01-the forged coupon-第4节

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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　the　stable；　and　Stepan　knew　at　once　what　had
happened。

〃Thieves　have　been　here；　Peter　Nikolaevich；〃
he　said。　　〃The　lock　is　broken。〃

〃No；　you　don't　say　so！〃

〃Yes；　the　brigands！　I　don't　see　'Mashka。'
'Hawk'　is　here。　　But　'Beauty'　is　not。　　Nor　yet
'Dapple…grey。'〃

Three　horses　had　been　stolen！

Peter　Nikolaevich　did　not　utter　a　word　at　first。　
He　only　frowned　and　took　deep　breaths。

〃Oh；〃　he　said　after　a　while。　　〃If　only　I　could
lay　hands　on　them！　Who　was　on　guard？〃

〃Peter。　　He　evidently　fell　asleep。〃

Peter　Nikolaevich　called　in　the　police；　and
making　an　appeal　to　all　the　authorities；　sent　his
men　to　track　the　thieves。　　But　the　horses　were
not　to　be　found。

〃Wicked　people；〃　said　Peter　Nikolaevich。
〃How　could　they！　I　was　always　so　kind　to
them。　　Now；　wait！　Brigands！　Brigands　the
whole　lot　of　them。　　I　will　no　longer　be　kind。〃



X

IN　the　meanwhile　the　horses；　the　grey　ones；　had
all　been　disposed　of；　Mashka　was　sold　to　the　gip…
sies　for　eighteen　roubles；　Dapple…grey　was　ex…
changed　for　another　horse；　and　passed　over　to
another　peasant　who　lived　forty　miles　away　from
the　estate；　and　Beauty　died　on　the　way。　　The　man
who　conducted　the　whole　affair　wasIvan　Mi…
ronov。　　He　had　been　employed　on　the　estate；　and
knew　all　the　whereabouts　of　Peter　Nikolaevich。
He　wanted　to　get　back　the　money　he　had　lost；　and
stole　the　horses　for　that　reason。

After　his　misfortune　with　the　forged　coupon；
Ivan　Mironov　took　to　drink；　and　all　he　possessed
would　have　gone　on　drink　if　it　had　not　been　for
his　wife；　who　locked　up　his　clothes；　the　horses'
collars；　and　all　the　rest　of　what　he　would　other…
wise　have　squandered　in　public…houses。　　In　his
drunken　state　Ivan　Mironov　was　continually
thinking；　not　only　of　the　man　who　had　wronged
him；　but　of　all　the　rich　people　who　live　on　robbing
the　poor。　　One　day　he　had　a　drink　with　some
peasants　from　the　suburbs　of　Podolsk；　and　was
walking　home　together　with　them。　　On　the　way
the　peasants；　who　were　completely　drunk；　told　him
they　had　stolen　a　horse　from　a　peasant's　cottage。　
Ivan　Mironov　got　angry；　and　began　to　abuse　the
horse…thieves。

〃What　a　shame！〃　he　said。　　〃A　horse　is　like
a　brother　to　the　peasant。　　And　you　robbed　him　of
it？　　It　is　a　great　sin；　I　tell　you。　　If　you　go　in　for
stealing　horses；　steal　them　from　the　landowners。　
They　are　worse　than　dogs；　and　deserve　anything。〃

The　talk　went　on；　and　the　peasants　from　Po…
dolsk　told　him　that　it　required　a　great　deal　of
cunning　to　steal　a　horse　on　an　estate。

〃You　must　know　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the
place；　and　must　have　somebody　on　the　spot　to
help　you。〃

Then　it　occurred　to　Ivan　Mironov　that　he　knew
a　landownerSventizky；　he　had　worked　on　his
estate；　and　Sventizky；　when　paying　him　off；　had
deducted　one　rouble　and　a　half　for　a　broken　tool。　
He　remembered　well　the　grey　horses　which　he
used　to　drive　at　Sventizky's。

Ivan　Mironov　called　on　Peter　Nikolaevich　pre…
tending　to　ask　for　employment；　but　really　in　or…
der　to　get　the　information　he　wanted。　　He　took
precautions　to　make　sure　that　the　watc