Question

why Had Gerasim been going about in vain in the village​

Answer 1

Gerasim had never been to any village. He worked under a merchant in Moscow and lived there. Since his childhood, he had been living in Moscow. He was never acquitted with the tradition and way of living in the village.  In order to serve military duty, he had to head towards the village. Unfortunately, he was not selected in it. He felt dull in the village. He also looked for any job in the village was not able to get any. Therefore he was going about in vain in the village.