the forged coupon()-第17章
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said of half a million roubles。 〃And do you know who is said to be the
thief？〃 said Eugene Mihailovich to his wife。 〃Vassily； our former yard…
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porter。 They say he is squandering the money； and the police are bribed by
him。〃
〃I knew he was a villain。 You remember how he did not mind
perjuring himself？ But I did not expect it would go so far。〃
〃I hear he has recently been in the courtyard of our house。 Cook says
she is sure it was he。 She told me he helps poor girls to get married。〃
〃They always invent tales。 I don't believe it。〃
At that moment a strange man； shabbily dressed； entered the shop。
〃What is it you want？〃
〃Here is a letter for you。〃
〃From whom？〃
〃You will see yourself。〃
〃Don't you require an answer？ Wait a moment。〃
〃I cannot。〃 The strange man handed the letter and disappeared。
〃How extraordinary！〃 said Eugene Mihailovich； and tore open the
envelope。 To his great amazement several hundred rouble notes fell out。
〃Four hundred roubles！〃 he exclaimed； hardly believing his eyes。 〃What
does it mean？〃
The envelope also contained a badly…spelt letter； addressed to Eugene
Mihailovich。 〃It is said in the Gospels；〃 ran the letter； 〃do good for evil。
You have done me much harm； and in the coupon case you made me
wrong the peasants greatly。 But I have pity for you。 Here are four
hundred notes。 Take them； and remember your porter Vassily。〃
〃Very extraordinary！〃 said Eugene Mihailovich to his wife and to
himself。 And each time he remembered that incident； or spoke about it to
his wife； tears would come to his eyes。
XVII
FOURTEEN priests were kept in the Suzdal friary prison； chiefly for
having been untrue to the orthodox faith。 Isidor had been sent to that place
also。 Father Missael received him according to the instructions he had
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been given； and without talking to him ordered him to be put into a
separate cell as a serious criminal。 After a fortnight Father Missael；
making a round of the prison； entered Isidor's cell； and asked him whether
there was anything he wished for。
〃There is a great deal I wish for；〃 answered Isidor； 〃but I cannot tell
you what it is in the presence of anybody else。 Let me talk to you
privately。〃
They looked at each other； and Missael saw he had nothing to be afraid
of in remaining alone with Isidor。 He ordered Isidor to be brought into
his own room； and when they were alone； he said；〃Well； now you can
speak。〃
Isidor fell on his knees。
〃Brother；〃 said Isidor。 〃What are you doing to yourself！ Have mercy
on your own soul。 You are the worst villain in the world。 You have
offended against all that is sacred 。 。 。〃
A month after Missael sent a report； asking that Isidor should be
released as he had repented； and he also asked for the release of the rest of
the prisoners。 After which he resigned his post。
XVIII TEN years passed。 Mitia Smokovnikov had finished his
studies in the Technical College； he was now an engineer in the gold
mines in Siberia； and was very highly paid。 One day he was about to make
a round in the district。 The governor offered him a convict； Stepan
Pelageushkine； to accompany him on his journey。
〃A convict； you say？ But is not that dangerous？〃
〃Not if it is this one。 He is a holy man。 You may ask anybody； they
will all tell you so。〃
〃Why has he been sent here？〃
The governor smiled。 〃He had committed six murders； and yet he is
a holy man。 I go bail for him。〃
Mitia Smokovnikov took Stepan； now a bald…headed； lean； tanned man；
with him on his journey。 On their way Stepan took care of Smokovnikov；
like his own child； and told him his story； told him why he had been sent
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here； and what now filled his life。
And； strange to say； Mitia Smokovnikov； who up to that time used to
spend his time drinking； eating； and gambling； began for the first time to
meditate on life。 These thoughts never left him now； and produced a
complete change in his habits。 After a time he was offered a very
advantageous position。 He refused it； and made up his mind to buy an
estate with the money he had； to marry； and to devote himself to the
peasantry； helping them as much as he could。
XIX
HE carried out his intentions。 But before retiring to his estate he
called on his father； with whom he had been on bad terms； and who had
settled apart with his new family。 Mitia Smokovnikov wanted to make it
up。 The old man wondered at first； and laughed at the change he noticed
in his son； but after a while he ceased to find fault with him； and thought
of the many times when it was he who was the guilty one。
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AFTER THE DANCE
〃AND you say that a man cannot； of himself； understand what is
good and evil； that it is all environment； that the environment swamps the
man。 But I believe it is all chance。 Take my own case 。 。 。〃
Thus spoke our excellent friend； Ivan Vasilievich； after a conversation
between us on the impossibility of improving individual character without
a change of the conditions under which men live。 Nobody had actually
said that one could not of oneself understand good and evil； but it was a
habit of Ivan Vasilievich to answer in this way the thoughts aroused in his
own mind by conversation； and to illustrate those thoughts by relating
incidents in his own life。 He often quite forgot the reason for his story in
telling it； but he always told it with great sincerity and feeling。
He did so now。
〃Take my own case。 My whole life was moulded； not by
environment； but by something quite different。〃
〃By what； then？〃 we asked。
〃Oh； that is a long story。 I should have to tell you about a great many
things to make you understand。〃
〃Well； tell us then。〃
Ivan Vasilievich thought a little； and shook his head。
〃My whole life；〃 he said； 〃was changed in one night； or； rather；
morning。〃
〃Why； what happened？〃 one of us asked。
〃What happened was that I was very much in love。 I have been in
love many times； but this was the most serious of all。 It is a thing of the
past； she has married daughters now。 It was Varinka B。〃 Ivan
Vasilievich mentioned her surname。 〃Even at fifty she is remarkably
handsome； but in her youth； at eighteen； she was exquisitetall； slender；
graceful； and stately。 Yes； stately is the word； she held herself very erect；
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by instinct as it were； and carried her head high； and that together with her
beauty and height gave her a queenly air in spite of being thin； even bony
one might say。 It might indeed have been deterring had it not been for her
smile； which was always gay and cordial； and for the charming light in her
eyes and for her youthful sweetness。〃
〃What an entrancing description you give； Ivan Vasilievich！〃
〃Description； indeed！ I could not possibly describe her so that you
could appreciate her。 But that does not matter； what I am going to tell
you happened in the forties。 I was at that time a student in a provincial
university。 I don't know whether it was a good thing or no； but we had no
political clubs； no theories in our universities then。 We were simply young
and spent our time as young men do； studying and amusing ourselves。 I
was a very gay； lively； careless fellow； and had plenty of money too。 I had
a fine horse； and used to go tobogganing with the young ladies。 Skating
had not yet come into fashion。 I went to drinking parties with my
comradesin those days we drank nothing but champagneif we had no
champagne we drank nothing at all。 We never drank vodka； as they do
now。 Evening parties and balls were my favourite amusements。 I danced
well； and was not an ugly fellow。〃
〃Come； there is no need to be modest；〃 interrupted a lady near him。
〃We have seen your photograph。 Not ugly； indeed！ You were a
handsome fellow。〃
〃Handsome； if you like。 That does not matter。 When my love for
her was at its strongest； on the last day of the carnival； I was at a ball at the
provincial marshal's； a good…natured old man； rich and hospitable； and a
court chamberlain。 The guests were welcomed by his wife； who was as
good…natured as himself。 She was dressed in puce…coloured velvet； and
had a diamond diadem on her forehead； and her plump； old white
shoulders and bosom were bare like the portraits of Empress Elizabeth； the
daughter of Peter the Great。
〃It was a delightful ball。 It was a splendid room； with a gallery for
the orchestra； which was famous at the time； and consisted of serfs
belonging to a musical landowner。 The refreshments were magnificent；
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and the champagne flowed in rivers。 Though I was fond of champagne I
did not drink that night； because without it I was drunk with lo
