01-the forged coupon-第14节

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IX

VASSILY　knew　well　that　cell　on　the　upper　floor。　
He　knew　its　floor；　and　began　at　once　to　take　out
bits　of　it。　　When　he　had　managed　to　get　under
the　floor　he　took　out　pieces　of　the　ceiling　beneath；
and　jumped　down　into　the　mortuary　a　floor　below。　
That　day　only　one　corpse　was　lying　on　the　table。　
There　in　the　corner　of　the　room　were　stored　bags
to　make　hay　mattresses　for　the　prisoners。　　Vas…
sily　knew　about　the　bags；　and　that　was　why　　the
mortuary　served　his　purposes。　　The　prop　in　the
door　had　been　unscrewed　and　put　in　again。　　He
took　it　out；　opened　the　door；　and　went　out　into
the　passage　to　the　lavatory　which　was　being　built。　
In　the　lavatory　was　a　large　hole　connecting　the
third　floor　with　the　basement　floor。　　After　hav…
ing　found　the　door　of　the　lavatory　he　went　back
to　the　mortuary；　stripped　the　sheet　off　the　dead
body　which　was　as　cold　as　ice　（in　taking　off　the
sheet　Vassily　touched　his　hand）；　took　the　bags；
tied　them　together　to　make　a　rope；　and　carried
the　rope　to　the　lavatory。　　Then　he　attached　it
to　the　cross…beam；　and　climbed　down　along　it。　
The　rope　did　not　reach　the　ground；　but　he　did
not　know　how　much　was　wanting。　　Anyhow；　he
had　to　take　the　risk。　　He　remained　hanging　in
the　air；　and　then　jumped　down。　　His　legs　were
badly　hurt；　but　he　could　still　walk　on。　　The
basement　had　two　windows；　he　could　have　climbed
out　of　one　of　them　but　for　the　grating　protecting
them。　　He　had　to　break　the　grating；　but　there
was　no　tool　to　do　it　with。　　Vassily　began　to　look
around　him；　and　chanced　on　a　piece　of　plank　with
a　sharp　edge；　armed　with　that　weapon　he　tried
to　loosen　the　bricks　which　held　the　grating。　　He
worked　a　long　time　at　that　task。　　The　cock
crowed　for　the　second　time；　but　the　grating　still
held。　　At　last　he　had　loosened　one　side；　and　then
he　pushed　the　plank　under　the　loosened　end　and
pressed　with　all　his　force。　　The　grating　gave　way
completely；　but　at　that　moment　one　of　the　bricks
fell　down　heavily。　　The　noise　could　have　been
heard　by　the　sentry。　　Vassily　stood　motionless。　
But　silence　reigned。　　He　climbed　out　of　the　win…
dow。　　His　way　of　escape　was　to　climb　the　wall。　
An　outhouse　stood　in　the　corner　of　the　courtyard。　
He　had　to　reach　its　roof；　and　pass　thence　to　the
top　of　the　wall。　　But　he　would　not　be　able　to
reach　the　roof　without　the　help　of　the　plank；　so
he　had　to　go　back　through　the　basement　　window
to　fetch　it。　　A　moment　later　he　came　out　of　the
window　with　the　plank　in　his　hands；　he　stood　still
for　a　while　listening　to　the　steps　of　the　sentry。　
His　expectations　were　justified。　　The　sentry　was
walking　up　and　down　on　the　other　side　of　the
courtyard。　　Vassily　came　up　to　the　outhouse；
leaned　the　plank　against　it；　and　began　climbing。　
The　plank　slipped　and　fell　on　the　ground。　　Vas…
sily　had　his　stockings　on；　he　took　them　off　so　that
be　could　cling　with　his　bare　feet　in　coming　down。　
Then　he　leaned　the　plank　again　against　the　house；
and　seized　the　water…pipe　with　his　hands。　　If　only
this　time　the　plank　would　hold！　A　quick　move…
ment　up　the　water…pipe；　and　his　knee　rested　on
the　roof。　　The　sentry　was　approaching。　　Vassily
lay　motionless。　　The　sentry　did　not　notice　him；
and　passed　on。　　Vassily　leaped　to　his　feet；　the
iron　roof　cracked　under　him。　　Another　step　or
two；　and　he　would　reach　the　wall。　　He　could
touch　it　with　his　hand　now。　　He　leaned　forward
with　one　hand；　then　with　the　other；　stretched　out
his　body　as　far　as　he　could；　and　found　himself
on　the　wall。　　Only；　not　to　break　his　legs　in　jump…
ing　down；　Vassily　turned　round；　remained　hang…
ing　in　the　air　by　his　hands；　stretched　himself　out；
loosened　the　grip　of　one　hand；　then　the　other。　
〃Help；　me；　God！〃　He　was　on　the　ground。
And　the　ground　was　soft。　　His　legs　were　not
hurt；　and　he　ran　at　the　top　of　his　speed。　　In　a
suburb；　Malania　opened　her　door；　and　he　crept
under　her　warm　coverlet；　made　of　small　pieces
of　different　colours　stitched　together。



X

THE　wife　of　Peter　Nikolaevich　Sventizky；　a　tall
and　handsome　woman；　as　quiet　and　sleek　as　a
well…fed　heifer；　had　seen　from　her　window　how
her　husband　had　been　murdered　and　dragged　away
into　the　fields。　　The　horror　of　such　a　sight　to
Natalia　Ivanovna　was　so　intensehow　could　it
be　otherwise？that　all　her　other　feelings　van…
ished。　　No　sooner　had　the　crowd　disappeared
from　view　behind　the　garden　fence；　and　the　voices
had　become　still；　no　sooner　had　the　bare…footed
Malania；　their　servant；　run　in　with　her　eyes　start…
ing　out　of　her　head；　calling　out　in　a　voice　more
suited　to　the　proclamation　of　glad　tidings　the
news　that　Peter　Nikolaevich　had　been　murdered
and　thrown　into　the　ravine；　than　Natalia　Ivan…
ovna　felt　that　behind　her　first　sensation　of　horror；
there　was　another　sensation；　a　feeling　of　joy　at
her　deliverance　from　the　tyrant；　who　through　all
the　nineteen　years　of　their　married　life　had　made
her　work　without　a　moment's　rest。　　Her　joy
made　her　aghast；　she　did　not　confess　it　to　herself；
but　hid　it　the　more　from　those　around。　　When
his　mutilated；　yellow　and　hairy　body　was　being
washed　and　put　into　the　coffin；　she　cried　with　hor…
ror；　and　wept　and　sobbed。　　When　the　coroner
a　special　coroner　for　serious　casescame　and
was　taking　her　evidence；　she　noticed　in　the　room；
where　the　inquest　was　taking　place；　two　peasants
in　irons；　who　had　been　charged　as　the　principal
culprits。　　One　of　them　was　an　old　man　with　a
curly　white　beard；　and　a　calm　and　severe　coun…
tenance。　　The　other　was　rather　young；　of　a　gipsy
type；　with　bright　eyes　and　curly　dishevelled　hair。　
She　declared　that　they　were　the　two　men　who　had
first　seized　hold　of　Peter　Nikolaevich's　hands。　
In　spite　of　the　gipsy…like　peasant　looking　at　her
with　his　eyes　glistening　from　under　his　moving
eyebrows；　and　saying　reproachfully：　　〃A　great
sin；　lady；　it　is。　　Remember　your　death　hour！〃
in　spite　of　that；　she　did　not　feel　at　all　sorry　for
them。　　On　the　contrary；　she　began　to　hate　them
during　the　inquest；　and　wished　desperately　to
take　revenge　on　her　husband's　murderers。

A　month　later；　after　the　case；　which　was　com…
mitted　for　trial　by　court…martial；　had　ended　in
eight　men　being　sentenced　to　hard　labour；　and　in
twothe　old　man　with　the　white　beard；　and　the
gipsy　boy；　as　she　called　the　otherbeing　con…
demned　to　be　hanged；　Natalia　felt　vaguely　uneasy。　
But　unpleasant　doubts　soon　pass　away　under　the
solemnity　of　a　trial。　　Since　such　high　authorities
considered　that　this　was　the　right　thing　to　do；　it
must　be　right。

The　execution　was　to　take　place　in　the　village
itself。　　One　Sunday　Malania　came　home　from
church　in　her　new　dress　and　her　new　boots；　and
announced　to　her　mistress　that　the　gallows　were
being　erected；　and　that　the　hangman　was　expected
from　Moscow　on　Wednesday。　　She　also　an…
nounced　that　the　families　of　the　convicts　were
raging；　and　that　their　cries　could　be　heard　all　over
the　village。

Natalia　Ivanovna　did　not　go　out　of　her　house；
she　did　not　wish　to　see　the　gallows　and　the　people
in　the　village；　she　only　wanted　what　had　to　hap…
pen　to　be　over　quickly。　　She　only　considered　her
own　feelings；　and　did　not　care　for　the　convicts
and　their　families。

On　Tuesday　the　village　constable　called　on
Natalia　Ivanovna。　　He　was　a　friend；　and　she　of…
fered　him　vodka　and　preserved　mushrooms　of　her
own　making。　　The　constable；　after　eating　a　little；
told　her　that　the　execution　was　not　to　take　place
the　next　day。

〃Why？〃

〃A　very　strange　thing　has　happened。　　There
is　no　hangman　to　be　found。　　They　had　one　in
Moscow；　my　son　told　me；　but　he　has　been　reading
the　Gospels　a　good　deal　and　says：　　'I　will　not
commit　a　murder。'　He　had　himself　been　sen…
tenced　to　hard　labour　for　having　committed　a　mur…
der；　and　now　he　objects　to　hang　when　the　law　or…
ders　him。　　He　was　threatened　with　flogging。　
'You　may　flog　me；'　he　said；　'but　I　won't　do　it。'〃

Natalia　Ivanovna　grew　red　and　hot　at　the
thought　which　suddenly　came　into　her　head。

〃Could　not　the　death　sentence　be　commuted
now？〃

〃How　so；　since　the　judges　have　passed　it？
The　Czar　alone　has　the　right　of　amnesty。〃

〃But　how　would　he　know？〃

〃They　have　the　right　of　appealing　to　him。〃

〃But　it　is　on　my　account　they　are　to　die；〃　said
that　stupid　woman；　Natalia　Ivanovna。　　〃And　I
forgive　them。〃

The　constable　laughed。　　〃Wellsend　a　pe…
tition　to　the　Czar。〃

〃May　I　do　it？〃

〃Of　course　you　may。〃

〃But　is　it　not　too　late？〃

〃Send　it　by　telegram。〃

〃To　the　Czar　himself？〃

〃To　the　Czar；　if　you　like。〃

The　story　of　the　hangman　having　refused　to
do　his　duty；　and　preferring　to　take　the　flogging
instead；　suddenly　changed　the　soul　of　Natalia
Ivanovna。　　The　pity　and　the　horror　she　felt　the
moment　she　heard　that　the　peasants　were　sen…
tenced　to　death；　could　not　be　stifled　now；　but
filled　her　whole　soul。

〃Filip　Vassilievich；　my　friend。　　Write　that　tel…
egram　for　me。　　I　want　to　appeal　to　the　Czar　to
pardon　them。〃

The　constable　shook　his　head。　　〃I　wonder
whether　that　would　not　involve　us　in　trouble？〃

〃I　do　it　upon　my　own　responsibility。　　I　will
not　mention　your　name。〃

〃Is　not　she　a　kind　woman；〃　thought　the　con…
stable。　　〃Very　kind…hearted；　to　be　sure。　　If　my
wife　had　such　a　heart；　our　life　would　be　a　para…
dise；　instead　of　what　it　is　now　〃　　And　he　wrot