01-the forged coupon-第12章

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the　night；　but　at　once　left　the　town。　　In　a　village
some　distance　away　he　went　to　the　inn　　and　slept
there。　　The　next　day　he　returned　to　the　district
town；　and　there　he　overheard　in　the　street　Maria
Semenovna's　talk　with　the　schoolmaster。　　Her
look　frightened　him；　but　yet　he　made　up　his　mind
to　creep　into　her　house；　and　rob　her　of　the　money
she　had　received。　　When　the　night　came　he　broke
the　lock　and　entered　the　house。　　The　first　person
who　heard　his　steps　was　the　younger　daughter；
the　married　one。　　She　screamed。　　Stepan　stabbed
her　immediately　with　his　knife。　　Her　husband
woke　up　and　fell　upon　Stepan；　seized　him　by　his
throat；　and　struggled　with　him　desperately。　　But
Stepan　was　the　stronger　man　and　overpowered
him。　　After　murdering　him；　Stepan；　excited　by
the　long　fight；　stepped　into　the　next　room　be…
hind　a　partition。　　That　was　Maria　Semenovna's
bedroom。　　She　rose　in　her　bed；　looked　at
Stepan　with　her　mild　frightened　eyes；　and　crossed
herself。

Once　more　her　look　scared　Stepan。　　He
dropped　his　eyes。

〃Where　is　your　money？〃　he　asked；　without
raising　his　face。

She　did　not　answer。

〃Where　is　the　money？〃　asked　Stepan　again；
showing　her　his　knife。

〃How　can　you　。　。　。〃　she　said。

〃You　will　see　how。〃

Stepan　came　close　to　her；　in　order　to　seize　her
hands　and　prevent　her　struggling　with　him；　but
she　did　not　even　try　to　lift　her　arms　or　offer　any
resistance；　she　pressed　her　hands　to　her　chest；　and
sighed　heavily。

〃Oh；　what　a　great　sin！〃　she　cried。　　〃How
can　you！　Have　mercy　on　yourself。　　To　destroy
somebody's　soul　。　。　。　and　worse；　your
own！　。　。　。〃

Stepan　could　not　stand　her　voice　any　longer；　and
drew　his　knife　sharply　across　her　throat。　　〃Stop
that　talk！〃　he　said。　　She　fell　back　with　a　hoarse
cry；　and　the　pillow　was　stained　with　blood。　　He
turned　away；　and　went　round　the　rooms　in　order
to　collect　all　he　thought　worth　taking。　　Having
made　a　bundle　of　the　most　valuable　things；　he
lighted　a　cigarette；　sat　down　for　a　while；　brushed
his　clothes；　and　left　the　house。　　He　thought　this
murder　would　not　matter　to　him　more　than　those
he　had　committed　before；　but　before　he　got　a
night's　lodging；　he　felt　suddenly　so　exhausted　that
he　could　not　walk　any　farther。　　He　stepped　down
into　the　gutter　and　remained　lying　there　the　rest
of　the　night；　and　the　next　day　and　the　next　night。




PART　SECOND



I

THE　whole　time　he　was　lying　in　the　gutter　Stepan
saw　continually　before　his　eyes　the　thin；　kindly；
and　frightened　face　of　Maria　Semenovna；　and
seemed　to　hear　her　voice。　　〃How　can　you？〃　she
went　on　saying　in　his　imagination；　with　her　pe…
culiar　lisping　voice。　　Stepan　saw　over　again　and
over　again　before　him　all　he　had　done　to　her。　　In
horror　he　shut　his　eyes；　and　shook　his　hairy　head；
to　drive　away　these　thoughts　and　recollections。　
For　a　moment　he　would　get　rid　of　them；　but　in
their　place　horrid　black　faces　with　red　eyes　ap…
peared　and　frightened　him　continuously。　　They
grinned　at　him；　and　kept　repeating；　〃Now　you
have　done　away　with　her　you　must　do　away　with
yourself；　or　we　will　not　leave　you　alone　〃　　He
opened　his　eyes；　and　again　he　saw　HER　and　heard
her　voice；　and　felt　an　immense　pity　for　her　and
a　deep　horror　and　disgust　with　himself。　　Once
more　he　shut　his　eyes；　and　the　black　faces　reap…
peared。　　Towards　the　evening　of　the　next　day
he　rose　and　went；　with　hardly　any　strength　left；
to　a　public…house。　　There　he　ordered　a　drink；　and
repeated　his　demands　over　and　over　again；　but
no　quantity　of　liquor　could　make　him　intoxicated。　
He　was　sitting　at　a　table；　and　swallowed　silently
one　glass　after　another。

A　police　officer　came　in。　　〃Who　are　you？〃　he
asked　Stepan。

〃I　am　the　man　who　murdered　all　the　Dobrot…
vorov　people　last　night；〃　he　answered。

He　was　arrested；　bound　with　ropes；　and　brought
to　the　nearest　police…station；　the　next　day　he　was
transferred　to　the　prison　in　the　town。　　The　in…
spector　of　the　prison　recognised　him　as　an　old　in…
mate；　and　a　very　turbulent　one；　and；　hearing　that
he　had　now　become　a　real　criminal；　accosted　him
very　harshly。

〃You　had　better　be　quiet　here；〃　he　said　in　a
hoarse　voice；　frowning；　and　protruding　his　lower
jaw。　　〃The　moment　you　don't　behave；　I'll　flog
you　to　death！　Don't　try　to　escapeI　will　see
to　that！〃

〃I　have　no　desire　to　escape；〃　said　Stepan；　drop…
ping　his　eyes。　　〃I　surrendered　of　my　own　free
will。〃

〃Shut　up！　You　must　look　straight　into　your
superior's　eyes　when　you　talk　to　him；〃　cried　the
inspector；　and　struck　Stepan　with　his　fist　under
the　jaw。

At　that　moment　Stepan　again　saw　the　murdered
woman　before　him；　and　heard　her　voice；　he　did
not　pay　attention；　therefore；　to　the　inspector's
words。

〃What？〃　he　asked；　coming　to　his　senses　when
he　felt　the　blow　on　his　face。

〃Be　off！　Don't　pretend　you　don't　hear。〃

The　inspector　expected　Stepan　to　be　violent；　to
talk　to　the　other　prisoners；　to　make　attempts　to
escape　from　prison。　　But　nothing　of　the　kind　ever
happened。　　Whenever　the　guard　or　the　inspector
himself　looked　into　his　cell　through　the　hole　in
the　door；　they　saw　Stepan　sitting　on　a　bag　filled
with　straw；　holding　his　head　with　his　hands　and
whispering　to　himself。　　On　being　brought　before
the　examining　magistrate　charged　with　the　inquiry
into　his　case；　he　did　not　behave　like　an　ordinary
convict。　　He　was　very　absent…minded；　hardly　list…
ening　to　the　questions；　but　when　he　heard　what
was　asked；　he　answered　truthfully；　causing　the
utmost　perplexity　to　the　magistrate；　who；　accus…
tomed　as　he　was　to　the　necessity　of　being　very
clever　and　very　cunning　with　convicts；　felt　a
strange　sensation　just　as　if　he　were　lifting　up　his
foot　to　ascend　a　step　and　found　none。　　Stepan
told　him　the　story　of　all　his　murders；　and　did　it
frowning；　with　a　set　look；　in　a　quiet；　businesslike
voice；　trying　to　recollect　all　the　circumstances　of
his　crimes。　　〃He　stepped　out　of　the　house；〃　said
Stepan；　telling　the　tale　of　his　first　murder；　〃and
stood　barefooted　at　the　door；　I　hit　him；　and　he
just　groaned；　I　went　to　his　wife；　。　。　。〃　　And
so　on。

One　day　the　magistrate；　visiting　the　prison　cells；
asked　Stepan　whether　there　was　anything　he　had
to　complain　of；　or　whether　he　had　any　wishes　that
might　be　granted　him。　　Stepan　said　he　had　no
wishes　whatever；　and　had　nothing　to　complain　of
the　way　he　was　treated　in　prison。　　The　magis…
trate；　on　leaving　him；　took　a　few　steps　in　the　foul
passage；　then　stopped　and　asked　the　governor　who
had　accompanied　him　in　his　visit　how　this　pris…
oner　was　behaving。

〃I　simply　wonder　at　him；〃　said　the　governor；
who　was　very　pleased　with　Stepan；　and　spoke
kindly　of　him。　　〃He　has　now　been　with　us　about
two　months；　and　could　be　held　up　as　a　model　of
good　behaviour。　　But　I　am　afraid　he　is　plotting
some　mischief。　　He　is　a　daring　man；　and　excep…
tionally　strong。〃



II

DURING　the　first　month　in　prison　Stepan　suffered
from　the　same　agonising　vision。　　He　saw　the
grey　wall　of　his　cell；　he　heard　the　sounds　of　the
prison；　the　noise　of　the　cell　below　him；　where　a
number　of　convicts　were　confined　together；　the
striking　of　the　prison　clock；　the　steps　of　the　sentry
in　the　passage；　but　at　the　same　time　he　saw　HER
with　that　kindly　face　which　conquered　his　heart
the　very　first　time　he　met　her　in　the　street；　with
that　thin；　strongly…marked　neck；　and　he　heard　her
soft；　lisping；　pathetic　voice：　　〃To　destroy　some…
body's　soul　。　。　。　and；　worst　of　all；　your　own。
。　　。　。　　How　can　you？　。　。　。〃

After　a　while　her　voice　would　die　away；　and
then　black　faces　would　appear。　　They　would　ap…
pear　whether　he　had　his　eyes　open　or　shut。　　With
his　closed　eyes　he　saw　them　more　distinctly。　　When
he　opened　his　eyes　they　vanished　for　a　moment；
melting　away　into　the　walls　and　the　door；　but
after　a　while　they　reappeared　and　surrounded　him
from　three　sides；　grinning　at　him　and　saying　over
and　over：　　〃Make　an　end！　Make　an　end！　Hang
yourself！　　Set　yourself　on　fire！〃　Stepan　shook
all　over　when　　he　heard　that；　and　tried　to　say　all
the　prayers　he　knew：　　〃Our　Lady〃　or　〃Our
Father　〃　　At　first　this　seemed　to　help。　　In　say…
ing　his　prayers　he　began　to　recollect　his　　whole
life；　his　father；　his　mother；　the　village；　the　dog
〃Wolf；〃　the　old　grandfather　lying　on　the　stov