When the silence has continued a minute or two, the greybeard says, "There is Alexei Ivanof; he has not served yet!" "Yes, yes, Alexei Ivanof!" shout half-a-dozen voices, belonging probably to peasants who fear they may be elected.
Alexei protests in the strongest terms.

He cannot say that he is ill, because his big ruddy face would give him the lie direct, but he finds half-a-dozen other reasons why he should not be chosen, and accordingly requests to be excused.

But his protestations are not listened to, and the proceedings terminate.

A new Village Elder has been duly elected.
Far more important than the elections is the redistribution of the Communal land.

It can matter but little to the Head of a Household how the elections go, provided he himself is not chosen.