按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
vich； who came in at that very moment。 〃Why
are you so late？〃
〃I was busy；〃 answered Eugene Mihailovich；
in a gay voice； rubbing his hands。 And to his
wife's surprise he came to her side and said；
〃You know； I managed to get rid of the cou…
pon。〃
〃No！ You don't say so！〃
〃Yes； I used it to pay for a cart…load of fire…
wood I bought from a peasant。〃
And Eugene Mihailovich related with great in…
dignation to the company presenthis wife add…
ing more details to his narrativehow his wife
had been cheated by two unscrupulous schoolboys。
〃Well； and now let us sit down to work；〃 he
said； taking his place at one of the whist…tables
when his turn came； and beginning to shuffle the
cards。
VI
EUGENE MIHAILOVICH had actually used the cou…
pon to buy firewood from the peasant Ivan Mi…
ronov； who had thought of setting up in business
on the seventeen roubles he possessed。 He hoped
in this way to earn another eight roubles； and with
the twenty…five roubles thus amassed he intended
to buy a good strong horse； which he would want
in the spring for work in the fields and for driv…
ing on the roads； as his old horse was almost
played out。
Ivan Mironov's commercial method consisted
in buying from the stores a cord of wood and di…
viding it into five cartloads； and then driving
about the town； selling each of these at the price
the stores charged for a quarter of a cord。 That
unfortunate day Ivan Mironov drove out very
early with half a cartload； which he soon sold。
He loaded up again with another cartload which
he hoped to sell； but he looked in vain for a cus…
tomer； no one would buy it。 It was his bad luck
all that day to come across experienced towns…
people； who knew all the tricks of the peasants in
selling firewood； and would not believe that he
had actually brought the wood from the country
as he assured them。 He got hungry； and felt
cold in his ragged woollen coat。 It was nearly
below zero when evening came on； his horse
which he had treated without mercy； hoping soon
to sell it to the knacker's yard； refused to move a
step。 So Ivan Mironov was quite ready to sell
his firewood at a loss when he met Eugene Mihail…
ovich； who was on his way home from the tobac…
conist。
〃Buy my cartload of firewood； sir。 I will give
it to you cheap。 My poor horse is tired； and can't
go any farther。〃
〃Where do you come from？〃
〃From the country； sir。 This firewood is
from our place。 Good dry wood； I can assure
you。〃
〃Good wood indeed！ I know your tricks。
Well； what is your price？〃
Ivan Mironov began by asking a high price；
but reduced it once； and finished by selling the
cartload for just what it had cost him。
〃I'm giving it to you cheap； just to please you；
sir。Besides； I am glad it is not a long way to
your house；〃 he added。
Eugene Mihailovich did not bargain very much。
He did not mind paying a little more； because he
was delighted to think he could make use of the
coupon and get rid of it。 With great difficulty
Ivan Mironov managed at last； by pulling the
shafts himself； to drag his cart into the courtyard；
where he was obliged to unload the firewood un…
aided and pile it up in the shed。 The yard…porter
was out。 Ivan Mironov hesitated at first to ac…
cept the coupon； but Eugene Mihailovich insisted；
and as he looked a very important person the peas…
ant at last agreed。
He went by the backstairs to the servants'
room； crossed himself before the ikon； wiped his
beard which was covered with icicles； turned up
the skirts of his coat； took out of his pocket a
leather purse； and out of the purse eight roubles
and fifty kopeks； and handed the change to Eu…
gene Mihailovich。 Carefully folding the coupon；
he put it in the purse。 Then； according to cus…
tom； he thanked the gentleman for his kindness；
and； using the whip…handle instead of the lash； he
belaboured the half…frozen horse that he had
doomed to an early death； and betook himself to
a public…house。
Arriving there； Ivan Mironov called for vodka
and tea for which he paid eight kopeks。 Com…
fortable and warm after the tea； he chatted in the
very best of spirits with a yard…porter who was
sitting at his table。 Soon he grew communicative
and told his companion all about the conditions of
his life。 He told him he came from the village
Vassilievsky； twelve miles from town； and also
that he had his allotment of land given to him
by his family； as he wanted to live apart from his
father and his brothers； that he had a wife and
two children； the elder boy went to school； and
did not yet help him in his work。 He also said he
lived in lodgings and intended going to the horse…
fair the next day to look for a good horse； and；
may be； to buy one。 He went on to state that he
had now nearly twenty…five roublesonly one
rouble shortand that half of it was a coupon。
He took the coupon out of his purse to show to his
new friend。 The yard…porter was an illiterate
man； but he said he had had such coupons given
him by lodgers to change； that they were good；
but that one might also chance on forged ones；
so he advised the peasant； for the sake of security；
to change it at once at the counter。 Ivan Mironov
gave the coupon to the waiter and asked for
change。 The waiter； however； did not bring the
change； but came back with the manager； a bald…
headed man with a shining face； who was holding
the coupon in his fat hand。
〃Your money is no good；〃 he said； showing the
coupon； but apparently determined not to give it
back。
〃The coupon must be all right。 I got it from
a gentleman。〃
〃It is bad； I tell you。 The coupon is forged。〃
〃Forged？ Give it back to me。〃
〃I will not。 You fellows have got to be pun…
ished for such tricks。 Of course； you did it your…
selfyou and some of your rascally friends。〃
〃Give me the money。 What right have
you〃
〃Sidor！ Call a policeman；〃 said the barman
to the waiter。 Ivan Mironov was rather drunk；
and in that condition was hard to manage。 He
seized the manager by the collar and began to
shout。
〃Give me back my money； I say。 I will go to
the gentleman who gave it to me。 I know where
he lives。〃
The manager had to struggle with all his force
to get loose from Ivan Mironov； and his shirt was
torn；
〃Oh； that's the way you behave！ Get hold of
him。〃
The waiter took hold of Ivan Mironov； at that
moment the policeman arrived。 Looking very
important； he inquired what had happened； and
unhesitatingly gave his orders：
〃Take him to the police…station。〃
As to the coupon； the policeman put it in his
pocket； Ivan Mironov； together with his horse；
was brought to the nearest station。
VII
IVAN MIRONOV had to spend the night in the po…
lice…station； in the company of drunkards and
thieves。 It was noon of the next day when he
was summoned to the police officer； put through
a close examination； and sent in the care of a po…
liceman to Eugene Mihailovich's shop。 Ivan Mi…
ronov remembered the street and the house。
The policeman asked for the shopkeeper；
showed him the coupon and confronted him with
Ivan Mironov； who declared that he had received
the coupon in that ve