man.

      Here though to take Neulybov, Trophîme Iacovlevitch: concepts at it shocking. No education above rural school is going to give to the only son. The archpriest has it – the first guest, the archpriest such – rich and religious peasants, “well-intentioned”, believing in the tsar-father, as in the defender of the people against his angry enemies – noblemen and officials loves. Try to object it – and will not want to speak: it has the belief, probably not without secret sectarianism because at the archpriest Trophîme is more as the intercessor for the world country, in church it is never visible it. The yesterday’s poor salesman, and now the tenant-hlebotorgovets – in effect a fist professional, and here is how took others grief, a grief of the poor very much to heart, revived Elizar! Elizar ten times is of own will ready to work a debt, nevertheless Trophîme’s act did not consider kulak: just human feeling did not die in Trophîme yet, did not forget own recent poverty!. It was always joyful to see in people good, brotherly feelings to Elizar, it lifted in him spirit, gave new strength.

      Elizar went in the most excellent, vigorous mood which quickly replaced in his heart which is just endured. He felt as if looked younger, risen, went light step, harmonious, dashing, high, with gold curls. Thirty five years were to it. Unintentionally in the dark came across about someone’s log hut a short log – easily lifted it over the head, carried by several steps on one hand and, having laughed, threw: Elizar has still a sileshka!

      Not far the rumble of ordinary fisticuffs becoming everything was heard is more heard: has to be, just this end of the village from where Elizar came back receded; wordly drove conservatives.

      Suddenly towards to it in all directions with a rumble and shouts “hand over ours!” – the crowd of receding flew in a disorder.

      Elizar just in case prepared for protection: would not fly who.

      In the dark it was necessary to be directed more sounds and roar of the battle, than to distinguish figures of people which number could seem more than it was actually.

      Elizar at random wanted, keeping is closer to houses, to pass by a wall of fighters where went, povidimy, a desperate dump: footfall of legs, blows of mittens and shouts merged together. The crowd of fighters as a stream, entrained it, and Elizar vaguely distinguished a figure of the stocky person rushing ahead of a moving general wall of coming. From blows of the low person to the right and on the left one, other hand at simultaneous kick – fell and head over heels people as if the sheaves thrown by a pitchfork slid: the person as if laid a glade in the dense wood.

      “Eh, great beats!” – Elizar involuntarily admired and did not sustain – rushed to him towards: they сшиблись, having run one on another, and, having for a moment linked, stood in an immovability. The stocky person, like the anchor which went “paws” to the earth Elizar could not raise from the earth how many strained. The dark figure seeming to pig-iron seized a belt his iron ticks. Fist fight calmed down, the crowd surrounded with a ring rivals from whom any did not concede to another. But here Elizar slowly and flexibly began to become straight as if lifting on itself excessive weight, and low, having heavy knocked by knees about the frozen earth, sighed. In fight embraces they close uvidat each other.

      – Amos? – with astonishment Elizar shouted, bending. – Chelyak?

      – I also am! – having taken breath and hard rising, the miller answered.

      Both easily sighed. Elizar remembered accident at the plant again.

      – Well and force at you, Amos, for the first time we met in fight fist!

      – In a draw left! – spoke, dispersing, the people of kandalinskiya.

      – Not in that force that a mare Siwa! – Chelyak objected the friend – we should not struggle with you, and to stand up to one for another. Let’s come to me: long ago I am going to talk to you!

      Chelyak