04-polikushka-第3章

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this　way　I　talked　to　our　mistress　until　I　succeeded　in　convincing

her　that　my　repentance　was　sincere；　and　she　became　greatly

softened　toward　me；　saying；　'If　you　are　successful　I　will　give

you　the　first　place　at　the　court。'〃



〃And　how　much　money　are　you　to　collect？〃　inquired　Akulina。



〃Fifteen　hundred　rubles；〃　carelessly　answered　Polikey。



Akulina　sadly　shook　her　head　as　she　asked；　〃When　are　you　to

start？〃



〃She　ordered　me　to　leave　here　to…morrow；〃　Polikey　replied。　　'Take

any　horse　you　please；'　she　said。　　'Come　to　the　office；　and　I　will

see　you　there　and　wish　you　God…speed　on　your　journey。'〃



〃Glory　to　Thee；　O　Lord！〃　said　Akulina；　as　she　arose　and　made　the

sign　of　the　cross。　　〃God；　I　am　sure；　will　bless　you；　Illitch；〃

she　added；　in　a　whisper；　so　that　the　people　on　the　other　side　of

the　partition　could　not　hear　what　she　said；　all　the　while　holding

on　to　his　sleeve。　〃Illitch；〃　she　cried　at　last；　excitedly；　〃for

God's　sake　promise　me　that　you　will　not　touch　a　drop　of　vodki。　

Take　an　oath　before　God；　and　kiss　the　cross；　so　that　I　may　be

sure　that　you　will　not　break　your　promise！〃



Polikey　replied　in　most　contemptuous　tones：　〃Do　you　think　I　will

dare　to　touch　vodki　when　I　shall　have　such　a　large　sum　of　money

in　my　care？〃



〃Akulina；　have　a　clean　shirt　ready　for　the　morning；〃　were　his

parting　words　for　the　night。



So　Polikey　and　his　wife　went　to　sleep　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind

and　full　of　bright　dreams　for　the　future。



　

CHAPTER　IV。



Very　early　the　next　morning；　almost　before　the　stars　had　hidden

themselves　from　view；　there　was　seen　standing　before　Polikey's

home　a　low　wagon；　the　same　in　which　the　superintendent　himself

used　to　ride；　and　harnessed　to　it　was　a　large…boned；　dark…brown

mare；　called　for　some　unknown　reason　by　the　name　of　Baraban

（drum）。　　Aniutka；　Polikey's　eldest　daughter；　in　spite　of　the

heavy　rain　and　the　cold　wind　which　was　blowing；　stood　outside

barefooted　and　held　（not　without　some　fear）　the　reins　in　ore

hand；　while　with　the　other　she　endeavored　to　keep　her　green　and

yellow　overcoat　wound　around　her　body；　and　also　to　hold　Polikey's

sheepskin　coat。



In　the　house　there　were　the　greatest　noise　and　confusion。　　The

morning　was　still　so　dark　that　the　little　daylight　there　was

failed　to　penetrate　through　the　broken　panes　of　glass；　the　window

being　stuffed　in　many　places　with　rags　and　paper　to　exclude　the

cold　air。



Akulina　ceased　from　her　cooking　for　a　while　and　helped　to　get

Polikey　ready　for　the　journey。　Most　of　the　children　were　still　in

bed；　very　likely　as　a　protection　against　the　cold；　for　Akulina

had　taken　away　the　big　overcoat　which　usually　covered　them　and

had　substituted　a　shawl　of　her　own。　　Polikey's　shirt　was　all

ready；　nice　and　clean；　but　his　shoes　badly　needed　repairing；　and

this　fact　caused　his　devoted　wife　much　anxiety。　　She　took　from

her　own　feet　the　thick　woollen　stockings　she　was　wearing；　and

gave　them　to　Polikey。　　She　then　began　to　repair　his　shoes；

patching　up　the　holes　so　as　to　protect　his　feet　from　dampness。



While　this　was　going　on　he　was　sitting　on　the　side　of　the　bed

with　his　feet　dangling　over　the　edge；　and　trying　to　turn　the　sash

which　confined　his　coat　at　the　waist。　　He　was　anxious　to　look　as

clean　as　possible；　and　he　declared　his　sash　looked　like　a　dirty

rope。



One　of　his　daughters；　enveloped　in　a　sheepskin　coat；　was　sent　to

a　neighbor's　house　to　borrow　a　hat。



Within　Polikey's　home　the　greatest　confusion　reigned；　for　the

court　servants　were　constantly　arriving　with　innumerable　small

orders　which　they　wished　Polikey　to　execute　for　them　in　town。　

One　wanted　needles；　another　tea；　another　tobacco；　and　last　came

the　joiner's　wife；　who　by　this　time　had　prepared　her　samovar；

and；　anxious　to　make　up　the　quarrel　of　the　previous　day；　brought

the　traveller　a　cup　of　tea。



Neighbor　Nikita　refused　the　loan　of　the　hat；　so　the　old　one　had

to　be　patched　up　for　the　occasion。　　This　occupied　some　time；　as

there　were　many　holes　in　it。



Finally　Polikey　was　all　ready；　and　jumping　on　the　wagon　started

on　his　journey；　after　first　making　the　sign　of　the　cross。



At　the　last　moment　his　little　boy；　Mishka；　ran　to　the　door；

begging　to　be　given　a　short　ride；　and　then　his　little　daughter；

Mashka；　appeared　on　the　scene　and　pleaded　that　she；　too；　might

have　a　ride；　declaring　that　she　would　be　quite　warm　enough

without　furs。



Polikey　stopped　the　horse　on　hearing　the　children；　and　Akulina

placed　them　in　the　wagon；　together　with　two　others　belonging　to　a

neighborall　anxious　to　have　a　short　ride。



As　Akulina　helped　the　little　ones　into　the　wagon　she　took

occasion　to　remind　Polikey　of　the　solemn　promise　he　had　made　her

not　to　touch　a　drop　of　vodki　during　the　journey。



Polikey　drove　the　children　as　far　as　the　blacksmith's　place；

where　he　let　them　out　of　the　wagon；　telling　them　they　must　return

home。　　He　then　arranged　his　clothing；　and；　setting　his　hat　firmly

on　his　head；　started　his　horse　on　a　trot。



The　two　children；　Mishka　and　Mashka；　both　barefooted；　started

running　at　such　a　rapid　pace　that　a　strange　dog　from　another

village；　seeing　them　flying　over　the　road；　dropped　his　tail

between　his　legs　and　ran　home　squealing。



The　weather　was　very　cold；　a　sharp　cutting　wind　blowing

continuously；　but　this　did　not　disturb　Polikey；　whose　mind　was

engrossed　with　pleasant　thoughts。　　As　he　rode　through　the　wintry

blasts　he　kept　repeating　to　himself：　〃So　I　am　the　man　they　wanted

to　send　to　Siberia；　and　whom　they　threatened　to　enroll　as　a

soldierthe　same　man　whom　every　one　abused；　and　said　he　was

lazy；　and　who　was　pointed　out　as　a　thief　and　given　the　meanest

work　on　the　estate　to　do！　　Now　I　am　going　to　receive　a　large　sum

of　money；　for　which　my　mistress　is　sending　me　because　she　trusts

me。　　I　am　also　riding　in　the　same　wagon　that　the　superintendent

himself　uses　when　he　is　riding　as　a　representative　of　the　court。　

I　have　the　same　harness；　leather　horse…collar；　reins；　and　all　the

other　gear。〃



Polikey；　filled　with　pride　at　thought　of　the　mission　with　which

he　had　been　intrusted；　drew　himself　up　with　an　air　of　pride；　and；

fixing　his　old　hat　more　firmly　on　his　head；　buttoned　his　coat

tightly　about　him　and　urged　his　horse　to　greater　speed。



〃Just　to　think；〃　he　continued；　〃I　shall　have　in　my　possession

three　thousand　half…rubles　＇the　peasant　manner　of　speaking　of

money　so　as　to　make　it　appear　a　larger　sum　than　it　really　is＇；

and　will　carry　them　in　my　bosom。　　If　I　wished　to　I　might　run　away

to　Odessa　instead　of　taking　the　money　to　my　mistress。　　But　no；　I

will　not　do　that。　　I　will　surely　carry　the　money　straight　to　the

one　who　has　been　kind　enough　to　trust　me。〃



When　Polikey　reached　the　first　kabak　（tavern）　he　found　that　from

long　habit　the　mare　was　naturally　turning　her　head　toward　it；　but

he　would　not　allow　her　to　stop；　though　money　had　been　given　him

to　purchase　both　food　and　drink。　　Striking　the　animal　a　sharp

blow　with　the　whip；　he　passed　by　the　tavern。　　The　performance　was

repeated　when　he　reached　the　next　kabak；　which　looked　very

inviting；　but　he　resolutely　set　his　face　against　entering；　and

passed　on。



About　noon　he　arrived　at　his　destination；　and　getting　down　from

the　wagon　approached　the　gate　of　the　merchant's　house　where　the

servants　of　the　court　always　stopped。　　Opening　it　he　led　the　mare

through；　and　（after　unharnessing　her）　fed　her。　　This　done；　he

next　entered　the　house　and　had　dinner　with　the　merchant's

workingman；　and　to　them　he　related　what　an　important　mission　he

had　been　sent　on；　making　himself　very　amusing　by　the　pompous　air

which　he　assumed。　　Dinner　over；　he　carried　a　letter　to　the

merchant　which　the　noblewoman　had　given　him　to　deliver。



The　merchant；　knowing　thoroughly　the　reputation　which　Polikey

bore；　felt　doubtful　of　trusting　him　with　so　much　money；　and

somewhat　anxiously　inquired　if　he　really　had　received　orders　to

carry　so　many　rubles。



Polikey　tr