01-the forged coupon-第2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！


〃Scoundrel！　As　you　called　me　that；　I　might　as
well　be　it　〃　　He　looked　into　Mahin's　face。　
Mahin　looked　at　him；　smiling　with　perfect　ease。

〃Well？〃　he　said。

〃All　right。　　I　don't　mind。〃

Mahin　carefully　wrote　the　unit　in　front　of　2。50。

〃Now　let　us　go　to　the　shop　across　the　road；
they　sell　photographers'　materials　there。　　I　just
happen　to　want　a　framefor　this　young　person
here　〃　　He　took　out　of　his　pocket　a　photograph
of　a　young　lady　with　large　eyes；　luxuriant　hair；
and　an　uncommonly　well…developed　bust。

〃Is　she　not　sweet？　　Eh？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　。　。of　course。　。　。〃

〃Well；　you　see。But　let　us　go。〃

Mahin　took　his　coat；　and　they　left　the　house。


III

THE　two　boys；　having　rung　the　door…bell；　entered
the　empty　shop；　which　had　shelves　along　the　walls
and　photographic　appliances　on　them；　together
with　show…cases　on　the　counters。　　A　plain　woman；
with　a　kind　face；　came　through　the　inner　door　and
asked　from　behind　the　counter　what　they　required。

〃A　nice　frame；　if　you　please；　madam。〃

〃At　what　price？〃　asked　the　woman；　she　wore
mittens　on　her　swollen　fingers　with　which　she　rap…
idly　handled　picture…frames　of　different　shapes。

〃These　are　fifty　kopeks　each；　and　these　are　a
little　more　expensive。　　There　is　rather　a　pretty
one；　of　quite　a　new　style；　one　rouble　and　twenty
kopeks。〃

〃All　right；　I　will　have　this。　　But　could　not
you　make　it　cheaper？　Let　us　say　one　rouble。〃

〃We　don't　bargain　in　our　shop；〃　said　the
shopkeeper　with　a　dignified　air。

〃Well；　I　will　take　it；〃　said　Mahin；　and　put
the　coupon　on　the　counter。　　〃Wrap　up　the　frame
and　give　me　change。　　But　please　be　quick。　　We
must　be　off　to　the　theatre；　and　it　is　getting　late。〃

〃You　have　plenty　of　time；〃　said　the　shop…
keeper；　examining　the　coupon　very　closely　because
of　her　shortsightedness。

〃It　will　look　lovely　in　that　frame；　don't　you
think　so？　〃　said　Mahin；　turning　to　Mitia。

〃Have　you　no　small　change？　〃　asked　the　shop…
woman。

〃I　am　sorry；　I　have　not。　　My　father　gave　me
that；　so　I　have　to　cash　it。〃

〃But　surely　you　have　one　rouble　twenty？〃

〃I　have　only　fifty　kopeks　in　cash。　　But　what
are　you　afraid　of？　You　don't　think；　I　suppose；
that　we　want　to　cheat　you　and　give　you　bad
money？　〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　don't　mean　anything　of　the
sort。〃

〃You　had　better　give　it　to　me　back。　　We　will
cash　it　somewhere　else。〃

〃How　much　have　I　to　pay　you　back？　Eleven
and　something。〃

She　made　a　calculation　on　the　counter；　opened
the　desk；　took　out　a　ten…roubles　note；　looked　for
change　and　added　to　the　sum　six　twenty…kopeks
coins　and　two　five…kopek　pieces。

〃Please　make　a　parcel　of　the　frame；〃　said
Mahin；　taking　the　money　in　a　leisurely　fashion。

〃Yes；　sir　〃　　She　made　a　parcel　and　tied　it
with　a　string。

Mitia　only　breathed　freely　when　the　door　bell
rang　behind　them；　and　they　were　again　in　the
street。

〃There　are　ten　roubles　for　you；　and　let　me
have　the　rest。　　I　will　give　it　back　to　you。〃

Mahin　went　off　to　the　theatre；　and　Mitia　called
on　Grouchetsky　to　repay　the　money　he　had　bor…
rowed　from　him。


IV

AN　hour　after　the　boys　were　gone　Eugene　Mihail…
ovich；　the　owner　of　the　shop；　came　home；　and　be…
gan　to　count　his　receipts。

〃Oh；　you　clumsy　fool！　Idiot　that　you　are！〃
he　shouted；　addressing　his　wife；　after　having　seen
the　coupon　and　noticed　the　forgery。

〃But　I　have　often　seen　you；　Eugene；　accepting
coupons　in　payment；　and　precisely　twelve　rouble
ones；〃　retorted　his　wife；　very　humiliated；　grieved；
and　all　but　bursting　into　tears。　　〃I　really　don't
know　how　they　contrived　to　cheat　me；〃　she　went
on。　〃They　were　pupils　of　the　school；　in　uni…
form。　　One　of　them　was　quite　a　handsome　boy；
and　looked　so　comme　il　faut。〃

〃A　comme　il　faut　fool；　that　is　what　you　are！〃
The　husband　went　on　scolding　her；　while　he
counted　the　cash。　。　。　。　　When　I　accept
coupons；　I　see　what　is　written　on　them。　　And　you
probably　looked　only　at　the　boys'　pretty　faces。
You　had　better　behave　yourself　in　your　old　age。〃

His　wife　could　not　stand　this；　and　got　into　a
fury。

〃That　is　just　like　you　men！　Blaming　every…
body　around　you。　　But　when　it　is　you　who　lose
fifty…four　roubles　at　cardsthat　is　of　no　conse…
quence　in　your　eyes。〃

〃That　is　a　different　matter

〃I　don't　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　said　his　wife；
and　went　to　her　room。　　There　she　began　to　re…
mind　herself　that　her　family　was　opposed　to　her
marriage；　thinking　her　present　husband　far　below
her　in　social　rank；　and　that　it　was　she　who　insisted
on　marrying　him。　　Then　she　went　on　thinking　of
the　child　she　had　lost；　and　how　indifferent　her
husband　had　been　to　their　loss。　　She　hated　him
so　intensely　at　that　moment　that　she　wished　for
his　death。　　Her　wish　frightened　her；　however；
and　she　hurriedly　began　to　dress　and　left　the
house。　　When　her　husband　came　from　the　shop
to　the　inner　rooms　of　their　flat　she　was　gone。　
Without　waiting　for　him　she　had　dressed　and
gone　off　to　friendsa　teacher　of　French　in　the
school；　a　Russified　Pole；　and　his　wifewho　had
invited　her　and　her　husband　to　a　party　in　their
house　that　evening。


V

THE　guests　at　the　party　had　tea　and　cakes　offered
to　them；　and　sat　down　after　that　to　play　whist　at
a　number　of　card…tables。

The　partners　of　Eugene　Mihailovich's　wife
were　the　host　himself；　an　officer；　and　an　old　and
very　stupid　lady　in　a　wig；　a　widow　who　owned　a
music…shop；　she　loved　playing　cards　and　played
remarkably　well。　　But　it　was　Eugene　Mihailo…
vich's　wife　who　was　the　winner　all　the　time。　　The
best　cards　were　continually　in　her　hands。　　At　her
side　she　had　a　plate　with　grapes　and　a　pear　and
was　in　the　best　of　spirits。

〃And　Eugene　Mihailovich？　Why　is　he　so
late？〃　asked　the　hostess；　who　played　at　another
table。

〃Probably　busy　settling　accounts；〃　said　Eugene
Mihailovich's　wife。　　〃He　has　to　pay　off　the
tradesmen；　to　get　in　firewood　〃　　The　quarrel　she
had　with　her　husband　revived　in　her　memory；
she　frowned；　and　her　hands；　from　which　she　had
not　taken　off　the　mittens；　shook　with　fury　against
him。

〃Oh；　there　he　is。We　have　just　been　speak…
ing　of　you；〃　said　the　hostess　to　Eugene　Mihailo…
vich；　who　came　in　at　that　very　moment。　　〃Why
are　you　so　late？〃

〃I　was　busy；〃　answered　Eugene　Mihailovich；
in　a　gay　voice；　rubbing　his　hands。　　And　to　his
wife's　surprise　he　came　to　her　side　and　said；

〃You　know；　I　managed　to　get　rid　of　the　cou…
pon。〃

〃No！　　You　don't　say　so！〃

〃Yes；　I　used　it　to　pay　for　a　cart…load　of　fire…
wood　I　bought　from　a　peasant。〃

And　Eugene　Mihailovich　related　with　great　in…
dignation　to　the　company　presenthis　wife　add…
ing　more　details　to　his　narrativehow　his　wife
had　been　cheated　by　two　unscrupulous　schoolboys。

〃Well；　and　now　let　us　sit　down　to　work；〃　he
said；　taking　his　place　at　one　of　the　whist…tables
when　his　turn　came；　and　beginning　to　shuffle　the
cards。



VI

EUGENE　MIHAILOVICH　had　actually　used　the　cou…
pon　to　buy　firewood　from　the　peasant　Ivan　Mi…
ronov；　who　had　thought　of　setting　up　in　business
on　the　seventeen　roubles　he　possessed。　　He　hoped
in　this　way　to　earn　another　eight　roubles；　and　with
the　twenty…five　roubles　thus　amassed　he　intended
to　buy　a　good　strong　horse；　which　he　would　want
in　the　spring　for　work　in　the　fields　and　for　driv…
ing　on　the　roads；　as　his　old　horse　was　almost
played　out。

Ivan　Mironov's　commercial　method　consisted
in　buying　from　the　stores　a　cord　of　wood　and　di…
viding　it　into　five　cartloads；　and　then　driving
about　the　town；　selling　each　of　these　at　the　price
the　stores　charged　for　a　quarter　of　a　cord。　　That
unfortunate　day　Ivan　Mironov　drove　out　very
early　with　half　a　cartload；　which　he　soon　sold。　
He　loaded　up　again　with　another　cartload　which
he　hoped　to　sell；　but　he　looked　in　vain　for　a　cus…
tomer；　no　one　would　buy　it。　　It　was　his　bad　luck
all　that　day　to　come　across　experienced　towns…
people；　who　knew　all　the　tricks　of　the　peasants　in
selling　firewood；　and　would　not　believe　that　he
had　actually　brought　the　wood　from　the　country
as　he　assured　them。　　He　got　hungry；　and　felt
cold　in　his　ragged　woollen　coat。　　It　was　nearly
below　zero　when　evening　came　on；　his　horse
which　he　had　treated　without　mercy；　hoping　soon
to　sell　it　to　the　knacker's　yard；　refused　to　move　a
step。　　So　Ivan　Mironov　was　quite　ready