In Russian, мужик, and in the Golovins' house буфетный мужик, the pantry muzhik (our translation). The muzhik is the peasant, the man of the people, in contrast to the master. This is Gerasim's status: he serves in the pantry and acts as the master's nurse, carrying the chamber pot, holding his legs and, at the wake, smiling with the white teeth of a muzhik.
Term