the cloak-第4部分

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of　hunger　and　Akakiy　Akakievitch　had　accumulated　about　eighty　rubles。

His　heart；　generally　so　quiet；　began　to　throb。　On　the　first　possible

day；　he　went　shopping　in　company　with　Petrovitch。　They　bought　some

very　good　cloth；　and　at　a　reasonable　rate　too；　for　they　had　been

considering　the　matter　for　six　months；　and　rarely　let　a　month　pass

without　their　visiting　the　shops　to　inquire　prices。　Petrovitch　himself

said　that　no　better　cloth　could　be　had。　For　lining；　they　selected　a

cotton　stuff；　but　so　firm　and　thick　that　Petrovitch　declared　it　to　be

better　than　silk；　and　even　prettier　and　more　glossy。　They　did　not　buy

the　marten　fur；　because　it　was；　in　fact；　dear；　but　in　its　stead；　they

picked　out　the　very　best　of　cat…skin　which　could　be　found　in　the　shop；

and　which　might；　indeed；　be　taken　for　marten　at　a　distance。



Petrovitch　worked　at　the　cloak　two　whole　weeks；　for　there　was　a　great

deal　of　quilting：　otherwise　it　would　have　been　finished　sooner。　He

charged　twelve　rubles　for　the　job；　it　could　not　possibly　have　been

done　for　less。　It　was　all　sewed　with　silk；　in　small；　double　seams；　and

Petrovitch　went　over　each　seam　afterwards　with　his　own　teeth；　stamping

in　various　patterns。



It　wasit　is　difficult　to　say　precisely　on　what　day；　but　probably　the

most　glorious　one　in　Akakiy　Akakievitch's　life；　when　Petrovitch　at

length　brought　home　the　cloak。　He　brought　it　in　the　morning；　before

the　hour　when　it　was　necessary　to　start　for　the　department。　Never　did

a　cloak　arrive　so　exactly　in　the　nick　of　time；　for　the　severe　cold　had

set　in；　and　it　seemed　to　threaten　to　increase。　Petrovitch　brought　the

cloak　himself　as　befits　a　good　tailor。　On　his　countenance　was　a

significant　expression；　such　as　Akakiy　Akakievitch　had　never　beheld

there。　He　seemed　fully　sensible　that　he　had　done　no　small　deed；　and

crossed　a　gulf　separating　tailors　who　only　put　in　linings；　and　execute

repairs；　from　those　who　make　new　things。　He　took　the　cloak　out　of　the

pocket　handkerchief　in　which　he　had　brought　it。　The　handkerchief　was

fresh　from　the　laundress；　and　he　put　it　in　his　pocket　for　use。　Taking

out　the　cloak；　he　gazed　proudly　at　it；　held　it　up　with　both　hands；　and

flung　it　skilfully　over　the　shoulders　of　Akakiy　Akakievitch。　Then　he

pulled　it　and　fitted　it　down　behind　with　his　hand；　and　he　draped　it

around　Akakiy　Akakievitch　without　buttoning　it。　Akakiy　Akakievitch；

like　an　experienced　man；　wished　to　try　the　sleeves。　Petrovitch　helped

him　on　with　them；　and　it　turned　out　that　the　sleeves　were　satisfactory

also。　In　short；　the　cloak　appeared　to　be　perfect；　and　most　seasonable。

Petrovitch　did　not　neglect　to　observe　that　it　was　only　because　he

lived　in　a　narrow　street；　and　had　no　signboard；　and　had　known　Akakiy

Akakievitch　so　long；　that　he　had　made　it　so　cheaply；　but　that　if　he

had　been　in　business　on　the　Nevsky　Prospect；　he　would　have　charged

seventy…five　rubles　for　the　making　alone。　Akakiy　Akakievitch　did　not

care　to　argue　this　point　with　Petrovitch。　He　paid　him；　thanked　him；

and　set　out　at　once　in　his　new　cloak　for　the　department。　Petrovitch

followed　him；　and；　pausing　in　the　street；　gazed　long　at　the　cloak　in

the　distance；　after　which　he　went　to　one　side　expressly　to　run　through

a　crooked　alley；　and　emerge　again　into　the　street　beyond　to　gaze　once

more　upon　the　cloak　from　another　point；　namely；　directly　in　front。



Meantime　Akakiy　Akakievitch　went　on　in　holiday　mood。　He　was　conscious

every　second　of　the　time　that　he　had　a　new　cloak　on　his　shoulders；　and

several　times　he　laughed　with　internal　satisfaction。　In　fact；　there

were　two　advantages；　one　was　its　warmth；　the　other　its　beauty。　He　saw

nothing　of　the　road；　but　suddenly　found　himself　at　the　department。　He

took　off　his　cloak　in　the　ante…room；　looked　it　over　carefully；　and

confided　it　to　the　especial　care　of　the　attendant。　It　is　impossible　to

say　precisely　how　it　was　that　every　one　in　the　department　knew　at　once

that　Akakiy　Akakievitch　had　a　new　cloak；　and　that　the　〃cape〃　no　longer

existed。　All　rushed　at　the　same　moment　into　the　ante…room　to　inspect

it。　They　congratulated　him　and　said　pleasant　things　to　him；　so　that　he

began　at　first　to　smile　and　then　to　grow　ashamed。　When　all　surrounded

him；　and　said　that　the　new　cloak　must　be　〃christened；〃　and　that　he

must　give　a　whole　evening　at　least　to　this；　Akakiy　Akakievitch　lost

his　head　completely；　and　did　not　know　where　he　stood；　what　to　answer；

or　how　to　get　out　of　it。　He　stood　blushing　all　over　for　several

minutes；　and　was　on　the　point　of　assuring　them　with　great　simplicity

that　it　was　not　a　new　cloak；　that　it　was　so　and　so；　that　it　was　in

fact　the　old　〃cape。〃



At　length　one　of　the　officials；　a　sub…chief　probably；　in　order　to　show

that　he　was　not　at　all　proud；　and　on　good　terms　with　his　inferiors；

said；　〃So　be　it；　only　I　will　give　the　party　instead　of　Akakiy

Akakievitch；　I　invite　you　all　to　tea　with　me　to…night；　it　happens

quite　a　propos；　as　it　is　my　name…day。〃　The　officials　naturally　at　once

offered　the　sub…chief　their　congratulations　and　accepted　the

invitations　with　pleasure。　Akakiy　Akakievitch　would　have　declined；　but

all　declared　that　it　was　discourteous；　that　it　was　simply　a　sin　and　a

shame；　and　that　he　could　not　possibly　refuse。　Besides；　the　notion

became　pleasant　to　him　when　he　recollected　that　he　should　thereby　have

a　chance　of　wearing　his　new　cloak　in　the　evening　also。



That　whole　day　was　truly　a　most　triumphant　festival　day　for　Akakiy

Akakievitch。　He　returned　home　in　the　most　happy　frame　of　mind；　took

off　his　cloak；　and　hung　it　carefully　on　the　wall；　admiring　afresh　the

cloth　and　the　lining。　Then　he　brought　out　his　old；　worn…out　cloak；　for

comparison。　He　looked　at　it　and　laughed；　so　vast　was　the　difference。

And　long　after　dinner　he　laughed　again　when　the　condition　of　the

〃cape〃　recurred　to　his　mind。　He　dined　cheerfully；　and　after　dinner

wrote　nothing；　but　took　his　ease　for　a　while　on　the　bed；　until　it　got

dark。　Then　he　dressed　himself　leisurely；　put　on　his　cloak；　and　stepped

out　into　the　street。　Where　the　host　lived；　unfortunately　we　cannot

say：　our　memory　begins　to　fail　us　badly；　and　the　houses　and　streets　in

St。　Petersburg　have　become　so　mixed　up　in　our　head　that　it　is　very

difficult　to　get　anything　out　of　it　again　in　proper　form。　This　much　is

certain；　that　the　official　lived　in　the　best　part　of　the　city；　and

therefore　it　must　have　been　anything　but　near　to　Akakiy　Akakievitch's

residence。　Akakiy　Akakievitch　was　first　obliged　to　traverse　a　kind　of

wilderness　of　deserted；　dimly…lighted　streets；　but　in　proportion　as　he

approached　the　official's　quarter　of　the　city；　the　streets　became　more

lively；　more　populous；　and　more　brilliantly　illuminated。　Pedestrians

began　to　appear；　handsomely　dressed　ladies　were　more　frequently

encountered；　the　men　had　otter　skin　collars　to　their　coats；　peasant

waggoners；　with　their　grate…like　sledges　stuck　over　with　brass…headed

nails；　became　rarer；　whilst　on　the　other　hand；　more　and　more　drivers

in　red　velvet　caps；　lacquered　sledges　and　bear…skin　coats　began　to

appear；　and　carriages　with　rich　hammer…cloths　flew　swiftly　through　the

streets；　their　wheels　scrunching　the　snow。　Akakiy　Akakievitch　gazed

upon　all　this　as　upon　a　novel　sight。　He　had　not　been　in　the　streets

during　the　evening　for　years。　He　halted　out　of　curiosity　before　a

shop…window　to　look　at　a　picture　representing　a　handsome　woman；　who

had　thrown　off　her　shoe；　thereby　baring　her　whole　foot　in　a　very

pretty　way；　whilst　behind　her　the　head　of　a　man　with　whiskers　and　a

handsome　moustache　peeped　through　the　doorway　of　another　room。　Akakiy

Akakievitch　shook　his　head　and　laughed；　and　then　went　on　his　way。　Why

did　he　laugh？　Either　because　he　had　met　with　a　thing　utterly　unknown；

but　for　which　every　one　cherishes；　nevertheless；　some　sort　of　feeling；

or　else　he　thought；　like　many　officials；　as　follows：　〃Well；　those

French！　What　is　to　be　said？　If　they　do　go　in　anything　of　that　sort；

why〃　But　possibly　he　did　not　think　at　all。



Akakiy　Akakievitch　at　length　reached　the　house　in　which　the　sub…chief

lodged。　The　sub…chief　lived　in　fine　style：　the　staircase　was　lit　by　a

lamp；　his　apartment　being　on　the　second　floor。　On　entering　the

vestibule；　Akakiy　Akakievitch　beheld　a　whole　row　of　goloshes　on　the

floor。　Among　them；　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　stood　a　samovar　or

tea…urn；　humming　and　emitting　clouds　of　steam。　On　the　walls　hung　all

sorts　of　coats　and　cloaks；　among　which　there　were　even　some　with

beaver　collars　or　velvet　facings。　Beyond；　the　buzz　of　conversation　was

audible；　and　became　clear　and　loud　when　the　servant　came　out　with　a

trayful　of　empty　glasses；　cream…jugs；　and　sugar…bowls。　It　was　evident

that　the　officials　had　arrived　long　before；　and　had　already　finished

their　first　glass　of　tea。



Akakiy　Akakievitch；　having　hung　up　his　own　cloak；　entered　the　inner

room。　Before　him　all　at　once　appeared　lights；　officials；　pipes；　and

card…tables；　and　he　was　bewildered　by　the　sound　of　rapid　conversation

rising　from　all　the　tables；　and　the　noise　of　moving　chairs。　He　halted

very　awkwardly　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　wondering　what　he　ought　to

do。　But　they　had　seen　him。　They　received　him　with　a　shout；　and　all

thronged　at　once　into　the　ante…room；　and　there　took　another　look　at

his　cloak。　Akakiy　Akakievitch；　although　somewhat　confused；　was

frank…hearted；　and　could　not　refrain　from　rejoicing　when　he　saw　how

they　praised　his　cloak。　Then；　of　course；　they　all　dropped　him　and　his

cloak；　and　returned；　as　was　proper；　to　the　tables　set　out　for　whist。



All　this；　the　noise；　the　talk；　and　the　throng　of　people　was　rather

overwhelming　to　Akakiy　Akakievitch。　He　simply　did　not　know　where　he

stood；　or　where　to　put　his　hands；　his　feet；　and　his　whole　body。

Finally　he　sat　down　by　the　players；　looked　at　the　cards；　gazed　at　the

face　of　one　and　another；　and　after　a　while　began　to　gape；　and　to　feel

that　it　was　wearisome；　the　more　so　as　the　hour　was　already　long　past

when　he　usually　went　to　bed。　He　wante