01-the forged coupon-第7节

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side　track　in　the　forest　where　he　hoped　to　meet
nobody。　　But　by　ill…luck；　he　chanced　on　the　keeper
of　the　forest；　a　retired　soldier。

〃I　say！　Have　you　been　looking　for　mush…
rooms？〃　asked　the　soldier。

〃There　were　none　to　be　found；〃　answered
Ivan　Mironov；　showing　the　basket　of　lime　bark
he　had　taken　with　him　in　case　he　might　want　it。

〃Yes；　mushrooms　are　scarce　this　summer；〃　said
the　soldier。　　He　stood　still　for　a　moment；　pon…
dered；　and　then　went　his　way。　　He　clearly　saw
that　something　was　wrong。　　Ivan　Mironov　had
no　business　whatever　to　take　early　morning　walks
in　that　forest。　　The　soldier　went　back　after　a
while　and　looked　round。　　Suddenly　he　heard　the
snorting　of　horses　in　the　ravine。　　He　made　his
way　cautiously　to　the　place　whence　the　sounds
came。　　The　grass　in　the　ravine　was　trodden
down；　and　the　marks　of　horses'　hoofs　were　clearly
to　be　seen。　　A　little　further　he　saw　Gerassim；
who　was　sitting　and　eating　his　meal；　and　the　horses
tied　to　a　tree。

The　soldier　ran　to　the　village　and　brought　back
the　bailiff；　a　police　officer；　and　two　witnesses。　
They　surrounded　on　three　sides　the　spot　where
Gerassim　was　sitting　and　seized　the　man。　　He　did
not　deny　anything；　but；　being　drunk；　told　them　at
once　how　Ivan　Mironov　had　given　him　plenty　of
drink；　and　induced　him　to　steal　the　horses；　he
also　said　that　Ivan　Mironov　had　promised　to　come
that　night　in　order　to　take　the　horses　away。　　The
peasants　left　the　horses　and　Gerassim　in　the　ra…
vine；　and　hiding　behind　the　trees　prepared　to　lie　in
ambush　for　Ivan　Mironov。　　When　it　grew　dark；
they　heard　a　whistle。　　Gerassim　answered　it　with
a　similar　sound。　　The　moment　Ivan　Mironov　de…
scended　the　slope；　the　peasants　surrounded　him
and　brought　him　back　to　the　village。　　The　next
morning　a　crowd　assembled　in　front　of　the　bailiff's
cottage。　　Ivan　Mironov　was　brought　out　and　sub…
jected　to　a　close　examination。　　Stepan　Pelageush…
kine；　a　tall；　stooping　man　with　long　arms；　an
aquiline　nose；　and　a　gloomy　face　was　the　first　to
put　questions　to　him。　　Stepan　had　terminated　his
military　service；　and　was　of　a　solitary　turn　of
mind。　　When　he　had　separated　from　his　father；
and　started　his　own　home；　he　had　his　first　experi…
ence　of　losing　a　horse。　　After　that　he　worked　for
two　years　in　the　mines；　and　made　money　enough
to　buy　two　horses。　　These　two　had　been　stolen　by
Ivan　Mironov。

〃Tell　me　where　my　horses　are！〃　shouted
Stepan；　pale　with　fury；　alternately　looking　at　the
ground　and　at　Ivan　Mironov's　face。

Ivan　Mironov　denied　his　guilt。　　Then　Stepan
aimed　so　violent　a　blow　at　his　face　that　he
smashed　his　nose　and　the　blood　spurted　out。

〃Tell　the　truth；　I　say；　or　I'll　kill　you！〃

Ivan　Mironov　kept　silent；　trying　to　avoid　the
blows　by　stooping。　　Stepan　hit　him　twice　more
with　his　long　arm。　　Ivan　Mironov　remained
silent；　turning　his　head　backwards　and　forwards。

〃Beat　him；　all　of　you！〃　cried　the　bailiff；　and
the　whole　crowd　rushed　upon　Ivan　Mironov。　　He
fell　without　a　word　to　the　ground；　and　then
shouted；

〃Devils；　wild　beasts；　kill　me　if　that's　what　you
want！　I　am　not　afraid　of　you！〃

Stepan　seized　a　stone　out　of　those　that　had　been
collected　for　the　purpose；　and　with　a　heavy　blow
smashed　Ivan　Mironov's　head。



XV

IVAN　MIRONOV'S　murderers　were　brought　to
trial；　Stepan　Pelageushkine　among　them。　　He　had
a　heavier　charge　to　answer　than　the　others；　all
the　witnesses　having　stated　that　it　was　he　who
had　smashed　Ivan　Mironov's　head　with　a　stone。　
Stepan　concealed　nothing　when　in　court。　　He　con…
tented　himself　with　explaining　that；　having　been
robbed　of　his　two　last　horses；　he　had　informed　the
police。　　Now　it　was　comparatively　easy　at　that
time　to　trace　the　horses　with　the　help　of　profes…
sional　thieves　among　the　gipsies。　　But　the　police
officer　would　not　even　permit　him；　and　no　search
had　been　ordered。

〃Nothing　else　could　be　done　with　such　a　man。　
He　has　ruined　us　all。〃

〃But　why　did　not　the　others　attack　him。　　It
was　you　alone　who　broke　his　head　open。〃

〃That　is　false。　　We　all　fell　upon　him。　　The
village　agreed　to　kill　him。　　I　only　gave　the　final
stroke。　　What　is　the　use　of　inflicting　unnecessary
sufferings　on　a　man？〃

The　judges　were　astonished　at　Stepan's　wonder…
ful　coolness　in　narrating　the　story　of　his　crime
how　the　peasants　fell　upon　Ivan　Mironov；　and
how　he　had　given　the　final　stroke。　　Stepan　act…
ually　did　not　see　anything　particularly　revolting　in
this　murder。　　During　his　military　service　he　had
been　ordered　on　one　occasion　to　shoot　a　soldier；
and；　now　with　regard　to　Ivan　Mironov；　he　saw
nothing　loathsome　in　it。　　〃A　man　shot　is　a　dead
manthat's　all。　　It　was　him　to…day；　it　might　be
me　to…morrow；〃　he　thought。　　Stepan　was　only
sentenced　to　one　year's　imprisonment；　which　was
a　mild　punishment　for　what　he　had　done。　　His
peasant's　dress　was　taken　away　from　him　and　put
in　the　prison　stores；　and　he　had　a　prison　suit　and
felt　boots　given　to　him　instead。　　Stepan　had　never
had　much　respect　for　the　authorities；　but　now　he
became　quite　convinced　that　all　the　chiefs；　all　the
fine　folk；　all　except　the　Czarwho　alone　had　pity
on　the　peasants　and　was　justall　were　robbers
who　suck　blood　out　of　the　people。　　All　he　heard
from　the　deported　convicts；　and　those　sentenced　to
hard　labour；　with　whom　he　had　made　friends　in
prisons；　confirmed　him　in　his　views。　　One　man
had　been　sentenced　to　hard　labour　for　having　con…
victed　his　superiors　of　a　theft；　another　for　having
struck　an　official　who　had　unjustly　confiscated　the
property　of　a　peasant；　a　third　because　he　forged
bank　notes。　　The　well…to…do…people；　the　mer…
chants；　might　do　whatever　they　chose　and　come
to　no　harm；　but　a　poor　peasant；　for　a　trumpery
reason　or　for　none　at　all；　was　sent　to　prison　to
become　food　for　vermin。

He　had　visits　from　his　wife　while　in　prison。　
Her　life　without　him　was　miserable　enough；　when；
to　make　it　worse；　her　cottage　was　destroyed　by
fire。　　She　was　completely　ruined；　and　had　to　take
to　begging　with　her　children。　　His　wife's　misery
embittered　Stepan　still　more。　　He　got　on　very
badly　with　all　the　people　in　the　prison；　was　rude
to　every　one；　and　one　day　he　nearly　killed　the　cook
with　an　axe；　and　therefore　got　an　additional　year
in　prison。　　In　the　course　of　that　year　he　received
the　news　that　his　wife　was　dead；　and　that　he　had
no　longer　a　home。


When　Stepan　had　finished　his　time　in　prison；
he　was　taken　to　the　prison　stores；　and　his　own
dress　was　taken　down　from　the　shelf　and　handed
to　him。

〃Where　am　I　to　go　now？〃　he　asked　the　prison
officer；　putting　on　his　old　dress。

〃Why；　home。〃

〃I　have　no　home。　　I　shall　have　to　go　on　the
road。　　Robbery　will　not　be　a　pleasant　occupa…
tion。〃

〃In　that　case　you　will　soon　be　back　here。〃

〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that。〃

And　Stepan　left　the　prison。　　Nevertheless　he
took　the　road　to　his　own　place。　　He　had　nowhere
else　to　turn。

On　his　way　he　stopped　for　a　night's　rest　in　an
inn　that　had　a　public　bar　attached　to　it。　　The　inn
was　kept　by　a　fat　man　from　the　town；　Vladimir；
and　he　knew　Stepan。　　He　knew　that　Stepan　had
been　put　into　prison　through　ill　luck；　and　did　not
mind　giving　him　shelter　for　the　night。　　He　was
a　rich　man；　and　had　persuaded　his　neighbour's
wife　to　leave　her　husband　and　come　to　live　with
him。　　She　lived　in　his　house　as　his　wife；　and
helped　him　in　his　business　as　well。

Stepan　knew　all　about　the　innkeeper's　affairs
how　he　had　wronged　the　peasant；　and　how　the
woman　who　was　living　with　him　had　left　her　hus…
band。　　He　saw　her　now　sitting　at　the　table　in　a
rich　dress；　and　looking　very　hot　as　she　drank　her
tea。　　With　great　condescension　she　asked　Stepan
to　have　tea　with　her。　　No　other　travellers　were
stopping　in　the　inn　that　night。　　Stepan　was　given
a　place　in　the　kitchen　where　he　might　sleep。　　Ma…
trenathat　was　the　woman's　namecleared　the
table　and　went　to　her　room。　　Stepan　went　to　lie
down　on　the　large　stove　in　the　kitchen；　but　he
could　not　sleep；　and　the　wood　splinters　put　on　the
stove　to　dry　were　crackling　under　him；　as　he　tossed
from　side　to　side。　　He　could　not　help　thinking　of
his　host's　fat　paunch　protruding　under　the　belt
of　his　shirt；　which　had　lost　its　colour　from　having
been　washed　ever　so　many　times。　　Would　not　it
be　a　good　thing　to　make　a　good　clean　incision　in
that　paunch。　　And　that　woman；　too；　he　thought。

One　moment　he　would　say　to　himself；　〃I　had
better　go　from　here　to…morrow；　bother　them　all！〃
But　then　again　Ivan　Mironov　came　back　to　his
mind；　and　he　went　on　thinking　of　the　innkeeper's
paunch　and　Matrena's　white　throat　bathed　in　per…
spiration。　　〃Kill　I　must；　and　it　must　be　both！〃

He　heard　the　cock　crow　for　the　second　time。

〃I　must　do　it　at　once；　or　dawn　will　be　here　〃　　He
had　seen　in　the　evening　before　he　went　to　bed　a
knife　and　an　axe。　　He　crawled　down　from　the
stove；　took　the　knife　and　axe；　and　went　out　of
the　kitchen　door。　　At　that　very　moment　he　heard
the　lock　of　the　entrance　door　open。　　The　inn…
keeper　was　going　out　of　the　house　to　the　court…
yard。　　It　all　turned　out　contrary　to　what　Stepan
desired。　　He　had　no　opportunity　of　using　the
knife；　he　just　swung　the　axe　and　split　the　innkeep…
er's　head　in　two。　　The　man　tumbled　down　on　the
threshold　of　the　door；　then　on　the　ground。