01-the forged coupon-第3章

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a　forged　coupon。　　He　is　a　fool　and　talks　non…
sense；　but　you；　are　a　clever　man。　　Mind　you　say
that　we　always　get　the　firewood　from　the　stores。　
And；　by　the　way；　I've　been　thinking　some　time　of
giving　you　money　to　buy　a　new　jacket；〃　added　Eu…
gene　Mihailovich；　and　gave　the　man　five　roubles。　
Vassily　looking　with　pleasure　first　at　the　five　rou…
ble　note；　then　at　Eugene　Mihailovich's　face；　shook
his　head　and　smiled。

〃I　know；　those　peasant　folks　have　no　brains。　
Ignorance；　of　course。　　Don't　you　be　uneasy。　　I
know　what　I　have　to　say。〃

Ivan　Mironov；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　implored
Eugene　Mihailovich　over　and　over　again　to　ac…
knowledge　the　coupon　he　had　given　him；　and　the
yard…porter　to　believe　what　he　said；　but　it　proved
quite　useless；　they　both　insisted　that　they　had
never　bought　firewood　from　a　peasant　in　the
street。　　The　policeman　brought　Ivan　Mironov
back　to　the　police…station；　and　he　was　charged　with
forging　the　coupon。　　Only　after　taking　the　ad…
vice　of　a　drunken　office　clerk　in　the　same　cell　with
him；　and　bribing　the　police　officer　with　five　rou…
bles；　did　Ivan　Mironov　get　out　of　jail；　without
the　coupon；　and　with　only　seven　roubles　left　out
of　the　twenty…five　he　had　the　day　before。

Of　these　seven　roubles　he　spent　three　in　the
public…house　and　came　home　to　his　wife　dead
drunk；　with　a　bruised　and　swollen　face。

His　wife　was　expecting　a　child；　and　felt　very
ill。　　She　began　to　scold　her　husband；　he　pushed
her　away；　and　she　struck　him。　　Without　answer…
ing　a　word　he　lay　down　on　the　plank　and　began
to　weep　bitterly。

Not　till　the　next　day　did　he　tell　his　wife　what
had　actually　happened。　　She　believed　him　at
once；　and　thoroughly　cursed　the　dastardly　rich
man　who　had　cheated　Ivan。　　He　was　sobered
now；　and　remembering　the　advice　a　workman　had
given　him；　with　whom　he　had　many　a　drink　the
day　before；　decided　to　go　to　a　lawyer　and　tell　him
of　the　wrong　the　owner　of　the　photograph　shop
had　done　him。



VIII

THE　lawyer　consented　to　take　proceedings　on　be…
half　of　Ivan　Mironov；　not　so　much　for　the　sake
of　the　fee；　as　because　he　believed　the　peasant；　and
was　revolted　by　the　wrong　done　to　him。

Both　parties　appeared　in　the　court　when　the
case　was　tried；　and　the　yard…porter　Vassily　was
summoned　as　witness。　　They　repeated　in　the
court　all　they　had　said　before　to　the　police　officials。　
Ivan　Mironov　again　called　to　his　aid　the　name　of
the　Divinity；　and　reminded　the　shopkeeper　of　the
hour　of　death。　　Eugene　Mihailovich；　although
quite　aware　of　his　wickedness；　and　the　risks　he
was　running；　despite　the　rebukes　of　his　conscience；
could　not　now　change　his　testimony；　and　went　on
calmly　to　deny　all　the　allegations　made　against
him。

The　yard…porter　Vassily　had　received　another
ten　roubles　from　his　master；　and；　quite　unper…
turbed；　asserted　with　a　smile　that　he　did　not　know
anything　about　Ivan　Mironov。　　And　when　he
was　called　upon　to　take　the　oath；　he　overcame　his
inner　qualms；　and　repeated　with　assumed　ease
the　terms　of　the　oath；　read　to　him　by　the　old
priest　appointed　to　the　court。　　By　the　holy　Cross
and　the　Gospel；　he　swore　that　he　spoke　the　whole
truth。

The　case　was　decided　against　Ivan　Mironov；
who　was　sentenced　to　pay　five　roubles　for　expenses。　
This　sum　Eugene　Mihailovich　generously　paid
for　him。　　Before　dismissing　Ivan　Mironov；　the
judge　severely　admonished　him；　saying　he　ought
to　take　care　in　the　future　not　to　accuse　respectable
people；　and　that　he　also　ought　to　be　thankful　that
he　was　not　forced　to　pay　the　costs；　and　that　he　had
escaped　a　prosecution　for　slander；　for　which　he
would　have　been　condemned　to　three　months'　im…
prisonment。

〃I　offer　my　humble　thanks；〃　said　Ivan　Mi…
ronov；　and；　shaking　his　head；　left　the　court　with
a　heavy　sigh。

The　whole　thing　seemed　to　have　ended　well　for
Eugene　Mihailovich　and　the　yard…porter　Vassily。
But　only　in　appearance。　　Something　had　hap…
pened　which　was　not　noticed　by　any　one；　but　which
was　much　more　important　than　all　that　had　been
exposed　to　view。

Vassily　had　left　his　village　and　settled　in　town
over　two　years　ago。　　As　time　went　on　he　sent
less　and　less　money　to　his　father；　and　he　did　not
ask　his　wife；　who　remained　at　home；　to　join　him。　
He　was　in　no　need　of　her；　he　could　in　town　have
as　many　wives　as　he　wished；　and　much　better　ones
too　than　that　clumsy；　village…bred　woman。　　Vas…
sily；　with　each　recurring　year；　became　more　and
more　familiar　with　the　ways　of　the　town　people；
forgetting　the　conventions　of　a　country　life。　
There　everything　was　so　vulgar；　so　grey；　so　poor
and　untidy。　　Here；　in　town；　all　seemed　on　the
contrary　so　refined；　nice；　clean；　and　rich；　so　or…
derly　too。　　And　he　became　more　and　more　con…
vinced　that　people　in　the　country　live　just　like
wild　beasts；　having　no　idea　of　what　life　is；　and
that　only　life　in　town　is　real。　　He　read　books
written　by　clever　writers；　and　went　to　the　perform…
ances　in　the　Peoples'　Palace。　　In　the　country；
people　would　not　see　such　wonders　　even　in　dreams。　
In　the　country　old　men　say：　　〃Obey　the　law；　and
live　with　your　wife；　work；　don't　eat　too　much；
don't　care　for　finery；〃　while　here；　in　town；　all　the
clever　and　learned　peoplethose；　of　course；
who　know　what　in　reality　the　law　isonly　pur…
sue　their　own　pleasures。　　And　they　are　the　bet…
ter　for　it。

Previous　to　the　incident　of　the　forged　coupon；
Vassily　could　not　actually　believe　that　rich　people
lived　without　any　moral　law。　　But　after　that；
still　more　after　having　perjured　himself；　and　not
being　the　worse　for　it　in　spite　of　his　fearson
the　contrary；　he　had　gained　ten　roubles　out　of　it
Vassily　became　firmly　convinced　that　no　moral
laws　whatever　exist；　and　that　the　only　thing　to　do
is　to　pursue　one's　own　interests　and　pleasures。　
This　he　now　made　his　rule　in　life。　　He　accord…
ingly　got　as　much　profit　as　he　could　out　of　pur…
chasing　goods　for　lodgers。　　But　this　did　not　pay
all　his　expenses。　　Then　he　took　to　stealing；　when…
ever　chance　offeredmoney　and　all　sorts　of　val…
uables。　　One　day　he　stole　a　purse　full　of　money
from　Eugene　Mihailovich；　but　was　found　out。　
Eugene　Mihailovich　did　not　hand　him　over　to　the
police；　but　dismissed　him　on　the　spot。

Vassily　had　no　wish　whatever　to　return　home
to　his　village；　and　remained　in　Moscow　with　his
sweetheart；　looking　out　for　a　new　job。　　He　got
one　as　yard…porter　at　a　grocer's；　but　with　only
small　wages。　　The　next　day　after　he　had　entered
that　service　he　was　caught　stealing　bags。　　The
grocer　did　not　call　in　the　police；　but　gave　him　a
good　thrashing　and　turned　him　out。　　After　that
he　could　not　find　work。　　The　money　he　had　left
was　soon　gone；　he　had　to　sell　all　his　clothes　and
went　about　nearly　in　rags。　　His　sweetheart　left
him。　　But　notwithstanding；　he　kept　up　his　high
spirits；　and　when　the　spring　came　he　started　to
walk　home。



IX

PETER　NIKOLAEVICH　SVENTIZKY；　a　short　man　in
black　spectacles　（he　had　weak　eyes；　and　was
threatened　with　complete　blindness）；　got　up；　as
was　his　custom；　at　dawn　of　day；　had　a　cup　of　tea；
and　putting　on　his　short　fur　coat　trimmed　with
astrachan；　went　to　look　after　the　work　on　his　es…
tate。

Peter　Nikolaevich　had　been　an　official　in　the
Customs；　and　had　gained　eighteen　thousand　rou…
bles　during　his　service。　　About　twelve　years　ago
he　quitted　the　servicenot　quite　of　his　own　ac…
cord：　　as　a　matter　of　fact　he　had　been　compelled
to　leaveand　bought　an　estate　from　a　young
land…owner　who　had　dissipated　his　fortune。　　Peter
Nikolaevich　had　married　at　an　earlier　period；
while　still　an　official　in　the　Customs。　　His　wife；
who　belonged　to　an　old　noble　family；　was　an
orphan；　and　was　left　without　money。　　She　was
a　tall；　stoutish；　good…looking　woman。　　They　had
no　children。　　Peter　Nikolaevich　had　considerable
practical　talents　and　a　strong　will。　　He　was　the
son　of　a　Polish　gentleman；　and　knew　nothing
about　agriculture　and　land　management；　but
when　he　acquired　an　estate　of　his　own；　he　man…
aged　it　so　well　that　after　fifteen　years　the　waste
piece　of　land；　consisting　of　three　hundred　acres；
became　a　model　estate。　　All　the　buildings；　from
the　dwelling…house　to　the　corn　stores　and　the　shed
for　the　fire　engine　were　solidly　built；　had　iron
roofs；　and　were　painted　at　the　right　time。　　In　the
tool　house　carts；　ploughs；　harrows；　stood　in　per…
fect　order；　the　harness　was　well　cleaned　and　oiled。　
The　horses　were　not　very　big；　but　all　home…bred；
grey；　well　fed；　strong　and　devoid　of　blemish。

The　threshing　machine　worked　in　a　roofed
barn；　the　forage　was　kept　in　a　separate　shed；　and
a　paved　drain　was　made　from　the　stables。　　The
cows　were　home…bred；　not　very　large；　but　giving
plenty　of　milk；　fowls　were　also　kept　in　the　poultry
yard；　and　the　hens　were　of　a　special　kind；　laying
a　great　quantity　of　eggs。　　In　the　orchard　the　fruit
trees　were　well　whitewashed　　and　propped　on　poles
to　enable　them　to　grow　straight。　　Everything　was
looked　aftersolid；　clean；　and　in　perfect　order。　
Peter　Nikolaevich　rejoiced　in　the　perfect　condi…
tion　of　his　estate；　and　was　proud　to　have　achieved
itnot　by　oppressing　the　peasants；　but；　on　the
contrary；　by　the　extreme　fairness　of　his　dealings
with　them。

Among　the　nobles　of　his　province　he　belonged
to　the　advanced　party；　and　was　more　inclined　to
liberal　than　conservative　views；　always　taking　the
side　of　the　peasants　against　those　who　were　still
in　favour　of　serfdom。　　〃Treat　them　well；　and
they　will　be　fair　to　you；〃　he　used　to　say。　　Of
course；　he　did　not　overlook　any　carelessness　on
the　part　of　those　who　worked　on　his　estate；　and
he　urged　them　on　to　work　if　they　were　lazy；　but
then　he　gave　them　good　lodging；　with　plenty　of
good　food；　paid　their　wages　without　any　delay；
and　gave　them　drinks　on　days　of　festival。

Walking　cautiously　on　the　melting　snowfor
the　time　of　the　year　was　FebruaryPeter　Nikol…
aevich　passed　the　stables；　and　made　his　way　to
the　cottage　where　his　workmen　were　lodged。　
It　was　still　dark；　the　darker　because　of　the　dense
fog；　but　the　windows　of　the　cottage　were　lighted。　
The　men　had　already　got　up。　　His　intention　was
to　urge　them　to　begin　work。　　He　had　arranged
that　they　should　drive　out　to　the　forest　and　bring
back　the　last　supply　of　firewood　he　needed　before
spring。

〃What　is　that？〃　he　thought；　seeing　the　door
of　the　stable　wide　open。　　〃Hallo；　who　is　there？〃

No　answer。　　Peter　Nikolaevich　stepped　into
the　stable。　　It　was　dark；　the　ground　was　soft
under　his　feet；　and　the　air　smelt　of　dung；　on　the
right　side　of　the　door　were　two　loose　boxes　for
a　pair　of　grey　horses。　　Peter　Nikolaevich
stretched　out　his　hand　in　their　directionone
box　was　empty。　　He　put　out　his　footthe　horse
might　have　been　lying　down。　　But　his　foot　did
not　touch　anything　solid。　　〃Where　could　they
have　taken　the　horse？〃　he　thought。　　They　cer…
tainly　had　not　harnessed　it；　all　the　sledges　stood
still　outside。　　Peter　Nikolaevich　went　out　of　the
stable。

〃Stepan；　come　here！〃　he　called。

Stepan　was　the　head　of　the　workmen's　gang。　
He　was　just　stepping　out　of　the　cottage。

〃Here　I　am！〃　he　said；　in　a　cheerful　voice。　
〃Oh；　is　that　you；　Peter　Nikolaevich？　Our　men
are　coming。〃

〃Why　is　the　stable　door　open？

〃Is　it？　I　don't　know　anything　about　it。　　I
say；　Proshka；　bring　the　lantern！〃

Proshka　came　with　the　lantern。　　They　all　went
to