01-the forged coupon-第17节

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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　do…
ing　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　fin…
ished　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　of…
fered　him　a　convict；　Stepan　Pelageushkine；　to　ac…
company　him　on　his　journey。

〃A　convict；　you　say？　But　is　not　that　danger…
ous？〃

〃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　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。