01-the forged coupon-第1章

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THE　FORGED　COUPON




PART　FIRST

I

FEDOR　MIHAILOVICH　SMOKOVNIKOV；　the　presi…
dent　of　the　local　Income　Tax　Department；　a　man
of　unswerving　honestyand　proud　of　it；　too
a　gloomy　Liberal；　a　free…thinker；　and　an　enemy
to　every　manifestation　of　religious　feeling；　which
he　thought　a　relic　of　superstition；　came　home　from
his　office　feeling　very　much　annoyed。　　The　Gov…
ernor　of　the　province　had　sent　him　an　extraordi…
narily　stupid　minute；　almost　assuming　that　his
dealings　had　been　dishonest。

Fedor　Mihailovich　felt　embittered；　and　wrote
at　once　a　sharp　answer。　　On　his　return　home
everything　seemed　to　go　contrary　to　his　wishes。

It　was　five　minutes　to　five；　and　he　expected　the
dinner　to　be　served　at　once；　but　he　was　told　it　was
not　ready。　　He　banged　the　door　and　went　to　his
study。　　Somebody　knocked　at　the　door。　　〃Who
the　devil　is　that？〃　he　thought；　and　shouted；

〃Who　is　there？〃

The　door　opened　and　a　boy　of　fifteen　came　in；
the　son　of　Fedor　Mihailovich；　a　pupil　of　the　fifth
class　of　the　local　school。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃It　is　the　first　of　the　month　to…day；　father。〃

〃Well！　You　want　your　money？〃

It　had　been　arranged　that　the　father　should　pay
his　son　a　monthly　allowance　of　three　roubles　as
pocket　money。　　Fedor　Mihailovich　frowned；　took
out　of　his　pocket…book　a　coupon　of　two　roubles
fifty　kopeks　which　he　found　among　the　bank…
notes；　and　added　to　it　fifty　kopeks　in　silver　out　of
the　loose　change　in　his　purse。　　The　boy　kept　si…
lent；　and　did　not　take　the　money　his　father　prof…
fered　him。

〃Father；　please　give　me　some　more　in　ad…
vance。〃

〃What？〃

〃I　would　not　ask　for　it；　but　I　have　borrowed　a
small　sum　from　a　friend；　and　promised　upon　my
word　of　honour　to　pay　it　off。　　My　honour　is　dear
to　me；　and　that　is　why　I　want　another　three　rou…
bles。　　I　don't　like　asking　you；　but；　please；　father；
give　me　another　three　roubles。〃

〃I　have　told　you〃

〃I　know；　father；　but　just　for　once。〃

〃You　have　an　allowance　of　three　roubles　and
you　ought　to　be　content。　　I　had　not　fifty　kopeks
when　I　was　your　age。〃

〃Now；　all　my　comrades　have　much　more。
Petrov　and　Ivanitsky　have　fifty　roubles　a　month。〃

〃And　I　tell　you　that　if　you　behave　like　them
you　will　be　a　scoundrel。　　Mind　that。〃

〃What　is　there　to　mind？　You　never　under…
stand　my　position。　　I　shall　be　disgraced　if　I　don't
pay　my　debt。　　It　is　all　very　well　for　you　to　speak
as　you　do。〃

〃Be　off；　you　silly　boy！　Be　off！〃

Fedor　Mihailovich　jumped　from　his　seat　and
pounced　upon　his　son。　　〃Be　off；　I　say！〃　he
shouted。　　〃You　deserve　a　good　thrashing；　all
you　boys！〃

His　son　was　at　once　frightened　and　embittered。　
The　bitterness　was　even　greater　than　the　fright。　
With　his　head　bent　down　he　hastily　turned　to　the
door。　　Fedor　Mihailovich　did　not　intend　to　strike
him；　but　he　was　glad　to　vent　his　wrath；　and　went
on　shouting　and　abusing　the　boy　till　he　had　closed
the　door。

When　the　maid　came　in　to　announce　that　din…
ner　was　ready；　Fedor　Mihailovich　rose。

〃At　last！〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　feel　hungry　any
longer。〃

He　went　to　the　dining…room　with　a　sullen　face。　
At　table　his　wife　made　some　remark；　but　he　gave
her　such　a　short　and　angry　answer　that　she　ab…
stained　from　further　speech。　　The　son　also　did
not　lift　his　eyes　from　his　plate；　and　was　silent　all
the　time。　　The　trio　finished　their　dinner　in　si…
lence；　rose　from　the　table　and　separated；　without
a　word。

After　dinner　the　boy　went　to　his　room；　took　the
coupon　and　the　change　out　of　his　pocket；　and
threw　the　money　on　the　table。　　After　that　he
took　off　his　uniform　and　put　on　a　jacket。

He　sat　down　to　work；　and　began　to　study　Latin
grammar　out　of　a　dog's…eared　book。　　After　a
while　he　rose；　closed　and　bolted　the　door；　shifted
the　money　into　a　drawer；　took　out　some　ciga…
rette　papers；　rolled　one　up；　stuffed　it　with　cotton
wool；　and　began　to　smoke。

He　spent　nearly　two　hours　over　his　grammar
and　writing　books　without　understanding　a　word
of　what　he　saw　before　him；　then　he　rose　and　be…
gan　to　stamp　up　and　down　the　room；　trying　to
recollect　all　that　his　father　had　said　to　him。　　All
the　abuse　showered　upon　him；　and　worst　of　all
his　father's　angry　face；　were　as　fresh　in　his　mem…
ory　as　if　he　saw　and　heard　them　all　over　again。　
〃Silly　boy！　You　ought　to　get　a　good　thrash…
ing！〃　And　the　more　he　thought　of　it　the　angrier
be　grew。　　He　remembered　also　how　his　father
said：　　〃I　see　what　a　scoundrel　you　will　turn　out。
I　know　you　will。　　You　are　sure　to　become　a　cheat；
if　you　go　on　like　that。　。　。　　〃　　He　had　cer…
tainly　forgotten　how　he　felt　when　he　was　young！
〃What　crime　have　I　committed；　I　wonder？　I
wanted　to　go　to　the　theatre；　and　having　no　money
borrowed　some　from　Petia　Grouchetsky。　　Was
that　so　very　wicked　of　me？　Another　father
would　have　been　sorry　for　me；　would　have　asked
how　it　all　happened；　whereas　he　just　called　me
names。　　He　never　thinks　of　anything　but　himself。　
When　it　is　he　who　has　not　got　something　he　wants
that　is　a　different　matter！　Then　all　the　house
is　upset　by　his　shouts。　　And　II　am　a　scoundrel；
a　cheat；　he　says。　　No；　I　don't　love　him；　although
he　is　my　father。　　It　may　be　wrong；　but　I　hate
him。〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　The　servant
brought　a　lettera　message　from　his　friend。
They　want　an　answer；〃　said　the　servant。

The　letter　ran　as　follows：　　〃　I　ask　you　now　for
the　third　time　to　pay　me　back　the　six　roubles　you
have　borrowed；　you　are　trying　to　avoid　me。　
That　is　not　the　way　an　honest　man　ought　to　be…
have。　　Will　you　please　send　the　amount　by　my
messenger？　I　am　myself　in　a　frightful　fix。　　Can
you　not　get　the　money　somewhere？Yours；　ac…
cording　to　whether　you　send　the　money　or　not；
with　scorn；　or　love；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Grouchetsky。〃


〃There　we　have　it！　Such　a　pig！　Could　he
not　wait　a　while？　I　will　have　another　try。〃

Mitia　went　to　his　mother。　　This　was　his　last
hope。　　His　mother　was　very　kind；　and　hardly
ever　refused　him　anything。　　She　would　probably
have　helped　him　this　time　also　out　of　his　trouble；
but　she　was　in　great　anxiety：　　her　younger　child；
Petia；　a　boy　of　two；　had　fallen　ill。　　She　got　angry
with　Mitia　for　rushing　so　noisily　into　the　nursery；
and　refused　him　almost　without　listening　to　what
he　had　to　say。　　Mitia　muttered　something　to　him…
self　and　turned　to　go。　　The　mother　felt　sorry
for　him。　　〃Wait；　Mitia；〃〃　she　said；　〃I　have　not
got　the　money　you　want　now；　but　I　will　get　it　for
you　to…morrow。〃

But　Mitia　was　still　raging　against　his　father。

〃What　is　the　use　of　having　it　to…morrow；　when
I　want　it　to…day？　I　am　going　to　see　a　friend。　
That　is　all　I　have　got　to　say。〃

He　went　out；　banging　the　door。　。　。　。

〃Nothing　else　is　left　to　me。　　He　will　tell　me　how
to　pawn　my　watch；〃　he　thought；　touching　his
watch　in　his　pocket。

Mitia　went　to　his　room；　took　the　coupon　and
the　watch　from　the　drawer；　put　on　his　coat；　and
went　to　Mahin。


II

MAHIN　was　his　schoolfellow；　his　senior；　a　grown…
up　young　man　with　a　moustache。　　He　gambled；
had　a　large　feminine　acquaintance；　and　always　had
ready　cash。　　He　lived　with　his　aunt。　　Mitia
quite　realised　that　Mahin　was　not　a　respectable
fellow；　but　when　he　was　in　his　company　he　could
not　help　doing　what　he　wished。　　Mahin　was　in
when　Mitia　called；　and　was　just　preparing　to　go
to　the　theatre。　　His　untidy　room　smelt　of　scented
soap　and　eau…de…Cologne。

〃That's　awful；　old　chap；〃　said　Mahin；　when
Mitia　telling　him　about　his　troubles；　showed　the
coupon　and　the　fifty　kopeks；　and　added　that　he
wanted　nine　roubles　more。　　〃We　might；　of
course；　go　and　pawn　your　watch。　　But　we　might
do　something　far　better　〃　　And　Mahin　winked
an　eye。

〃What's　that？〃

〃Something　quite　simple　〃　　Mahin　took　the
coupon　in　his　hand。　　〃　Put　ONE　before　the　2。50
and　it　will　be　12。50。〃

〃But　do　such　coupons　exist？〃

〃Why；　certainly；　the　thousand　roubles　notes
have　coupons　of　12。50。　I　have　cashed　one　in
the　same　way。〃

〃You　don't　say　so？〃

〃Well；　yes　or　no？〃　asked　Mahin；　taking　the
pen　and　smoothing　the　coupon　with　the　fingers　of
his　left　hand。

〃But　it　is　wrong。〃

〃Nonsense！〃

〃Nonsense；　indeed；〃　thought　Mitia；　and　again
his　father's　hard　words　came　back　to　his　memory。　
〃Scoundrel！　As　you　called　me　that；　I　might　as
well　be　it　〃　　He　look