the forged coupon()-第5节
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blindness）； got up； as was his custom； at dawn of day； had a cup of tea； and
putting on his short fur coat trimmed with astrachan； went to look after the
work on his estate。
Peter Nikolaevich had been an official in the Customs； and had gained
eighteen thousand roubles during his service。 About twelve years ago he
quitted the servicenot quite of his own accord： as a matter of fact he had
been compelled to leaveand bought an estate from a young landowner
who had dissipated his fortune。 Peter Nikolaevich had married at an earlier
period； while still an official in the Customs。 His wife； who belonged to
an old noble family； was an orphan； and was left without money。 She was
a tall； stoutish； good…looking woman。 They had no children。 Peter
Nikolaevich had considerable practical talents and a strong will。 He was
the son of a Polish gentleman； and knew nothing about agriculture and
land management； but when he acquired an estate of his own； he managed
it so well that after fifteen years the waste piece of land； consisting of
three hundred acres； became a model estate。 All the buildings； from the
dwelling…house to the corn stores and the shed for the fire engine were
solidly built； had iron roofs； and were painted at the right time。 In the tool
house carts； ploughs； harrows； stood in perfect order； the harness was well
cleaned and oiled。 The horses were not very big； but all home…bred； grey；
well fed； strong and devoid of blemish。
The threshing machine worked in a roofed barn； the forage was kept in
a separate shed； and a paved drain was made from the stables。 The cows
were home…bred； not very large； but giving plenty of milk； fowls were also
kept in the poultry yard； and the hens were of a special kind； laying a great
quantity of eggs。 In the orchard the fruit trees were well whitewashed
and propped on poles to enable them to grow straight。 Everything was
looked aftersolid； clean； and in perfect order。 Peter Nikolaevich rejoiced
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
in the perfect condition of his estate； and was proud to have achieved it
not by oppressing the peasants； but； on the contrary； by the extreme
fairness of his dealings with them。
Among the nobles of his province he belonged to the advanced party；
and was more inclined to liberal than conservative views； always taking
the side of the peasants against those who were still in favour of serfdom。
〃Treat them well； and they will be fair to you；〃 he used to say。 Of course；
he did not overlook any carelessness on the part of those who worked on
his estate； and he urged them on to work if they were lazy； but then he
gave them good lodging； with plenty of good food； paid their wages
without any delay； and gave them drinks on days of festival。
Walking cautiously on the melting snowfor the time of the year was
FebruaryPeter Nikolaevich passed the stables； and made his way to the
cottage where his workmen were lodged。 It was still dark； the darker
because of the dense fog； but the windows of the cottage were lighted。
The men had already got up。 His intention was to urge them to begin
work。 He had arranged that they should drive out to the forest and bring
back the last supply of firewood he needed before spring。
〃What is that？〃 he thought； seeing the door of the stable wide open。
〃Hallo； who is there？〃
No answer。 Peter Nikolaevich stepped into the stable。 It was dark；
the ground was soft under his feet； and the air smelt of dung； on the right
side of the door were two loose boxes for a pair of grey horses。 Peter
Nikolaevich stretched out his hand in their directionone box was empty。
He put out his footthe horse might have been lying down。 But his foot
did not touch anything solid。 〃Where could they have taken the horse？〃
he thought。 They certainly had not harnessed it； all the sledges stood still
outside。 Peter Nikolaevich went out of the stable。
〃Stepan； come here！〃 he called。
Stepan was the head of the workmen's gang。 He was just stepping
out of the cottage。
〃Here I am！〃 he said； in a cheerful voice。 〃Oh； is that you； Peter
Nikolaevich？ Our men are coming。〃
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
〃Why is the stable door open？
〃Is it？ I don't know anything about it。 I say； Proshka； bring the
lantern！〃
Proshka came with the lantern。 They all went to the stable； and
Stepan knew at once what had happened。
〃Thieves have been here； Peter Nikolaevich；〃 he said。 〃The lock is
broken。〃
〃No； you don't say so！〃
〃Yes； the brigands！ I don't see 'Mashka。' 'Hawk' is here。 But
'Beauty' is not。 Nor yet 'Dapple…grey。'〃
Three horses had been stolen！
Peter Nikolaevich did not utter a word at first。 He only frowned and
took deep breaths。
〃Oh；〃 he said after a while。 〃If only I could lay hands on them！ Who
was on guard？〃
〃Peter。 He evidently fell asleep。〃
Peter Nikolaevich called in the police； and making an appeal to all the
authorities； sent his men to track the thieves。 But the horses were not to be
found。
〃Wicked people；〃 said Peter Nikolaevich。 〃How could they！ I was
always so kind to them。 Now； wait！ Brigands！ Brigands the whole lot
of them。 I will no longer be kind。〃
X
IN the meanwhile the horses； the grey ones； had all been disposed of；
Mashka was sold to the gipsies for eighteen roubles； Dapple…grey was
exchanged for another horse； and passed over to another peasant who lived
forty miles away from the estate； and Beauty died on the way。 The man
who conducted the whole affair wasIvan Mironov。 He had been
employed on the estate； and knew all the whereabouts of Peter
Nikolaevich。 He wanted to get back the money he had lost； and stole the
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
horses for that reason。
After his misfortune with the forged coupon； Ivan Mironov took to
drink； and all he possessed would have gone on drink if it had not been for
his wife； who locked up his clothes； the horses' collars； and all the rest of
what he would otherwise have squandered in public…houses。 In his
drunken state Ivan Mironov was continually thinking； not only of the man
who had wronged him； but of all the rich people who live on robbing the
poor。 One day he had a drink with some peasants from the suburbs of
Podolsk； and was walking home together with them。 On the way the
peasants； who were completely drunk； told him they had stolen a horse
from a peasant's cottage。 Ivan Mironov got angry； and began to abuse the
horse…thieves。
〃What a shame！〃 he said。 〃A horse is like a brother to the peasant。
And you robbed him of it？ It is a great sin； I tell you。 If you go in for
stealing horses； steal them from the landowners。 They are worse than dogs；
and deserve anything。〃
The talk went on； and the peasants from Podolsk told him that it
required a great deal of cunning to steal a horse on an estate。
〃You must know all the ins and outs of the place； and must have
somebody on the spot to help you。〃
Then it occurred to Ivan Mironov that he knew a landowner
Sventizky； he had worked on his estate； and Sventizky； when paying him
off； had deducted one rouble and a half for a broken tool。 He
remembered well the grey horses which he used to drive at Sventizky's。
Ivan Mironov called on Peter Nikolaevich pretending to ask for
employment； but really in order to get the information he wanted。 He took
precautions to make sure that the watchman was absent； and that the
horses were
