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They soon resorted to other measures. They began to appropriate one
another's things without asking permission, while various articles
disappeared from both houses and could not be found. This was done out
of revenge.
This example being set by the men, the women and children also followed,
and life soon became a burden to all who took part in the strife.
Ivan Scherbakoff and "Gavryl the Lame" at last laid their trouble before
the mir (village meeting), in addition to having been in court and
calling on the justice of the peace. Both of the latter had grown tired
of them and their incessant wrangling. One time Gavryl would succeed in
having Ivan fined, and if he was not able to pay it he would be locked
up in the cold dreary prison for days. Then it would be Ivan's turn to
get Gavryl punished in like manner, and the greater the injury the one
could do the other the more delight he took in it.
The success of either in having the other punished only served to
increase their rage against each other, until they were like mad dogs in
their warfare.
If anything went wrong with one of them he immediately accused his
adversary of conspiring to ruin him, and sought revenge without stopping
to inquire into the rights of the case.
When the peasants went into court, and had each other fined and
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