01-the forged coupon-第6部分

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the　laundresses；　the　gardeners；　the　coachmen；　hard
at　work　to　supply　their　masters　with　food　and
drink　and　constant　amusement。　　Sometimes　the
young　people　from　the　master's　house　came　to
the　shed；　and　Vassily　offered　them　the　choicest
apples；　juicy　and　red。　　The　young　ladies　used　to
take　large　bites　out　of　the　apples　on　the　spot；
praising　their　taste；　and　spoke　French　to　one　an…
otherVassily　quite　understood　it　was　all　about
himand　asked　Vassily　to　sing　for　them。

Vassily　felt　the　greatest　admiration　for　his
master's　mode　of　living；　which　reminded　him　of
what　he　had　seen　in　Moscow；　and　he　became　more
and　more　convinced　that　the　only　thing　that　mat…
tered　in　life　was　money。　　He　thought　and　thought
how　to　get　hold　of　a　large　sum　of　money。　　He
remembered　his　former　ways　of　making　small
profits　whenever　he　could；　and　came　to　the　con…
clusion　that　that　was　altogether　wrong。　　Occa…
sional　stealing　is　of　no　use；　he　thought。　　He　must
arrange　a　well…prepared　plan；　and　after　getting
all　the　information　he　wanted；　carry　out　his　pur…
pose　so　as　to　avoid　detection。

After　the　feast　of　Nativity　of　the　Blessed　Vir…
gin　Mary；　the　last　crop　of　autumn　apples　was
gathered；　the　master　was　content　with　the　results；
paid　off　Vassily；　and　gave　him　an　extra　sum　as
reward　for　his　faithful　service。

Vassily　put　on　his　new　jacket；　and　a　new　hat
both　were　presents　from　his　master's　son
but　did　not　make　his　way　homewards。　　He　hated
the　very　thought　of　the　vulgar　peasants'　life。　　He
went　back　to　Moscow　in　company　of　some　drunken
soldiers；　who　had　been　watchmen　in　the　orchard
together　with　him。　　On　his　arrival　there　he　at
once　resolved；　under　cover　of　night；　to　break　into
the　shop　where　he　had　been　employed；　and　beaten；
and　then　turned　out　by　the　proprietor　without　be…
ing　paid。　　He　knew　the　place　well；　and　knew
where　the　money　was　locked　up。　　So　he　bade　the
soldiers；　who　helped　him；　keep　watch　outside；　　and
forcing　the　courtyard　door　entered　the　shop　　and
took　all　the　money　he　could　lay　his　hands　on。　
All　this　was　done　very　cleverly；　and　no　trace　was
left　of　the　burglary。　　The　money　Vassily　had
found　in　the　shop　amounted　to　370　roubles。　　He
gave　a　hundred　roubles　to　his　assistants；　and　with
the　rest　left　for　another　town　where　he　gave　way
to　dissipation　in　company　of　friends　of　both　sexes。　
The　police　traced　his　movements；　and　when　at
last　he　was　arrested　and　put　into　prison　he　had
hardly　anything　left　out　of　the　money　which　he
had　stolen。



XIV

IVAN　MIRONOV　had　become　a　very　clever；　fear…
less　and　successful　horse…thief。　　Afimia；　his　wife；
who　at　first　used　to　abuse　him　for　his　evil　ways；
as　she　called　it；　was　now　quite　content　and　felt
proud　of　her　husband；　who　possessed　a　new　sheep…
skin　coat；　while　she　also　had　a　warm　jacket　and
a　new　fur　cloak。

In　the　village　and　throughout　the　whole　dis…
trict　every　one　knew　quite　well　that　Ivan　Mironov
was　at　the　bottom　of　all　the　horse…stealing；　but
nobody　would　give　him　away；　being　afraid　of　the
consequences。　　Whenever　suspicion　fell　on　him；
he　managed　to　clear　his　character。　　Once　during
the　night　he　stole　horses　from　the　pasture　ground
in　the　village　Kolotovka。　　He　generally　preferred
to　steal　horses　from　landowners　or　tradespeople。　
But　this　was　a　harder　job；　and　when　he　had　no
chance　of　success　he　did　not　mind　robbing　peasants
too。　　In　Kolotovka　he　drove　off　the　horses　with…
out　making　sure　whose　they　were。　　He　did　not
go　himself　to　the　spot；　but　sent　a　young　and　clever
fellow；　Gerassim；　to　do　the　stealing　for　him。　　The
peasants　only　got　to　know　of　the　theft　at　dawn；
they　rushed　in　all　directions　to　hunt　for　the　rob…
bers。　　The　horses；　meanwhile；　were　hidden　in　a
ravine　in　the　forest　lands　belonging　to　the　state。

Ivan　Mironov　intended　to　leave　them　there　till
the　following　night；　and　then　to　transport　them
with　the　utmost　haste　a　hundred　miles　away　to　a
man　he　knew。　　He　visited　Gerassim　in　the　forest；
to　see　how　he　was　getting　on；　brought　him　a　pie
and　some　vodka；　and　was　returning　home　by　a
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　addition