the calash-第3章

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question　had　no　application　whatever。　At　length；　a　few　minutes　before

supper；　play　came　to　an　end。　Tchertokoutski　could　remember　that　he　had

won　a　great　deal；　but　he　did　not　take　up　his　winnings；　and　after

rising　stood　for　some　time　in　the　position　of　a　man　who　has　no

handkerchief　in　his　pocket。



They　sat　down　to　supper。　As　might　be　expected；　wine　was　not　lacking；

and　Tchertokoutski　kept　involuntarily　filling　his　glass　with　it；　for

he　was　surrounded　with　bottles。　A　lengthy　conversation　took　place　at

table；　but　the　guests　carried　it　on　after　a　strange　fashion。　A

colonel；　who　had　served　in　1812；　described　a　battle　which　had　never

taken　place；　and　besides；　no　one　ever　could　make　out　why　he　took　a

cork　and　stuck　it　into　a　pie。　They　began　to　break…up　at　three　in　the

morning。　The　coachmen　were　obliged　to　take　several　of　them　in　their

arms　like　bundles；　and　Tchertokoutski　himself；　despite　his

aristocratic　pride；　bowed　so　low　to　the　company；　that　he　took　home　two

thistles　in　his　moustache。



The　coachman　who　drove　him　home　found　every　one　asleep。　He　routed　out；

after　some　trouble；　the　valet；　who；　after　having　ushered　his　master

through　the　hall；　handed　him　over　to　a　maid…servant。　Tchertokoutski

followed　her　as　well　as　he　could　to　the　best　room；　and　stretched

himself　beside　his　pretty　young　wife；　who　was　sleeping　in　a　night…gown

as　white　as　snow。　The　shock　of　her　husband　falling　on　the　bed　awoke

hershe　stretched　out　her　arms；　opened　her　eyes；　closed　them　quickly；

and　then　opened　them　again　quite　wide；　with　a　half…vexed　air。　Seeing

that　her　husband　did　not　pay　the　slightest　attention　to　her；　she

turned　over　on　the　other　side；　rested　her　fresh　and　rosy　cheek　on　her

hand；　and　went　to　sleep　again。



It　was　latethat　is；　according　to　country　customswhen　the　lady

awoke　again。　Her　husband　was　snoring　more　loudly　than　ever。　She

recollected　that　he　had　come　home　at　four　o'clock；　and　not　wishing　to

awaken　him；　got　up　alone；　and　put　on　her　slippers；　which　her　husband

had　had　sent　for　her　from　St。　Petersburg；　and　a　white　dressing…gown

which　fell　about　her　like　the　waters　of　a　fountain。　Then　she　passed

into　her　dressing…room；　and　after　washing　in　water　as　fresh　as

herself；　went　to　her　toilet　table。　She　looked　at　herself　twice　in　the

glass；　and　thought　she　looked　very　pretty　that　morning。　This

circumstance；　a　very　insignificant　one　apparently；　caused　her　to　stay

two　hours　longer　than　usual　before　her　glass。　She　dressed　herself　very

tastefully　and　went　into　the　garden。



The　weather　was　splendid：　it　was　one　of　the　finest　days　of　the　summer。

The　sun；　which　had　almost　reached　the　meridian；　shed　its　most　ardent

rays；　but　a　pleasant　coolness　reigned　under　the　leafy　arcades；　and　the

flowers；　warmed　by　the　sun；　exhaled　their　sweetest　perfume。　The　pretty

mistress　of　the　house　had　quite　forgotten　that　it　was　noon　at　least；

and　that　her　husband　was　still　asleep。　Already　she　heard　the　snores　of

two　coachmen　and　a　groom；　who　were　taking　their　siesta　in　the　stable；

after　having　dined　copiously。　But　she　was　still　sitting　in　a　bower

from　which　the　deserted　high　road　could　be　seen；　when　all　at　once　her

attention　was　caught　by　a　light　cloud　of　dust　rising　in　the　distance。

After　looking　at　it　for　some　moments；　she　ended　by　making　out　several

vehicles；　closely　following　one　another。　First　came　a　light　calash；

with　two　places；　in　which　was　the　general；　wearing　his　large　and

glittering　epaulettes；　with　the　colonel。　This　was　followed　by　another

with　four　places；　containing　the　captain；　the　aide…de…camp　and　two

lieutenants。　Further　on；　came　the　celebrated　regimental　vehicle；　the

present　owner　of　which　was　the　major；　and　behind　that　another　in　which

were　packed　five　officers；　one　on　his　comrade's　knees；　the　procession

being　closed　by　three　more　on　three　fine　bays。



〃Are　they　coming　here？〃　thought　the　mistress　of　the　house。　〃Good

heavens；　yes！　they　are　leaving　the　main　road。〃



She　gave　a　cry；　clasped　her　hands；　and　ran　straight　across　the

flower…beds　to　her　bedroom；　where　her　husband　was　still　sleeping

soundly。



〃Get　up！　get　up！　get　up　at　once；〃　she　cried；　pulling　him　by　the　arm。



〃Whatwhat's　the　matter？〃　murmured　Tchertokoutski；　stretching　his

limbs　without　opening　his　eyes。



〃Get　up；　get　up。　Visitors　have　come；　do　you　hear？　visitors。〃



〃Visitors；　what　visitors？〃　After　saying　these　words　he　uttered　a

little　plaintive　grunt　like　that　of　a　sucking　calf：　〃M…m…m。　Let　me

kiss　you。〃



〃My　dear；　get　up　at　once；　for　heaven's　sake。　The　general　has　come　with

all　his　officers。　Ah！　goodness；　you　have　got　a　thistle　in　your

moustache。〃



〃The　general！　Has　he　come　already？　But　why　the　deuce　did　not　they　wake

me？　And　the　dinner；　is　the　dinner　ready？〃



〃What　dinner？〃



〃But　haven't　I　ordered　a　dinner？〃



〃A　dinner！　You　got　home　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　you　did　not

answer　a　single　word　to　all　my　questions。　I　did　not　wake　you；　since

you　had　so　little　sleep。〃



Tchertokoutski；　his　eyes　staring　out　of　his　head；　remained　motionless

for　some　moments　as　though　a　thunderbolt　had　struck　him。　All　at　once

he　jumped　out　of　bed　in　his　shirt。



〃Idiot　that　I　am；〃　he　exclaimed；　clasping　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　〃I

had　invited　them　to　dinner。　What　is　to　be　done？　are　they　far　off？〃



〃They　will　be　here　in　a　moment。〃



〃My　dear；　hide　yourself。　Ho　there；　somebody。　Hi　there；　you　girl。　Come

here；　you　fool；　what　are　you　afraid　of？　The　officers　are　coming　here；

tell　them　I　am　not　at　home；　that　I　went　out　early　this　morning；　that　I

am　not　coming　back。　Do　you　understand？　Go　and　repeat　it　to　all　the

servants。　Be　off；　quick。〃



Having　uttered　these　words；　he　hurriedly　slipped　on　his　dressing…gown；

and　ran　off　to　shut　himself　up　in　the　coach…house；　which　he　thought

the　safest　hiding…place。　But　he　fancied　that　he　might　be　noticed　in

the　corner　in　which　he　had　taken　refuge。



〃This　will　be　better；〃　said　he　to　himself；　letting　down　the　steps　of

the　nearest　vehicle；　which　happened　to　be　the　calash。　He　jumped

inside；　closed　the　door；　and；　as　a　further　precaution；　covered　himself

with　the　leather　apron。　There　he　remained；　wrapped　in　his

dressing…gown；　in　a　doubled…up　position。



During　this　time　the　equipages　had　drawn　up　before　the　porch。　The

general　got　out　of　his　carriage　and　shook　himself；　followed　by　the

colonel；　arranging　the　feathers　in　his　hat。　After　him　came　the　stout

major；　his　sabre　under　his　arm；　and　the　slim　lieutenants；　whilst　the

mounted　officers　also　alighted。



〃The　master　is　not　at　home；〃　said　a　servant　appearing　at　the　top　of　a

flight　of　steps。



〃What！　not　at　home；　but　he　is　coming　home　for　dinner；　is　he　not？〃



〃No；　he　is　not；　he　has　gone　out　for　the　day　and　will　not　be　back　till

this　time　to…morrow。〃



〃Bless　me；〃　said　the　general；　〃but　what　the　deuce〃



〃What　a　joke；〃　said　the　colonel　laughing。



〃No；　no；　such　things　are　inconceivable；〃　said　the　general　angrily。　〃If

he　could　not　receive　us；　why　did　he　invite　us？〃



〃I　cannot　understand；　your　excellency；　how　it　is　possible　to　act　in

such　a　manner；〃　observed　a　young　officer。



〃What？〃　said　the　general；　who　always　made　an　officer　under　the　rank　of

captain　repeat　his　remarks　twice　over。



〃I　wondered；　your　excellency；　how　any　one　could　do　such　a　thing。〃



〃Quite　so；　if　anything　has　happened　he　ought　to　have　let　us　know。〃



〃There　is　nothing　to　be　done；　your　excellency；　we　had　better　go　back

home；〃　said　the　colonel。



〃Certainly；　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。　However；　we　can　see　the

calash　without　him；　probably　he　has　not　taken　it　with　him。　Come　here；

my　man。〃



〃What　does　your　excellency　want？〃



〃Show　us　your　master's　new　calash。〃



〃Have　the　kindness　to　step　this　way　to　the　coach…house。〃



The　general　entered　the　coach…house　followed　by　his　officers。



〃Let　me　pull　it　a　little　forward；　your　excellency；〃　said　the　servant；

〃it　is　rather　dark　here。〃



〃That　will　do。〃



The　ge