01-the forged coupon-第11章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ness to anybody； a child； an old person； or an ani…
mal。
She went in the summer to stay with a friend； a
schoolmistress in a small town on the river Volga。
Turin lived near that town； on his father's estate。
He often came to see the two girls； they gave each
other books to read； and had long discussions；
expressing their common indignation with the state
of affairs in the country。 The district doctor； a
friend of theirs； used also to join them on many oc…
casions。
The estate of the Turins was situated in the
neighbourhood of the Liventsov estate； the one
that was entrusted to the management of Peter
Nikolaevich Sventizky。 Soon after Peter Niko…
laevich had settled there； and begun to en…
force order； young Turin； having observed an in…
dependent tendency in the peasants on the Livent…
sov estate； as well as their determination to up…
hold their rights； became interested in them。 He
came often to the village to talk with the men；
and developed his socialistic theories； insisting par…
ticularly on the nationalisation of the land。
After Peter Nikolaevich had been murdered；
and the murderers sent to trial； the revolutionary
group of the small town boiled over with indigna…
tion； and did not shrink from openly expressing
it。 The fact of Turin's visits to the village and
his propaganda work among the students； became
known to the authorities during the trial。 A
search was made in his house； and； as the police
found a few revolutionary leaflets among his ef…
fects； he was arrested and transferred to prison
in St。 Petersburg。
Katia Turchaninova followed him to the metrop…
olis； and went to visit him in prison。 She was
not admitted on the day she came； and was told
to come on the day fixed by regulations for visits
to the prisoners。 When that day arrived； and
she was finally allowed to see him； she had to talk
to him through two gratings separating the pris…
oner from his visitor。 This visit increased her in…
dignation against the authorities。 And her feel…
ings become all the more revolutionary after a
visit she paid to the office of a gendarme officer
who had to deal with the Turin case。 The offi…
cer； a handsome man； seemed obviously disposed
to grant her exceptional favours in visiting the
prisoner； if she would allow him to make love to
her。 Disgusted with him； she appealed to the
chief of police。 He pretendedjust as the officer
did when talking officially to herto be power…
less himself； and to depend entirely on orders
coming from the minister of state。 She sent a
petition to the minister asking for an interview；
which was refused。
Then she resolved to do a desperate thing and
bought a revolver。
XXII
THE minister was receiving petitioners at the usual
hour appointed for the reception。 He had talked
successively to three of them； and now a pretty
young woman with black eyes； who was holding
a petition in her left hand； approached。 The
minister's eyes gleamed when he saw how attract…
ive the petitioner was； but recollecting his high po…
sition he put on a serious face。
〃What do you want？〃 he asked； coming down
to where she stood。 Without answering his ques…
tion the young woman quickly drew a revolver
from under her cloak and aiming it at the min…
ister's chest firedbut missed him。
The minister rushed at her； trying to seize her
hand； but she escaped； and taking a step back； fired
a second time。 The minister ran out of the room。
The woman was immediately seized。 She was
trembling violently； and could not utter a single
word； after a while she suddenly burst into a hys…
terical laugh。 The minister was not even wounded。
That woman was Katia Turchaninova。 She
was put into the prison of preliminary detention。
The minister received congratulations and marks
of sympathy from the highest quarters； and even
from the emperor himself； who appointed a com…
mission to investigate the plot that had led to the
attempted assassination。 As a matter of fact
there was no plot whatever； but the police officials
and the detectives set to work with the utmost zeal
to discover all the threads of the non…existing con…
spiracy。 They did everything to deserve the fees
they were paid； they got up in the small hours of
the morning； searched one house after another；
took copies of papers and of books they found；
read diaries； personal letters； made extracts from
them on the very best notepaper and in beautiful
handwriting； interrogated Katia Turchaninova
ever so many times； and confronted her with all
those whom they suspected of conspiracy； in order
to extort from her the names of her accomplices。
The minister； a good…natured man at heart； was
sincerely sorry for the pretty girl。 But he said
to himself that he was bound to consider his high
state duties imposed upon him； even though they
did not imply much work and trouble。 So； when
his former colleague； a chamberlain and a friend
of the Turins； met him at a court ball and tried to
rouse his pity for Turin and the girl Turchani…
nova； he shrugged his shoulders； stretching the red
ribbon on his white waistcoat； and said： 〃Je ne
demanderais pas mieux que de relacher cette pau…
vre fillette； mais vous savez le devoir。〃 And in
the meantime Katia Turchaninova was kept in
prison。 She was at times in a quiet mood； com…
municated with her fellow…prisoners by knocking
on the walls； and read the books that were sent
to her。 But then came days when she had fits of
desperate fury； knocking with her fists against
the wall； screaming and laughing like a mad…
woman。
XXIII
ONE day Maria Semenovna came home from the
treasurer's office； where she had received her pen…
sion。 On her way she met a schoolmaster； a
friend of hers。
〃Good day； Maria Semenovna！ Have you re…
ceived your money？〃 the schoolmaster asked； in
a loud voice from the other side of the street。
〃I have；〃 answered Maria Semenovna。 〃But
it was not much； just enough to fill the holes。〃
〃Oh； there must be some tidy pickings out
of such a lot of money；〃 said the schoolmaster；
and passed on； after having said good…bye。
〃Good…bye；〃 said Maria Semenovna。 While
she was looking at her friend； she met a tall man
face to face； who had very long arms and a stern
look in his eyes。 Coming to her house； she was
very startled on again seeing the same man with
the long arms； who had evidently followed her。
He remained standing another moment after she
had gone in； then turned and walked away。
Maria Semenovna felt somewhat frightened at
first。 But when she had entered the house； and
had given her father and her nephew Fedia the
presents she had brought for them； and she had
patted the dog Treasure； who whined with joy；
she forgot her fears。 She gave the money to her
father and began to work； as there was always
plenty for her to do。
The man she met face to face was Stepan。
After he had killed the innkeeper； he did not
return to town。 Strange to say； he was not sorry
to have committed that murder。 His mind went
back to the murdered man over and over again
during the following day； and he liked the recol…
lection of having done the thing so skilfully； so
cleverly； that nobody…would ever discover it； and
he would not therefore be prevented from mur…
dering other people in the same way。 Sitting in
the public…house and having his tea； he looked at
the people around him with the same thought how
he should murder them。 In the evening he called
at a carter's； a man from his village； to spend the
night at his house。 The carter was not in。 He
said he would wait for him； and in the meanwhile
began talking to the carter's wife。 But when she
moved to the stove； with her back turned to him；
the idea entered his mind to kill her。 He mar…
velled at himself at first； and shook his head； but
the next moment he seized the knife he had hid…
den in his boot； knocked the woman down on the
floor； and cut her throat。 When the children be…
gan to scream； he killed them also and went away。
He did not look out for another place to spend
the night； but at once left the town。 In a village
some distance away he went to the inn and slept
there。 T
