01-the forged coupon-第18章

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he　went　out　for　a　drive；　a　reception　of　ministers
came　next；　then　dinner；　after　dinner　the　theatre。　
As　usual；　the　Czar　fell　asleep　the　moment　his　head
touched　the　pillow。　　In　the　night　an　awful　dream
awoke　him：　　he　saw　gallows　in　a　large　field　and
corpses　dangling　on　them；　the　tongues　of　the
corpses　were　protruding；　and　their　bodies　moved
and　shook。　　And　somebody　shouted；　〃It　is　you
you　who　have　done　it　〃　　The　Czar　woke　up
bathed　in　perspiration　and　began　to　think。　　It
was　the　first　time　that　he　had　ever　thought　of　the
responsibilities　which　weighed　on　him；　and　the
words　of　old　Isidor　came　back　to　his
mind。　。　。　。

But　only　dimly　could　he　see　himself　as　a　mere
human　being；　and　he　could　not　consider　his　mere
human　wants　and　duties；　because　of　all　that　was
required　of　him　as　Czar。　　As　to　acknowledging
that　human　duties　were　more　obligatory　than
those　of　a　Czarhe　had　not　strength　for　that。



XV

HAVING　served　his　second　term　in　the　prison；　Pro…
kofy；　who　had　formerly　worked　on　the　Sventizky
estate；　was　no　longer　the　brisk；　ambitious；　smartly
dressed　fellow　he　had　been。　　He　seemed；　on　the
contrary；　a　complete　wreck。　　When　sober　he
would　sit　idle　and　would　refuse　to　do　any　work；
however　much　his　father　scolded　him；　moreover；
he　was　continually　seeking　to　get　hold　of　some…
thing　secretly；　and　take　it　to　the　public…house　for
a　drink。　　When　he　came　home　he　would　continue
to　sit　idle；　coughing　and　spitting　all　the　time。　
The　doctor　on　whom　he　called；　examined　his　chest
and　shook　his　head。

〃You；　my　man；　ought　to　have　many　things
which　you　have　not　got。〃

〃That　is　usually　the　case；　isn't　it？

〃Take　plenty　of　milk；　and　don't　smoke。〃

〃These　are　days　of　fasting；　and　besides　we
have　no　cow。〃

Once　in　spring　he　could　not　get　any　sleep；　he
was　longing　to　have　a　drink。　　There　was　nothing
in　the　house　he　could　lay　his　hand　on　to　take　to
the　public…house。　　He　put　on　his　cap　and　went
out。　　He　walked　along　the　street　up　to　the　house
where　the　priest　and　the　deacon　lived　together。　
The　deacon's　harrow　stood　outside　leaning　against
the　hedge。　　Prokofy　approached；　took　the　har…
row　upon　his　shoulder；　and　walked　to　an　inn　kept
by　a　woman；　Petrovna。　　She　might　give　him　a
small　bottle　of　vodka　for　it。　　But　he　had　hardly
gone　a　few　steps　when　the　deacon　came　out　of　his
house。　　It　was　already　dawn；　and　he　saw　that
Prokofy　was　carrying　away　his　harrow。

〃Hey；　what's　that？〃　cried　the　deacon。

The　neighbours　rushed　out　from　their　houses。　
Prokofy　was　seized；　brought　to　the　police　station；
and　then　sentenced　to　eleven　months'　imprison…
ment。　　It　was　autumn；　and　Prokofy　had　to　be
transferred　to　the　prison　hospital。　　He　was
coughing　badly；　his　chest　was　heaving　from　the
exertion；　and　he　could　not　get　warm。　　Those　who
were　stronger　contrived　not　to　shiver；　Prokofy
on　the　contrary　shivered　day　and　night；　as　the　su…
perintendent　would　not　light　the　fires　in　the　hos…
pital　till　November；　to　save　expense。

Prokofy　suffered　greatly　in　body；　and　still　more
in　soul。　　He　was　disgusted　with　his　surroundings；
and　hated　every　onethe　deacon；　the　superin…
tendent　who　would　not　light　the　fires；　the　guard；
and　the　man　who　was　lying　in　the　bed　next　to　his；
and　who　had　a　swollen　red　lip。　　He　began　also
to　hate　the　new　convict　who　was　brought　into
hospital。　　This　convict　was　Stepan。　　He　was
suffering　from　some　disease　on　his　head；　and　was
transferred　to　the　hospital　and　put　in　a　bed　at
Prokofy's　side。　　After　a　time　that　hatred　to
Stepan　changed；　and　Prokofy　became；　on　the　con…
trary；　extremely　fond　of　him；　he　delighted　in
talking　to　him。　　It　was　only　after　a　talk　with
Stepan　that　his　anguish　would　cease　for　a　while。　
Stepan　always　told　every　one　he　met　about　his
last　murder；　and　how　it　had　impressed　him。

Far　from　shrieking；　or　anything　of　that
kind；〃　he　said　to　Prokofy；　〃she　did　not　move。
'Kill　me！　There　I　am；'　she　said。　　'But　it　is　not
my　soul　you　destroy；　it　is　your　own。'〃

〃Well；　of　course；　it　is　very　dreadful　to　kill。　　I
had　one　day　to　slaughter　a　sheep；　and　even　that
made　me　half　mad。　　I　have　not　destroyed　any　liv…
ing　soul；　why　then　do　those　villains　kill　me？　I
have　done　no　harm　to　anybody　。　。　。〃

〃That　will　be　taken　into　consideration。〃

〃By　whom？〃

〃By　God；　to　be　sure。〃

〃I　have　not　seen　anything　yet　showing　that
God　exists；　and　I　don't　believe　in　Him；　brother。　
I　think　when　a　man　dies；　grass　will　grow　over
the　spot；　and　that　is　the　end　of　it。〃

〃You　are　wrong　to　think　like　that。　　I　have
murdered　so　many　people；　whereas　she；　poor
soul；　was　helping　everybody。　　And　you　think　she
and　I　are　to　have　the　same　lot？　Oh　no！　Only
wait。〃

〃Then　you　believe　the　soul　lives　on　after　a
man　is　dead？〃

〃To　be　sure；　it　truly　lives。〃

Prokofy　suffered　greatly　when　death　drew
near。　　He　could　hardly　breathe。　　But　in　the　very
last　hour　he　felt　suddenly　relieved　from　all　pain。　
He　called　Stepan　to　him。　　〃Farewell；　brother；〃
he　said。　　〃Death　has　come；　I　see。　　I　was　so
afraid　of　it　before。　　And　now　I　don't　mind。　　I
only　wish　it　to　come　quicker。〃



XVI

IN　the　meanwhile；　the　affairs　of　Eugene　Mihailo…
vich　had　grown　worse　and　worse。　　Business　was
very　slack。　　There　was　a　new　shop　in　the　town；
he　was　losing　his　customers；　and　the　interest　had
to　be　paid。　　He　borrowed　again　on　interest。　　At
last　his　shop　and　his　goods　were　to　be　sold　up。　
Eugene　Mihailovich　and　his　wife　applied　to　every
one　they　knew；　but　they　could　not　raise　the　four
hundred　roubles　they　needed　to　save　the　shop　any…
where。

They　had　some　hope　of　the　merchant　Krasno…
puzov；　Eugene　Mihailovich's　wife　being　on　good
terms　with　his　mistress。　　But　news　came　that
Krasnopuzov　had　been　robbed　of　a　huge　sum　of
money。　　Some　said　of　half　a　million　roubles。　
〃And　do　you　know　who　is　said　to　be　the　thief？〃
said　Eugene　Mihailovich　to　his　wife。　　〃Vassily；
our　former　yard…porter。　　They　say　he　is　squan…
dering　the　money；　and　the　police　are　bribed　by　him。〃

〃I　knew　he　was　a　villain。　　You　remember　how
he　did　not　mind　perjuring　himself？　But　I　did
not　expect　it　would　go　so　far。〃

〃I　hear　he　has　recently　been　in　the　courtyard
of　our　house。　　Cook　says　she　is　sure　it　was　he。　
She　told　me　he　helps　poor　girls　to　get　married。〃

〃They　always　invent　tales。　　I　don't　believe　it。〃

At　that　moment　a　strange　man；　shabbily　dressed；
entered　the　shop。

〃What　is　it　you　want？〃

〃Here　is　a　letter　for　you。〃

〃From　whom？〃

〃You　will　see　yourself。〃

〃Don't　you　require　an　answer？　Wait　a　mo…
ment。〃

〃I　cannot　〃　　The　strange　man　handed　the　let…
ter　and　disappeared。

〃How　extraordinary！〃　said　Eugene　Mihailo…
vich；　and　tore　open　the　envelope。　　To　his　great
amazement　several　hundred　rouble　notes　fell　out。　
〃Four　hundred　roubles！〃　he　exclaimed；　hardly
believing　his　eyes。　　〃What　does　it　mean？〃

The　envelope　also　contained　a　badly…spelt　letter；
addressed　to　Eugene　Mihailovich。　　〃It　is　said　in
the　Gospels；〃　ran　the　letter；　〃　do　good　for　evil。　
You　have　done　me　much　harm；　and　in　the　coupon
case　you　made　me　wrong　the　peasants　greatly。　
But　I　have　pity　for　you。　　Here　are　four　hundred
notes。　　Take　them；　and　remember　your　porter
Vassily。〃

〃Very　extraordinary！〃　said　Eugene　Mihailo…
vich　to　his　wife　and　to　himself。　　And　each　time
he　remembered　that　incident；　or　spoke　about　it
to　his　wife；　tears　would　come　to　his　eyes。



XVII

FOURTEEN　priests　were　kept　in　the　Suzdal　friary
prison；　chiefly　for　having　been　untrue　to　the　or…
thodox　faith。　　Isidor　had　been　sent　to　that　place
also。　　Father　Missael　received　him　according　to
the　instructions　he　had　been　given；　and　without
talking　to　him　ordered　him　to　be　put　into　a　sep…
arate　cell　as　a　serious　criminal。　　After　a　fort…
night　Father　Missael；　making　a　round　of　the
prison；　entered　Isidor's　cell；　and　asked　him
whether　there　was　anything　he　wished　for。

〃There　is　a　great　deal　I　wish　for；〃　answered
Isidor；　〃but　I　cannot　tell　you　what　it　is　in　the
presence　of　anybody　else。　　Let　me　talk　to　you
privately。〃

They　looked　at　each　other；　and　Missael　saw　he
had　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　in　remaining　alone
with　Isidor。　　He　ordered　Isidor　to　be　brought
into　his　own　room；　and　when　they　were　alone；　he
said；

〃Well；　now　you　can　speak。〃

Is