01-the forged coupon-第16章

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ment　up　the　water…pipe；　and　his　knee　rested　on
the　roof。　　The　sentry　was　approaching。　　Vassily
lay　motionless。　　The　sentry　did　not　notice　him；
and　passed　on。　　Vassily　leaped　to　his　feet；　the
iron　roof　cracked　under　him。　　Another　step　or
two；　and　he　would　reach　the　wall。　　He　could
touch　it　with　his　hand　now。　　He　leaned　forward
with　one　hand；　then　with　the　other；　stretched　out
his　body　as　far　as　he　could；　and　found　himself
on　the　wall。　　Only；　not　to　break　his　legs　in　jump…
ing　down；　Vassily　turned　round；　remained　hang…
ing　in　the　air　by　his　hands；　stretched　himself　out；
loosened　the　grip　of　one　hand；　then　the　other。　
〃Help；　me；　God！〃　He　was　on　the　ground。
And　the　ground　was　soft。　　His　legs　were　not
hurt；　and　he　ran　at　the　top　of　his　speed。　　In　a
suburb；　Malania　opened　her　door；　and　he　crept
under　her　warm　coverlet；　made　of　small　pieces
of　different　colours　stitched　together。



X

THE　wife　of　Peter　Nikolaevich　Sventizky；　a　tall
and　handsome　woman；　as　quiet　and　sleek　as　a
well…fed　heifer；　had　seen　from　her　window　how
her　husband　had　been　murdered　and　dragged　away
into　the　fields。　　The　horror　of　such　a　sight　to
Natalia　Ivanovna　was　so　intensehow　could　it
be　otherwise？that　all　her　other　feelings　van…
ished。　　No　sooner　had　the　crowd　disappeared
from　view　behind　the　garden　fence；　and　the　voices
had　become　still；　no　sooner　had　the　bare…footed
Malania；　their　servant；　run　in　with　her　eyes　start…
ing　out　of　her　head；　calling　out　in　a　voice　more
suited　to　the　proclamation　of　glad　tidings　the
news　that　Peter　Nikolaevich　had　been　murdered
and　thrown　into　the　ravine；　than　Natalia　Ivan…
ovna　felt　that　behind　her　first　sensation　of　horror；
there　was　another　sensation；　a　feeling　of　joy　at
her　deliverance　from　the　tyrant；　who　through　all
the　nineteen　years　of　their　married　life　had　made
her　work　without　a　moment's　rest。　　Her　joy
made　her　aghast；　she　did　not　confess　it　to　herself；
but　hid　it　the　more　from　those　around。　　When
his　mutilated；　yellow　and　hairy　body　was　being
washed　and　put　into　the　coffin；　she　cried　with　hor…
ror；　and　wept　and　sobbed。　　When　the　coroner
a　special　coroner　for　serious　casescame　and
was　taking　her　evidence；　she　noticed　in　the　room；
where　the　inquest　was　taking　place；　two　peasants
in　irons；　who　had　been　charged　as　the　principal
culprits。　　One　of　them　was　an　old　man　with　a
curly　white　beard；　and　a　calm　and　severe　coun…
tenance。　　The　other　was　rather　young；　of　a　gipsy
type；　with　bright　eyes　and　curly　dishevelled　hair。　
She　declared　that　they　were　the　two　men　who　had
first　seized　hold　of　Peter　Nikolaevich's　hands。　
In　spite　of　the　gipsy…like　peasant　looking　at　her
with　his　eyes　glistening　from　under　his　moving
eyebrows；　and　saying　reproachfully：　　〃A　great
sin；　lady；　it　is。　　Remember　your　death　hour！〃
in　spite　of　that；　she　did　not　feel　at　all　sorry　for
them。　　On　the　contrary；　she　began　to　hate　them
during　the　inquest；　and　wished　desperately　to
take　revenge　on　her　husband's　murderers。

A　month　later；　after　the　case；　which　was　com…
mitted　for　trial　by　court…martial；　had　ended　in
eight　men　being　sentenced　to　hard　labour；　and　in
twothe　old　man　with　the　white　beard；　and　the
gipsy　boy；　as　she　called　the　otherbeing　con…
demned　to　be　hanged；　Natalia　felt　vaguely　uneasy。　
But　unpleasant　doubts　soon　pass　away　under　the
solemnity　of　a　trial。　　Since　such　high　authorities
considered　that　this　was　the　right　thing　to　do；　it
must　be　right。

The　execution　was　to　take　place　in　the　village
itself。　　One　Sunday　Malania　came　home　from
church　in　her　new　dress　and　her　new　boots；　and
announced　to　her　mistress　that　the　gallows　were
being　erected；　and　that　the　hangman　was　expected
from　Moscow　on　Wednesday。　　She　also　an…
nounced　that　the　families　of　the　convicts　were
raging；　and　that　their　cries　could　be　heard　all　over
the　village。

Natalia　Ivanovna　did　not　go　out　of　her　house；
she　did　not　wish　to　see　the　gallows　and　the　people
in　the　village；　she　only　wanted　what　had　to　hap…
pen　to　be　over　quickly。　　She　only　considered　her
own　feelings；　and　did　not　care　for　the　convicts
and　their　families。

On　Tuesday　the　village　constable　called　on
Natalia　Ivanovna。　　He　was　a　friend；　and　she　of…
fered　him　vodka　and　preserved　mushrooms　of　her
own　making。　　The　constable；　after　eating　a　little；
told　her　that　the　execution　was　not　to　take　place
the　next　day。

〃Why？〃

〃A　very　strange　thing　has　happened。　　There
is　no　hangman　to　be　found。　　They　had　one　in
Moscow；　my　son　told　me；　but　he　has　been　reading
the　Gospels　a　good　deal　and　says：　　'I　will　not
commit　a　murder。'　He　had　himself　been　sen…
tenced　to　hard　labour　for　having　committed　a　mur…
der；　and　now　he　objects　to　hang　when　the　law　or…
ders　him。　　He　was　threatened　with　flogging。　
'You　may　flog　me；'　he　said；　'but　I　won't　do　it。'〃

Natalia　Ivanovna　grew　red　and　hot　at　the
thought　which　suddenly　came　into　her　head。

〃Could　not　the　death　sentence　be　commuted
now？〃

〃How　so；　since　the　judges　have　passed　it？
The　Czar　alone　has　the　right　of　amnesty。〃

〃But　how　would　he　know？〃

〃They　have　the　right　of　appealing　to　him。〃

〃But　it　is　on　my　account　they　are　to　die；〃　said
that　stupid　woman；　Natalia　Ivanovna。　　〃And　I
forgive　them。〃

The　constable　laughed。　　〃Wellsend　a　pe…
tition　to　the　Czar。〃

〃May　I　do　it？〃

〃Of　course　you　may。〃

〃But　is　it　not　too　late？〃

〃Send　it　by　telegram。〃

〃To　the　Czar　himself？〃

〃To　the　Czar；　if　you　like。〃

The　story　of　the　hangman　having　refused　to
do　his　duty；　and　preferring　to　take　the　flogging
instead；　suddenly　changed　the　soul　of　Natalia
Ivanovna。　　The　pity　and　the　horror　she　felt　the
moment　she　heard　that　the　peasants　were　sen…
tenced　to　death；　could　not　be　stifled　now；　but
filled　her　whole　soul。

〃Filip　Vassilievich；　my　friend。　　Write　that　tel…
egram　for　me。　　I　want　to　appeal　to　the　Czar　to
pardon　them。〃

The　constable　shook　his　head。　　〃I　wonder
whether　that　would　not　involve　us　in　trouble？〃

〃I　do　it　upon　my　own　responsibility。　　I　will
not　mention　your　name。〃

〃Is　not　she　a　kind　woman；〃　thought　the　con…
stable。　　〃Very　kind…hearted；　to　be　sure。　　If　my
wife　had　such　a　heart；　our　life　would　be　a　para…
dise；　instead　of　what　it　is　now　〃　　And　he　wrote
the　telegram；

〃　To　his　Imperial　Majesty；　the　Emperor。
〃Your　Majesty's　loyal　subject；　the　widow　of　Pe…
ter　Nikolaevich　Sventizky；　murdered　by　the　peas…
ants；　throws　herself　at　the　sacred　feet　（this
sentence；　when　he　wrote　it　down；　pleased　the　con…
stable　himself　most　of　all）　of　your　Imperial
Majesty；　and　implores　you　to　grant　an　amnesty
to　the　peasants　so　and　so；　from　such　a　province；
district；　and　village；　who　have　been　sentenced　to
death。〃

The　telegram　was　sent　by　the　constable　him…
self；　and　Natalia　Ivanovna　felt　relieved　and
happy。　　She　had　a　feeling　that　since　she；　the
widow　of　the　murdered　man；　had　forgiven　the
murderers；　and　was　applying　for　an　amnesty；　the
Czar　could　not　possibly　refuse　it。



XI

LISA　EROPKIN　lived　in　a　state　of　continual　ex…
citement。　　The　longer　she　lived　a　true　Christian
life　as　it　had　been　revealed　to　her；　the　more　con…
vinced　she　became　that　it　was　the　right　way；　and
her　heart　was　full　of　joy。

She　had　two　immediate　aims　before　her。　　The
one　was　to　convert　Mahin；　or；　as　she　put　it　to
herself；　to　arouse　his　true　nature；　which　was　good
and　kind。　　She　loved　him；　and　the　light　of　her
love　revealed　the　divine　element　in　his　soul　which
is　at　the　bottom　of　all　souls。　　But；　further；　she
saw　in　him　an　exceptionally　　kind　and　tender
heart；　as　well　as　a　noble　mind。　　Her　other　aim
was　to　abandon　her　riches。　　She　had　first　thought
of　giving　away　what　she　possessed　in　order　to
test　Mahin；　but　afterwards　she　wanted　to　do　so
for　her　own　sake；　for　the　sake　of　her　own　soul。　
She　began　by　simply　giving　money　to　any　one　who
wanted　it。　　But　her　father　stopped　that；　besides
which；　she　felt　disgusted　at　the　crowd　of　suppli…
cants　who　personally；　and　by　letters；　besieged　her
with　demands　for　money。　　Then　she　resolved　to
apply　to　an　old　man；　known　to　be　a　saint　by　his
life；　and　to　give　him　her　money　to　dispose　of　in
the　way　he　thought　best。　　Her　father　got　angry
with　her　when　he　heard　about　it。　　During　a　vio…
lent　altercation　he　called　her　mad；　a