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showed him the coupon and confronted him with
Ivan Mironov； who declared that he had received
the coupon in that very place。 Eugene Mihailo…
vich at once assumed a very severe and astonished
air。
〃You are mad； my good fellow；〃 he said。 〃I
have never seen this man before in my life；〃 he
added； addressing the policeman。
〃It is a sin； sir；〃 said Ivan Mironov 〃 Think
of the hour when you will die。〃
〃Why； you must be dreaming I You have
sold your firewood to some one else；〃 said Eu…
gene Mihailovich。 〃But wait a minute。 I will
go and ask my wife whether she bought any fire…
wood yesterday 〃 Eugene Mihailovich left them
and immediately called the yard…porter Vassily； a
strong； handsome； quick； cheerful； well…dressed
man。
He told Vassily that if any one should inquire
where the last supply of firewood was bought； he
was to say they'd got it from the stores； and not
from a peasant in the street。
〃A peasant has come；〃 he said to Vassily；
〃who has declared to the police that I gave him
a forged coupon。 He is a fool and talks non…
sense； but you； are a clever man。 Mind you say
that we always get the firewood from the stores。
And； by the way； I've been thinking some time of
giving you money to buy a new jacket；〃 added Eu…
gene Mihailovich； and gave the man five roubles。
Vassily looking with pleasure first at the five rou…
ble note； then at Eugene Mihailovich's face； shook
his head and smiled。
〃I know； those peasant folks have no brains。
Ignorance； of course。 Don't you be uneasy。 I
know what I have to say。〃
Ivan Mironov； with tears in his eyes； implored
Eugene Mihailovich over and over again to ac…
knowledge the coupon he had given him； and the
yard…porter to believe what he said； but it proved
quite useless； they both insisted that they had
never bought firewood from a peasant in the
street。 The policeman brought Ivan Mironov
back to the police…station； and he was charged with
forging the coupon。 Only after taking the ad…
vice of a drunken office clerk in the same cell with
him； and bribing the police officer with five rou…
bles； did Ivan Mironov get out of jail； without
the coupon； and with only seven roubles left out
of the twenty…five he had the day before。
Of these seven roubles he spent three in the
public…house and came home to his wife dead
drunk； with a bruised and swollen face。
His wife was expecting a child； and felt very
ill。 She began to scold her husband； he pushed
her away； and she struck him。 Without answer…
ing a word he lay down on the plank and began
to weep bitterly。
Not till the next day did he tell his wife what
had actually happened。 She believed him at
once； and thoroughly cursed the dastardly rich
man who had cheated Ivan。 He was sobered
now； and remembering the advice a workman had
given him； with whom he had many a drink the
day before； decided to go to a lawyer and tell him
of the wrong the owner of the photograph shop
had done him。
VIII
THE lawyer consented to take proceedings on be…
half of Ivan Mironov； not so much for the sake
of the fee； as because he believed the peasant； and
was revolted by the wrong done to him。
Both parties appeared in the court when the
case was tried； and the yard…porter Vassily was
summoned as witness。 They repeated in the
court all they had said before to the police officials。
Ivan Mironov again called to his aid the name of
the Divinity； and reminded the shopkeeper of the
hour of death。 Eugene Mihailovich； although
quite aware of his wickedness； and the risks he
was running； despite the rebukes of his conscience；
could not now change his testimony； and went on
calmly to deny all the allegations made against
him。
The yard…porter Vassily had received another
ten roubles from his master； and； quite unper…
turbed； asserted with a smile that he did not know
anything about Ivan Mironov。 And when he
was called upon to take the oath； he overcame his
inner qualms； and repeated with assumed ease
the terms of the oath； read to him by the old
priest appointed to the court。 By the holy Cross
and the Gospel； he swore that he spoke the whole
truth。
The case was decided against Ivan Mironov；
who was sentenced to pay five roubles for expenses。
This sum Eugene Mihailovich generously paid
for him。 Before dismissing Ivan Mironov； the
judge severely admonished him； saying he ought
to take care in the future not to accuse respectable
people； and that he also ought to be thankful that
he was not forced to pay the costs； and that he had
escaped a prosecution for slander； for which he
would have been condemned to three months' im…
prisonment。
〃I offer my humble thanks；〃 said Ivan Mi…
ronov； and； shaking his head； left the court with
a heavy sigh。
The whole thing seemed to have ended well for
Eugene Mihailovich and the yard…porter Vassily。
But only in appearance。 Something had hap…
pened which was not noticed by any one； but which
was much more important than all that had been
exposed to view。
Vassily had left his village and settled in town
over two years ago。 As time went on he sent
less and less money to his father； and he did not
ask his wife； who remained at home； to join him。
He was in no need of her； he could in town have
as many wives as he wished； and much better ones
too than that clumsy； village…bred woman。 Vas…
sily； with each recurring year； became more and
more familiar with the ways of the town people；
forgetting the conventions of a country life。
There everything was so vulgar； so grey； so poor
and untidy。 Here； in town； all seemed on the
contrary so refined； nice； clean； and rich； so or…
derly too。 And he became more and more con…
vinced that people in the country live just like
wild beasts； having no idea of what life is； and
that only life in town is real。 He read books
written by clever writers； and went to the perform…
ances in the Peoples' Palace。 In the country；
people would not see such wonders even in dreams。
In the country old men say： 〃Obey the law； and
live with your wife； work； don't eat too much；
don't care for finery；〃 while here； in town； all the
clever and learned peoplethose； of course；
who know what in reality the law isonly pur…
sue their own pleasures。 And they are the bet…
ter for it。
Previous to the incident of the forged coupon；
Vassily could not actually believe that rich people
lived without any moral law。 But after that；
still more after having perjured himself； and not
being the worse for it in spite of his fearson
the contrary； he had gained ten roubles out of it
Vassily became firmly convinced that no moral
laws whatever exist； and that the only thing to do
is to pursue one's own interests and pleasures。
This he now made his rule in life。 He accord…
ingly got as much profit as he could out of pur…
chasing goods for lodgers。 But this did not pay
all his expenses。 Then he took to stealing； when…
ever chance offeredmoney and all sorts of val…
uables。 One day he stole a purse full of money
from Eugene Mihailovich； but was found out。
Eugene Mihailovich did not hand him over to the
police； but dismissed him on the spot。
Vassily