04-polikushka-第2节

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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　Polikey's　departure　a

woman　was　heard　to　say：　〃Well；　Polikey　Illitch；　so　your　mistress

has　sent　for　you！〃



The　voice　was　that　of　the　joiner's　wife　on　the　other　side　of　the

partition。　　Akulina　and　the　woman　had　quarrelled　that　morning

about　some　trifling　thing　done　by　one　of　Polikey's　children；　and

it　afforded　her　the　greatest　pleasure　to　learn　that　her　neighbor

had　been　summoned　into　the　presence　of　his　noble　mistress。　　She

looked　upon　such　a　circumstance　as　a　bad　omen。　　She　continued

talking　to　herself　and　said：　〃Perhaps　she　wants　to　send　him　to

the　town　to　make　some　purchases　for　her　household。　　I　did　not

suppose　she　would　select　such　a　faithful　man　as　you　are　to

perform　such　a　service　for　her。　　If　it　should　prove　that　she　DOES

want　to　send　you　to　the　next　town；　just　buy　me　a　quarter…pound　of

tea。　　Will　you；　Polikey　Illitch？〃



Poor　Akulina；　on　hearing　the　joiner's　wife　talking　so　unkindly　of

her　husband；　could　hardly　suppress　the　tears；　and；　the　tirade

continuing；　she　at　last　became　angry；　and　wished　she　could　in

some　way　punish　her。



Forgetting　her　neighbor's　unkindness；　her　thoughts　soon　turned　in

another　direction；　and　glancing　at　her　sleeping　children　she　said

to　herself　that　they　might　soon　be　orphans　and　she　herself　a

soldier's　widow。　　This　thought　greatly　distressed　her；　and

burying　her　face　in　her　hands　she　seated　herself　on　the　bed；

where　several　of　her　progeny　were　fast　asleep。　　Presently　a

little　voice　interrupted　her　meditations　by　crying　out；　〃Mamushka

＇little　mother＇；　you　are　crushing　me；〃　and　the　child　pulled　her

nightdress　from　under　her　mother's　arms。



Akulina；　with　her　head　still　resting　on　her　hands；　said：　〃Perhaps

it　would　be　better　if　we　all　should　die。　　I　only　seem　to　have

brought　you　into　the　world　to　suffer　sorrow　and　misery。〃



Unable　longer　to　control　her　grief；　she　burst　into　violent

weeping；　which　served　to　increase　the　amusement　of　the　joiner's

wife；　who　had　not　forgotten　the　morning's　squabble；　and　she

laughed　loudly　at　her　neighbor's　woe。



　

CHAPTER　III。



About　half　an　hour　had　passed　when　the　youngest　child　began　to

cry　and　Akulina　arose　to　feed　it。　　She　had　by　this　time　ceased　to

weep；　and　after　feeding　the　infant　she　again　fell　into　her　old

position；　with　her　face　buried　in　her　hands。　She　was　very　pale；

but　this　only　increased　her　beauty。　　After　a　time　she　raised　her

head；　and　staring　at　the　burning　candle　she　began　to　question

herself　as　to　why　she　had　married；　and　as　to　the　reason　that　the

Czar　required　so　many　soldiers。



Presently　she　heard　steps　outside；　and　knew　that　her　husband　was

returning。　　She　hurriedly　wiped　away　the　last　traces　of　her　tears

as　she　arose　to　let　him　pass　into　the　centre　of　the　room。



Polikey　made　his　appearance　with　a　look　of　triumph　on　his　face；

threw　his　hat　on　the　bed；　and　hastily　removed　his　coat；　but　not　a

word　did　he　utter。



Akulina；　unable　to　restrain　her　impatience；　asked；　〃Well；　what

did　she　want　with　you？〃



〃Pshaw！〃　he　replied；　〃it　is　very　well　known　that　Polikushka　is

considered　the　worst　man　in　the　village；　but　when　it　comes　to

business　of　importance；　who　is　selected　then？　　Why；　Polikushka；

of　course。〃



〃What　kind　of　business？〃　Akulina　timidly　inquired。



But　Polikey　was　in　no　hurry　to　answer　her　question。　　He　lighted

his　pipe　with　a　very　imposing　air；　and　spit　several　times　on　the

floor　before　he　replied。



Still　retaining　his　pompous　manner；　he　said；　〃She　has　ordered　me

to　go　to　a　certain　merchant　in　the　town　and　collect　a

considerable　sum　of　money。〃



〃You　to　collect　money？〃　questioned　Akulina。



Polikey　only　shook　his　head　and　smiled　significantly；　saying：



〃'You；'　the　mistress　said　to　me；　'are　a　man　resting　under　a　grave

suspiciona　man　who　is　considered　unsafe　to　trust　in　any

capacity；　but　I　have　faith　in　you；　and　will　intrust　you　with　this

important　business　of　mine　in　preference　to　any　one　else。'〃



Polikey　related　all　this　in　a　loud　voice；　so　that　his　neighbor

might　hear　what　he　had　to　say。



〃'You　promised　me　to　reform；'　my　noble　mistress　said　to　me；　'and

I　will　be　the　first　to　show　you　how　much　faith　I　have　in　your

promise。　　I　want　you　to　ride　into　town；　and；　going　to　the

principal　merchant　there；　collect　a　sum　of　money　from　him　and

bring　it　to　me。'　　I　said　to　my　mistress：　'Everything　you　order

shall　be　done。　　I　will　only　too　gladly　obey　your　slightest　wish。'



Then　my　mistress　said：　'Do　you　understand；　Polikey；　that　your

future　lot　depends　upon　the　faithful　performance　of　this　duty　I

impose　upon　you？'　　I　replied：　'Yes；　I　understand　everything；　and

feel　that　I　will　suceed　in　performing　acceptably　any　task　which

you　may　impose　upon　me。　　I　have　been　accused　of　every　kind　of

evil　deed　that　it　is　possible　to　charge　a　man　with；　but　I　have

never　done　anything　seriously　wrong　against　you；　your　honor。'　In

this　way　I　talked　to　our　mistress　until　I　succeeded　in　convincing

her　that　my　repentance　was　sincere；　and　she　became　greatly

softened　toward　me；　saying；　'If　you　are　successful　I　will　give

you　the　first　place　at　the　court。'〃



〃And　how　much　money　are　you　to　collect？〃　inquired　Akulina。



〃Fifteen　hundred　rubles；〃　carelessly　answered　Polikey。



Akulina　sadly　shook　her　head　as　she　asked；　〃When　are　you　to

start？〃



〃She　ordered　me　to　leave　here　to…morrow；〃　Polikey　replied。　　'Take

any　horse　you　please；'　she　said。　　'Come　to　the　office；　and　I　will

see　you　there　and　wish　you　God…speed　on　your　journey。'〃



〃Glory　to　Thee；　O　Lord！〃　said　Akulina；　as　she　arose　and　made　the

sign　of　the　cross。　　〃God；　I　am　sure；　will　bless　you；　Illitch；〃

she　added；　in　a　whisper；　so　that　the　people　on　the　other　side　of

the　partition　could　not　hear　what　she　said；　all　the　while　holding

on　to　his　sleeve。　〃Illitch；〃　she　cried　at　last；　excitedly；　〃for

God's　sake　promise　me　that　you　will　not　touch　a　drop　of　vodki。　

Take　an　oath　before　God；　and　kiss　the　cross；　so　that　I　may　be

sure　that　you　will　not　break　your　promise！〃



Polikey　replied　in　most　contemptuous　tones：　〃Do　you　think　I　will

dare　to　touch　vodki　when　I　shall　have　such　a　large　sum　of　money

in　my　care？〃



〃Akulina；　have　a　clean　shirt　ready　for　the　morning；〃　were　his

parting　words　for　the　night。



So　Polikey　and　his　wife　went　to　sleep　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind

and　full　of　bright　dreams　for　the　future。



　

CHAPTER　IV。



Very　early　the　next　morning；　almost　before　the　stars　had　hidden

themselves　from　view；　there　was　seen　standing　before　Polikey's

home　a　low　wagon；　the　same　in　which　the　superintendent　himself

used　to　ride；　and　harnessed　to　it　was　a　large…boned；　dark…brown

mare；　called　for　some　unknown　reason　by　the　name　of　Baraban

（drum）。　　Aniutka；　Polikey's　eldest　daughter；　in　spite　of　the

heavy　rain　and　the　cold　wind　which　was　blowing；　stood　outside

barefooted　and　held　（not　without　some　fear）　the　reins　in　ore

hand；