the forged coupon()-第16章
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kindness that the jury felt inclined to discharge Vassily； but sentenced him
nevertheless to confinement in prison。 He thanked the jury； and assured
them that he would find his way out of prison before long。
XIII
NATALIA IVANOVNA SVENTIZKY'S telegram proved useless。 The
committee appointed to deal with the petitions in the Emperor's name；
decided not even to make a report to the Czar。 But one day when the
Sventizky case was discussed at the Emperor's luncheon…table； the
chairman of the committee； who was present； mentioned the telegram
which had been received from Sventizky's widow。
〃C'est tres gentil de sa part；〃 said one of the ladies of the imperial
family。
The Emperor sighed； shrugged his shoulders； adorned with epaulettes。
〃The law；〃 he said； and raised his glass for the groom of the chamber to
pour out some Moselle。
All those present pretended to admire the wisdom of the sovereign's
words。 There was no further question about the telegram。 The two
peasants； the old man and the young boy； were hanged by a Tartar
hangman from Kazan； a cruel convict and a murderer。
The old man's wife wanted to dress the body of her husband in a white
shirt； with white bands which serve as stockings； and new boots； but she
was not allowed to do so。 The two men were buried together in the same
pit outside the church…yard wall。
〃Princess Sofia Vladimirovna tells me he is a very remarkable
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preacher；〃 remarked the old Empress； the Emperor's mother； one day to
her son： 〃Faites le venir。 Il peut precher a la cathedrale。〃
〃No； it would be better in the palace church；〃 said the Emperor； and
ordered the hermit Isidor to be invited。
All the generals； and other high officials； assembled in the church of
the imperial palace； it was an event to hear the famous preacher。
A thin and grey old man appeared； looked at those present； and said：
〃In the name of God； the Son； and the Holy Ghost；〃 and began to speak。
At first all went well； but the longer he spoke the worse it became。 〃Il
devient de plus en plus aggressif；〃 as the Empress put it afterwards。 He
fulminated against every one。 He spoke about the executions and
charged the government with having made so many necessary。 How can
the government of a Christian country kill men？
Everybody looked at everybody else； thinking of the bad taste of the
sermon； and how unpleasant it must be for the Emperor to listen to it； but
nobody expressed these thoughts aloud。
When Isidor had said Amen； the metropolitan approached； and asked
him to call on him。
After Isidor had had a talk with the metropolitan and with the attorney…
general； he was immediately sent away to a friary； not his own； but one at
Suzdal； which had a prison attached to it； the prior of that friary was now
Father Missael。
XIV
EVERY one tried to look as if Isidor's sermon contained nothing
unpleasant； and nobody mentioned it。 It seemed to the Czar that the
hermit's words had not made any impression on himself； but once or twice
during that day he caught himself thinking of the two peasants who had
been hanged； and the widow of Sventizky who had asked an amnesty for
them。 That day the Emperor had to be present at a parade； after which he
went out for a drive； a reception of ministers came next； then dinner； after
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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 youyou 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； Prokofy； 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 something 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
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deacon's harrow stood outside leaning against the hedge。 Prokofy
approached； took the harrow 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'
imprisonment。 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
superintendent would not light the fires in the hospital 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
superintendent 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 contrary；
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
living soul； why then do those villains kill me？ I have done no harm to
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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 Mihailovich 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
anywhere。
They had some hope of the merchant Krasnopuzov； 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 Eu
