the calash-第3章

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〃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　general　and　his　officers　walked　around　the　calash；　carefully

inspecting　the　wheels　and　springs。



〃There　is　nothing　remarkable　about　it；〃　said　the　general；　〃it　is　a

very　ordinary　calash。〃



〃Nothing　to　look　at；〃　added　the　colonel；　〃there　is　absolutely　nothing

good　about　it。〃



〃It　seems　to　me；　your　excellency；　that　it　is　not　worth　four　thousand

rubles；〃　remarked　a　young　officer。



〃What？〃



〃I　said；　your　excellency；　that　I　do　not　think　that　it　is　worth　four

thousand　rubles。〃



〃Four　thousand！　It　is　not　worth　two。　Perhaps；　however；　the　inside　is

well　fitted。　Unbutton　the　apron。〃



And　Tchertokoutski　appeared　before　the　officers'　eyes；　clad　in　his

dressing…gown　and　doubled　up　in　a　singular　fashion。



〃Hullo；　there　you　are；〃　said　the　astonished　general。



Then　he　covered　Tchertokoutski　up　again　and　went　off　with　his

officers。











End