the screeches and the grunts of the pig rang in my ears, and I
thought they came right from within my insides; I wondered how they
could listen to all that, and yet eat the pork in perfect comfort.
Suddenly a lump in my throat began to choke me. . . . Nausea,
retching . . . . and something happened to me: I vomited everything
out, right on the table. Everybody jumped away from the table in
disgust and anger. I met Marusya's eye, and was ashamed to look
into it. Anna got up, boiling with rage, and took me by the ear,
and pulled me outside: "Get out of here, you dirty Zhid; and don't
you dare enter my house any more!"

Well, she chased me out. Peter and Marusya kept quiet. Thoroughly
miserable, I dropped down on the bench behind the house; my dog
stretched himself out on the ground at my feet and looked into my
eyes. Then I began to talk to my fellow in misfortune: "Do you
hear, doggie, we have been chased out. . . . What does that mean?
did we come here of our own free will? It is by force that we were
brought here; so what sense is there in chasing us out?"

And I thought my dog understood me; a sound came from the depths of
his throat, and died away there. Then a thought began to haunt me:
Maybe it is really time to run away. If they run after me and
overtake me, I shall simply say that my patron chased me out of his
house. And the thought, Home! to your parents! took possession of
me, and tortured me ceaselessly. Said I to myself: "If they chase
me out, I am certainly free!" But then, just see the power of the
birch-rod: I knew well that much time would pass before my patron
would notice my absence; and before the sergeant was informed, and
people were dispatched to pursue me, more time would pass. Then I
should be far away from the place. By that time I was quite