the forged coupon()-第8章
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which had lost its colour from having been washed ever so many times。
Would not it be a good thing to make a good clean incision in that paunch。
And that woman； too； he thought。
One moment he would say to himself； 〃I had better go from here to…
morrow； bother them all！〃 But then again Ivan Mironov came back to his
mind； and he went on thinking of the innkeeper's paunch and Matrena's
white throat bathed in perspiration。 〃Kill I must； and it must be both！〃
He heard the cock crow for the second time。
〃I must do it at once； or dawn will be here。〃 He had seen in the
evening before he went to bed a knife and an axe。 He crawled down
from the stove； took the knife and axe； and went out of the kitchen door。
At that very moment he heard the lock of the entrance door open。 The
innkeeper was going out of the house to the courtyard。 It all turned out
contrary to what Stepan desired。 He had no opportunity of using the
knife； he just swung the axe and split the innkeeper's head in two。 The
man tumbled down on the threshold of the door； then on the ground。
Stepan stepped into the bedroom。 Matrena jumped out of bed； and
remained standing by its side。 With the same axe Stepan killed her also。
Then he lighted the candle； took the money out of the desk； and left
the house。
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
XVI
IN a small district town； some distance away from the other buildings；
an old man； a former official； who had taken to drink； lived in his own
house with his two daughters and his son…in…law。 The married daughter
was also addicted to drink and led a bad life； and it was the elder daughter；
the widow Maria Semenovna； a wrinkled woman of fifty； who supported
the whole family。 She had a pension of two hundred and fifty roubles a
year； and the family lived on this。 Maria Semenovna did all the work in
the house； looked after the drunken old father； who was very weak；
attended to her sister's child； and managed all the cooking and the washing
of the family。 And； as is always the case； whatever there was to do； she
was expected to do it； and was； moreover； continually scolded by all the
three people in the house； her brother…in…law used even to beat her when
he was drunk。 She bore it all patiently； and as is also always the case； the
more work she had to face； the quicker she managed to get through it。
She helped the poor； sacrificing her own wants； she gave them her clothes；
and was a ministering angel to the sick。
Once the lame； crippled village tailor was working in Maria
Semenovna's house。 He had to mend her old father's coat； and to mend
and repair Maria Semenovna's fur…jacket for her to wear in winter when
she went to market。
The lame tailor was a clever man； and a keen observer： he had seen
many different people owing to his profession； and was fond of reflection；
condemned as he was to a sedentary life。
Having worked a week at Maria Semenovna's； he wondered greatly
about her life。 One day she came to the kitchen； where he was sitting
with his work； to wash a towel； and began to ask him how he was getting
on。 He told her of the wrong he had suffered from his brother； and how he
now lived on his own allotment of land； separated from that of his brother。
〃I thought I should have been better off that way；〃 he said。 〃But I am
now just as poor as before。〃
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
〃It is much better never to change； but to take life as it comes；〃 said
Maria Semenovna。 〃Take life as it comes；〃 she repeated。
〃Why； I wonder at you； Maria Semenovna；〃 said the lame tailor。 〃You
alone do the work； and you are so good to everybody。 But they don't repay
you in kind； I see。〃
Maria Semenovna did not utter a word in answer。
〃I dare say you have found out in books that we are rewarded in
heaven for the good we do here。〃
〃We don't know that。 But we must try to do the best we can。〃
〃Is it said so in books？〃
〃In books as well；〃 she said； and read to him the Sermon on the Mount。
The tailor was much impressed。 When he had been paid for his job and
gone home； he did not cease to think about Maria Semenovna； both what
she had said and what she had read to him。
XVII
PETER NIKOLAEVICH SVENTIZKY'S views of the peasantry had
now changed for the worse； and the peasants had an equally bad opinion
of him。 In the course of a single year they felled twenty…seven oaks in his
forest； and burnt a barn which had not been insured。 Peter Nikolaevich
came to the conclusion that there was no getting on with the people around
him。
At that very time the landowner； Liventsov； was trying to find a
manager for his estate； and the Marshal of the Nobility recommended
Peter Nikolaevich as the ablest man in the district in the management of
land。 The estate owned by Liventsov was an extremely large one； but
there was no revenue to be got out of it； as the peasants appropriated all its
wealth to their own profit。 Peter Nikolaevich undertook to bring
everything into order； rented out his own land to somebody else； and
settled with his wife on the Liventsov estate； in a distant province on the
river Volga。
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
Peter Nikolaevich was always fond of order； and wanted things to be
regulated by law； and now he felt less able of allowing those raw and rude
peasants to take possession； quite illegally too； of property that did not
belong to them。 He was glad of the opportunity of giving them a good
lesson； and set seriously to work at once。 One peasant was sent to prison
for stealing wood； to another he gave a thrashing for not having made way
for him on the road with his cart； and for not having lifted his cap to salute
him。 As to the pasture ground which was a subject of dispute； and was
considered by the peasants as their property； Peter Nikolaevich informed
the peasants that any of their cattle grazing on it would be driven away by
him。
The spring came and the peasants； just as they had done in previous
years； drove their cattle on to the meadows belonging to the landowner。
Peter Nikolaevich called some of the men working on the estate and
ordered them to drive the cattle into his yard。 The peasants were working
in the fields； and； disregarding the screaming of the women； Peter
Nikolaevich's men succeeded in driving in the cattle。 When they came
home the peasants went in a crowd to the cattle…yard on the estate； and
asked for their cattle。 Peter Nikolaevich came out to talk to them with a
gun slung on his shoulder； he had just returned from a ride of inspection。
He told them that he would not let them have their cattle unless they paid a
fine of fifty kopeks for each of the horned cattle； and twenty kopeks for
each sheep。 The peasants loudly declared that the pasture ground was their
property； because their fathers and grandfathers had used it； and protested
that he had no right whatever to lay hand on their cattle。
〃Give back our cattle； or you will regret it；〃 said an old man coming up
to Peter Nikolaevich。
〃How shall I regret it？〃 cried Peter Nikolaevich； turning pale； and
coming close to the old man。
〃Give them back； you villain； and don't provoke us。〃
〃What？〃 cried Peter Nikolaevich； and slapped the old man in the face。
〃You dare to strike me？ Come along； you fellows； let us take back
our cattle by force。〃
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
The crowd drew close to him。 Peter Nikolaevich tried to push his
way； through them； but the peasants resisted him。 Again he tried force。
His gun； accidentally discharged in the melee； killed one of the
peasants。 Instantly the fight began。 Peter Nikolaevich was trodden down；
and five minutes later his mutilated body was dragged into the ravine。
The murderers were tried by martial law； and two of them sentenced to
the gallows。
XVIII
IN the village where the lame tailor lived； in the Zemliansk district of
the Voronesh province； five rich peasants hired from the landowner a
hundred and five acres of rich arable land； black as tar； and let it out on
lease to the rest of the peasants at fifteen to eighteen roubles an acre。 Not
one acre was given under twelve roubles。 They got a very profitable return；
and the five acres which were left to each of their company practically
cost them nothing。 One of the five peasants died； and the lame tailor
received an offer to take his place。
When they began to divide the land； the tailor gave up drinking vodka；
and； being consulted as to how much land was to be divided； and to whom
it should be given； he proposed to give allotments to all on equal terms；
not taking from the tenants more than was due for each piece of land out
of the sum paid to the landowner。
〃Why so？〃
〃We are no heathens； I should think；〃 he said。 〃It is all very well for
the masters to be unfair； but we are true Christians。 We must do as God
bids。 Such is the law of Christ。〃
〃Where have you got that law from？
〃It is in the Book； in the Gospels。 just come to me on Sunday。 I will
read you a few passages； and we will have a talk afterwards。〃
They did not all come to him on Sunday； but three came； and he began
reading to them。
