the calash-第2章

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equipage　worthy　of　your　other　horses？〃



〃No；　I　have　not　much　in　the　way　of　equipages；　I　must　admit　that；　for

some　time　past；　I　have　been　wanting　to　buy　a　calash；　such　as　they

build　now…a…days。　I　have　written　about　it　to　my　brother　who　is　now　at

St。　Petersburg；　but　I　do　not　know　whether　he　will　be　able　to　send　me

one。〃



〃It　seems　to　me；　your　excellency；〃　remarked　the　colonel；　〃that　there

are　no　better　calashes　than　those　of　Vienna。〃



〃You　are　right。〃　Puffpuffpuff。



〃I　have　an　excellent　calash；　your　excellency；　a　real　Viennese　calash；〃

said　Tchertokoutski。



〃That　in　which　you　came？〃



〃Oh　no；　I　make　use　of　that　for　ordinary　service；　but　the　other　is

something　extraordinary。　It　is　as　light　as　a　feather；　and　if　you　sit

in　it；　it　seems　as　if　your　nurse　was　rocking　you　in　a　cradle。〃



〃It　is　very　comfortable　then？〃



〃Extremely　comfortable；　the　cushions；　the　springs；　and　everything　else

are　perfect。〃



〃Ah！　that　is　good。〃



〃And　what　a　quantity　of　things　can　be　packed　away　in　it。　I　have　never

seen　anything　like　it；　your　excellency。　When　I　was　still　in　the

service　there　was　room　enough　in　the　body　to　stow　away　ten　bottles　of

rum；　twenty　pounds　of　tobacco；　six　uniforms；　and　two　pipes；　the

longest　pipes　imaginable；　your　excellency；　and　in　the　pockets　inside

you　could　stow　away　a　whole　bullock。〃



〃That　is　very　good。〃



〃It　cost　four　thousand　rubles；　your　excellency。〃



〃It　ought　to　be　good　at　that　price。　Did　you　buy　it　yourself？〃



〃No；　your　excellency；　I　had　it　by　chance。　It　was　bought　by　one　of　my

oldest　friends；　a　fine　fellow　with　whom　you　would　be　very　well

pleased。　We　are　very　intimate。　What　is　mine　is　his；　and　what　is　his　is

mine。　I　won　it　of　him　at　cards。　Would　your　excellency　have　the

kindness　to　honour　me　at　dinner　to…morrow？　You　could　see　my　calash。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　say。　Alone　I　could　notbut　if　you　would　allow

me　to　come　with　these　officers〃



〃I　beg　of　them　to　come　too。　I　shall　esteem　it　a　great　honour；

gentlemen；　to　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　at　my　house。〃



The　colonel；　the　major；　and　the　other　officers　thanked　Tchertokoutski。



〃I　am　of　opinion　myself；　your　excellency；　that　if　one　buys　anything　it

should　be　good；　it　is　not　worth　the　trouble　of　getting；　if　it　turns

out　bad。　If　you　do　me　the　honour　of　calling　on　me　to…morrow；　I　will

show　you　some　improvements　I　have　introduced　on　my　estate。〃



The　general　looked　at　him；　and　puffed　out　a　fresh　cloud　of　smoke。



Tchertokoutski　was　charmed　with　his　notion　of　inviting　the　officers；

and　mentally　ordered　in　advance　all　manner　of　dishes　for　their

entertainment。　He　smiled　at　these　gentlemen；　who　on　their　part

appeared　to　increase　their　show　of　attention　towards　him；　as　was

noticeable　from　the　expression　of　their　eyes　and　the　little　half…nods

they　bestowed　upon　him。　His　bearing　assumed　a　certain　ease；　and　his

voice　expressed　his　great　satisfaction。



〃Your　excellency　will　make　the　acquaintance　of　the　mistress　of　the

house。〃



〃That　will　be　most　agreeable　to　me；〃　said　the　general；　twirling　his

moustache。



Tchertokoutski　was　firmly　resolved　to　return　home　at　once　in　order　to

make　all　necessary　preparations　in　good　time。　He　had　already　taken　his

hat；　but　a　strange　fatality　caused　him　to　remain　for　some　time　at　the

general's。　The　card　tables　had　been　set　out；　and　all　the　company；

separating　into　groups　of　four；　scattered　itself　about　the　room。

Lights　were　brought　in。　Tchertokoutski　did　not　know　whether　he　ought

to　sit　down　to　whist。　But　as　the　officers　invited　him；　he　thought　that

the　rules　of　good　breeding　obliged　him　to　accept。　He　sat　down。　I　do

not　know　how　a　glass　of　punch　found　itself　at　his　elbow；　but　he　drank

it　off　without　thinking。　After　playing　two　rubbers；　he　found　another

glass　close　to　his　hand　which　he　drank　off　in　the　same　way；　though　not

without　remarking：



〃It　is　really　time　for　me　to　go；　gentlemen。〃



He　began　to　play　a　fresh　rubber。　However；　the　conversation　which　was

going　on　in　every　corner　of　the　room　took　an　especial　turn。　Those　who

were　playing　whist　were　quiet　enough；　but　the　others　talked　a　great

deal。　A　captain　had　taken　up　his　position　on　a　sofa；　and　leaning

against　a　cushion；　pipe　in　mouth；　he　captivated　the　attention　of　a

circle　of　guests　gathered　about　him　by　his　eloquent　narrative　of

amorous　adventures。　A　very　stout　gentleman　whose　arms　were　so　short

that　they　looked　like　two　potatoes　hanging　by　his　sides；　listened　to

him　with　a　very　satisfied　expression；　and　from　time　to　time　exerted

himself　to　pull　his　tobacco…pouch　out　of　his　coat…tail　pocket。　A

somewhat　brisk　discussion　on　cavalry　drill　had　arisen　in　another

corner；　and　Tchertokoutski；　who　had　twice　already　played　a　knave　for　a

king；　mingled　in　the　conversation　by　calling　out　from　his　place：　〃In

what　year？〃　or　〃What　regiment？〃　without　noticing　that　very　often　his

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　jump