04-polikushka-第1章

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〃POLIKUSHKA；〃

OR；

The　Lot　of　a　Wicked　Court　Servant。




CHAPTER　I。



Polikey　was　a　court　manone　of　the　staff　of　servants　belonging

to　the　court　household　of　a　boyarinia　（lady　of　the　nobility）。



He　held　a　very　insignificant　position　on　the　estate；　and　lived　in

a　rather　poor；　small　house　with　his　wife　and　children。



The　house　was　built　by　the　deceased　nobleman　whose　widow　he　still

continued　to　serve；　and　may　be　described　as　follows：　The　four

walls　surrounding　the　one　izba　（room）　were　built　of　stone；　and

the　interior　was　ten　yards　square。　　A　Russian　stove　stood　in　the

centre；　around　which　was　a　free　passage。　　Each　corner　was　fenced

off　as　a　separate　inclosure　to　the　extent　of　several　feet；　and

the　one　nearest　to　the　door　（the　smallest　of　all）　was　known　as

〃Polikey's　corner。〃　　Elsewhere　in　the　room　stood　the　bed　（with

quilt；　sheet；　and　cotton　pillows）；　the　cradle　（with　a　baby　lying

therein）；　and　the　three…legged　table；　on　which　the　meals　were

prepared　and　the　family　washing　was　done。　　At　the　latter　also

Polikey　was　at　work　on　the　preparation　of　some　materials　for　use

in　his　professionthat　of　an　amateur　veterinary　surgeon。　　A

calf；　some　hens；　the　family　clothes　and　household　utensils；

together　with　seven　persons；　filled　the　little　home　to　the　utmost

of　its　capacity。　　It　would　indeed　have　been　almost　impossible　for

them　to　move　around　had　it　not　been　for　the　convenience　of　the

stove；　on　which　some　of　them　slept　at　night；　and　which　served　as

a　table　in　the　day…time。



It　seemed　hard　to　realize　how　so　many　persons　managed　to　live　in

such　close　quarters。



Polikey's　wife；　Akulina；　did　the　washing；　spun　and　wove；　bleached

her　linen；　cooked　and　baked；　and　found　time　also　to　quarrel　and

gossip　with　her　neighbors。



The　monthly　allowance　of　food　which　they　received　from　the

noblewoman's　house　was　amply　sufficient　for　the　whole　family；　and

there　was　always　enough　meal　left　to　make　mash　for　the　cow。　

Their　fuel　they　got　free；　and　likewise　the　food　for　the　cattle。　

In　addition　they　were　given　a　small　piece　of　land　on　which　to

raise　vegetables。　　They　had　a　cow；　a　calf；　and　a　number　of

chickens　to　care　for。



Polikey　was　employed　in　the　stables　to　take　care　of　two

stallions；　and；　when　necessary；　to　bleed　the　horses　and　cattle

and　clean　their　hoofs。



In　his　treatment　of　the　animals　he　used　syringes；　plasters；　and

various　other　remedies　and　appliances　of　his　own　invention。　　For

these　services　he　received　whatever　provisions　were　required　by

his　family；　and　a　certain　sum　of　moneyall　of　which　would　have

been　sufficient　to　enable　them　to　live　comfortably　and　even

happily；　if　their　hearts　had　not　been　filled　with　the　shadow　of　a

great　sorrow。



This　shadow　darkened　the　lives　of　the　entire　family。



Polikey；　while　young；　was　employed　in　a　horse…breeding

establishment　in　a　neighboring　village。　　The　head　stableman　was　a

notorious　horse…thief；　known　far　and　wide　as　a　great　rogue；　who；

for　his　many　misdeeds；　was　finally　exiled　to　Siberia。　　Under　his

instruction　Polikey　underwent　a　course　of　training；　and；　being

but　a　boy；　was　easily　induced　to　perform　many　evil　deeds。　　He

became　so　expert　in　the　various　kinds　of　wickedness　practiced　by

his　teacher　that；　though　he　many　times　would　gladly　have

abandoned　his　evil　ways；　he　could　not；　owing　to　the　great　hold

these　early…formed　habits　had　upon　him。　　His　father　and　mother

died　when　he　was　but　a　child；　and　he　had　no　one　to　point　out　to

him　the　paths　of　virtue。



In　addition　to　his　other　numerous　shortcomings；　Polikey　was　fond

of　strong　drink。　　He　also　had　a　habit　of　appropriating　other

people's　property；　when　the　opportunity　offered　of　his　doing　so

without　being　seen。　　Collar…straps；　padlocks；　perch…bolts；　and

things　even　of　greater　value　belonging　to　others　found　their　way

with　remarkable　rapidity　and　in　great　quantities　to　Polikey's

home。　　He　did　not；　however；　keep　such　things　for　his　own　use；　but

sold　them　whenever　he　could　find　a　purchaser。　　His　payment

consisted　chiefly　of　whiskey；　though　sometimes　he　received　cash。



This　sort　of　employment；　as　his　neighbors　said；　was　both　light

and　profitable；　it　required　neither　education　nor　labor。　　It　had

one　drawback；　however；　which　was　calculated　to　reconcile　his

victims　to　their　losses：　Though　he　could　for　a　time　have　all　his

needs　supplied　without　expending　either　labor　or　money；　there　was

always　the　possibility　of　his　methods　being　discovered；　and　this

result　was　sure　to　be　followed　by　a　long　term　of　imprisonment。　

This　impending　danger　made　life　a　burden　for　Polikey　and　his

family。



Such　a　setback　indeed　very　nearly　happened　to　Polikey　early　in

his　career。　　He　married　while　still　young；　and　God　gave　him　much

happiness。　　His　wife；　who　was　a　shepherd's　daughter；　was　a

strong；　intelligent；　hard…working　woman。　　She　bore　him　many

children；　each　of　whom　was　said　to　be　better　than　the　preceding

one。



Polikey　still　continued　to　steal；　but　once　was　caught　with　some

small　articles　belonging　to　others　in　his　possession。　　Among　them

was　a　pair　of　leather　reins；　the　property　of　another　peasant；　who

beat　him　severely　and　reported　him　to　his　mistress。



From　that　time　on　Polikey　was　an　object　of　suspicion；　and　he　was

twice　again　detected　in　similar　escapades。　　By　this　time　the

people　began　to　abuse　him；　and　the　clerk　of　the　court　threatened

to　recruit　him　into　the　army　as　a　soldier　（which　is　regarded　by

the　peasants　as　a　great　punishment　and　disgrace）。　　His　noble

mistress　severely　reprimanded　him；　his　wife　wept　from　grief　for

his　downfall；　and　everything　went　from　bad　to　worse。



Polikey；　notwithstanding　his　weakness；　was　a　good…natured　sort　of

man；　but　his　love　of　strong　drink　had　so　overcome　every　moral

instinct　that　at　times　he　was　scarcely　responsible　for　his

actions。　　This　habit　he　vainly　endeavored　to　overcome。　　It　often

happened　that　when　he　returned　home　intoxicated；　his　wife；　losing

all　patience；　roundly　cursed　him　and　cruelly　beat　him。　　At　times

he　would　cry　like　a　child；　and　bemoan　his　fate；　saying：

〃Unfortunate　man　that　I　am；　what　shall　I　do？　　LET　MY　EYES　BURST

INTO　PIECES　if　I　do　not　forever　give　up　the　vile　habit！　　I　will

not　again　touch　vodki。〃



In　spite　of　all　his　promises　of　reform；　but　a　short　period

（perhaps　a　month）　would　elapse　when　Polikey　would　again

mysteriously　disappear　from　his　home　and　be　lost　for　several　days

on　a　spree。



〃From　what　source　does　he　get　the　money　he　spends　so　freely？〃　the

neighbors　inquired　of　each　other；　as　they　sadly　shook　their

heads。



One　of　his　most　unfortunate　exploits　in　the　matter　of　stealing

was　in　connection　with　a　clock　which　belonged　to　the　estate　of

his　mistress。　　The　clock　stood　in　the　private　office　of　the

noblewoman；　and　was　so　old　as　to　have　outlived　its　usefulness；

and　was　simply　kept　as　an　heirloom。　　It　so　happened　that　Polikey

went　into　the　office　one　day　when　no　one　was　present　but　himself；

and；　seeing　the　old　clock；　it　seemed　to　possess　a　peculiar

fascination　for　him；　and　he　speedily　transferred　it　to　his

person。　　He　carried　it　to　a　town　not　far　from　the　village；　where

he　very　readily　found　a　purchaser。



As　if　purposely　to　secure　his　punishment；　it　happened　that　the

storekeeper　to　whom　he　sold　it　proved　to　be　a　relative　of　one　of

the　court　servants；　and　who；　when　he　visited　his　friend　on　the

next　holiday；　related　all　about　his　purchase　of　the　clock。



An　investigation　was　immediately　instituted；　and　all　the　details

of　Polikey's　transaction　were　brought　to　light　and　reported　to

his　noble　mistress。　　He　was　called　into　her　presence；　and；　when

confronted　with　the　story　of　the　theft；　broke　down　and　confessed

all。　　He　fell　on　his　knees　before　the　noblewoman　and　plead　with

her　for　mercy。　　The　kind…hearted　lady　lectured　him　about　God；　the

salvation　of　his　soul；　and　his　future　life。　　She　talked　to　him

also　about　the　misery　and　disgrace　he　brought　upon　his　family；

and　altogether　so　worked　upon　his　feelings　that　he　cried　like　a

child。　　In　conclusion　his　kind　mistress　said：　〃I　will　forgive　you

this　time　on　the　condition　that　you　promise　faithfully　to　reform；

and　never　again　to　take　what　does　not　belong　to　you。〃



Polikey；　still　weeping；　replied：　〃I　will　never　steal　again　in　all

my　life；　and　if　I　break　my　promise　may　the　earth　open　and　swallow

me　up；　and　let　my　body　be　burned　with　red…hot　irons！〃



Polikey　returned　to　his　home；　and　throwing　himself　on　the　oven

spent　the　entire　day　weeping　and　repeating　the　promise　made　to

his　mistress。



From　that　time　on　he　was　not　again　caught　stealing；　but　his　life

became　extremely　sad；　for　he　was　regarded　with　suspicion　by　every

one　and　pointed　to　as　a　thief。



When　the　time　came　round　for　securing　recruits　for　the　army；　all

the　peasants　singled　out　Polikey　as　the　first　to　be　taken。　　The

superintendent　was　especially　anxious　to　get　rid　of　him；　and　went

to　his　mistress　to　induce　her　to　have　him　sent　away。　　The

kind…hearted　and　merciful　woman；　remembering　the　peasant's

repentance；　refused　to　grant　the　superintendent's　request；　and

told　him　he　must　take　some　other　man　in　his　stead。



　

CHAPTER　II。



One　evening　Polikey　was　sitting　on　his　bed　beside　the　table；

preparing　some　medicine　for　the　cattle；　when　suddenly　the　door

was　thrown　wide　open；　and　Aksiutka；　a　young　girl　from　the　court；

rushed　in。　　Almost　out　of　breath；　she　said：　〃My　mistress　has

ordered　you；　Polikey　Illitch　＇son　of　Ilia＇；　to　come　up　to　the

court　at　once！〃



The　girl　was　standing　and　still　breathing　heavily　from　her　late

exertion　as　she　continued：　〃Egor　Mikhailovitch；　the

superintendent；　has　been　to　see　our　lady　about　having　you　drafted

into　the　army；　and；　Polikey　Illitch；　your　name　was　mentioned

among　others。　　Our　lady　has　sent　me　to　tell　you　to　come　up　to　the

court　immediately。〃



As　soon　as　Aksiutka　had　delivered　her　message　she　left　the　room

in　the　same　abrupt　manner　in　which　she　had　entered。



Akulina；　without　saying　a　word；　got　up　and　brought　her　husband's

boots　to　him。　　They　were　poor；　worn…out　things　which　some　soldier

had　given　him；　and　his　wife　did　not　glance　at　him　as　she　handed

them　to　him。



〃Are　you　going　to　change　your　shirt；　Illitch？〃　she　asked；　at

last。



〃No；〃　replied　Polikey。



Akulina　did　not　once　look　at　him　all　the　time　he　was　putting　on

his　boots　and　preparing　to　go　to　the　court。　　Perhaps；　after　all；

it　was　better　that　she　did　not　do　so。　　His　face　was　very　pale　and

his　lips　trembled。　　He　slowly　combed　his　hair　and　was　about　to

depart　without　saying　a　word；　when　his　wife　stopped　him　to

arrange　the　ribbon　on　his　shirt；　and；　after　toying　a　little　with

his　coat；　she　put　his　hat　on　for　him　and　he　left　the　little　home。



Polikey's　next…door　neighbors　were　a　joiner　and　his　wife。　　A　thin

partition　only　separated　the　two　families；　and　each　could　hear

what　the　other　said　and　did。　　Soon　after