04-polikushka- 第4部分

intrusted　with　the　care　of　such　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　also

that　he　was　about　to　return　with　it　quite　as　safely　as　the

superintendent　himself　could　have　done。



　

CHAPTER　V。



Before　dawn　the　next　morning　Polikey　was　up；　and　after　harnessing

the　mare　and　looking　in　his　hat　to　see　that　the　money　was　all

right；　he　started　on　his　return　journey。



Many　times　on　the　way　Polikey　took　off　his　hat　to　see　that　the

money　was　safe。　　Once　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　think　that　perhaps

it　would　be　better　if　I　should　put　it　in　my　bosom。〃　　This　would

necessitate　the　untying　of　his　sash；　so　he　decided　to　keep　it

still　in　his　hat；　or　until　he　should　have　made　half　the　journey；

when　he　would　be　compelled　to　stop　to　feed　his　horse　and　to　rest。



He　said　to　himself：　〃The　lining　is　not　sewn　in　very　strongly　and

the　envelope　might　fall　out；　so　I　think　I　had　better　not　take　off

my　hat　until　I　reach　home。〃



The　money　was　safeat　least；　so　it　seemed　to　himand　he　began

to　think　how　grateful　his　mistress　would　be　to　him；　and　in　his

excited　imagination　he　saw　the　five　rubles　he　was　so　sure　of

receiving。



Once　more　he　examined　the　hat　to　see　that　the　money　was　safe；　and

finding　everything　all　right　he　put　on　his　hat　and　pulled　it　well

down　over　his　ears；　smiling　all　the　while　at　his　own　thoughts。



Akulina　had　carefully　sewed　all　the　holes　in　the　hat；　but　it

burst　out　in　other　places　owing　to　Polikey's　removing　it　so

often。



In　the　darkness　he　did　not　notice　the　new　rents；　and　tried　to

push　the　envelope　further　under　the　lining；　and　in　doing　so

pushed　one　corner　of　it　through　the　plush。



The　sun　was　getting　high　in　the　heavens；　and　Polikey　having　slept

but　little　the　previous　night　and　feeling　its　warm　rays　fell　fast

asleep；　after　first　pressing　his　hat　more　firmly　on　his　head。　　By

this　action　he　forced　the　envelope　still　further　through　the

plush；　and　as　he　rode　along　his　head　bobbed　up　and　down。



Polikey　did　not　awake　till　he　arrived　near　his　own　house；　and　his

first　act　was　to　put　his　hand　to　his　head　to　learn　if　his　hat　was

all　right。　　Finding　that　it　was　in　its　place；　he　did　not　think　it

necessary　to　examine　it　and　see　that　the　money　was　safe。　

Touching　the　mare　gently　with　the　whip　she　started　into　a　trot；

and　as　he　rode　along　he　arranged　in　his　own　mind　how　much　he　was

to　receive。　　With　the　air　of　a　man　already　holding　a　high

position　at　the　court；　he　looked　around　him　with　an　expression　of

lofty　scorn　on　his　face。



As　he　neared　his　house　he　could　see　before　him　the　one　room　which

constituted　their　humble　home；　and　the　joiner's　wife　next　door

carry…　ing　her　rolls　of　linen。　　He　saw　also　the　office　of　the

court　and　his　mistress's　house；　where　he　hoped　he　would　be　able

presently　to　prove　that　he　was　an　honest；　trustworthy　man。



He　reasoned　with　himself　that　any　person　can　be　abused　by　lying

tongues；　but　when　his　mistress　would　see　him　she　would　say：　〃Well

done；　Polikey；　you　have　shown　that　you　can　be　honest。　　Here　are

threeit　may　be　fiveperhaps　tenrubles　for　you；〃　and　also　she

would　order　tea　for　him；　and　might　treat　him　to　vodkiwho　knows？



The　latter　thought　gave　him　great　pleasure；　as　he　was　feeling

very　cold。



Speaking　aloud　he　said：　〃What　a　happy　holy…day　we　can　have　with

ten　rubles！　　Having　so　much　money；　I　could　pay　Nikita　the　four

rubles　fifty　kopecks　which　I　owe　him；　and　yet　have　some　left　to

buy　shoes　for　the　children。〃



When　near　the　house　Polikey　began　to　arrange　his　clothes；

smoothing　down　his　fur　collar；　re…tying　his　sash；　and　stroking

his　hair。　　To　do　the　latter　he　had　to　take　off　his　hat；　and　when

doing　so　felt　in　the　lining　for　the　envelope。　　Quicker　and

quicker　he　ran　his　hand　around　the　lining；　and　not　finding　the

money　used　both　hands；　first　one　and　then　the　other。　But　the

envelope　was　not　to　be　found。



Polikey　was　by　this　time　greatly　distressed；　and　his　face　was

white　with　fear　as　he　passed　his　hand　through　the　crown　of　his

old　hat。　Polikey　stopped　the　mare　and　began　a　diligent　search

through　the　wagon　and　its　contents。　　Not　finding　the　precious

envelope；　he　felt　in　all　his　pocketsBUT　THE　MONEY　COULD　NOT　BE

FOUND！



Wildly　clutching　at　his　hair；　he　exclaimed：　〃Batiushka！　　What

will　I　do　now？　　What　will　become　of　me？〃　　At　the　same　time　he

realized　that　he　was　near　his　neighbors'　house　and　could　be　seen

by　them；　so　he　turned　the　mare　around；　and；　pulling　his　hat　down

securely　upon　his　head；　he　rode　quickly　back　in　search　of　his

lost　treasure。



　

CHAPTER　VI。



The　whole　day　passed　without　any　one　in　the　village　of　Pokrovski

having　seen　anything　of　Polikey。　　During　the　afternoon　his

mistress　inquired　many　times　as　to　his　whereabouts；　and　sent

Aksiutka　frequently　to　Akulina；　who　each　time　sent　back　word　that

Polikey　had　not　yet　returned；　saying　also　that　perhaps　the

merchant　had　kept　him；　or　that　something　had　happened　to　the

mare。



His　poor　wife　felt　a　heavy　load　upon　her　heart；　and　was　scarcely

able　to　do　her　housework　and　put　everything　in　order　for　the　next

day　（which　was　to　be　a　holy…day）。　　The　children　also　anxiously

awaited　their　father's　appearance；　and；　though　for　different

reasons；　could　hardly　restrain　their　impatience。　　The　noblewoman

and　Akulina　were　concerned　only　in　regard　to　Polikey　himself；

while　the　children　were　interested　most　in　what　he　would　bring

them　from　the　town。



The　only　news　received　by　the　villagers　during　the　day　concerning

Polikey　was　to　the　effect　that　neighboring　peasants　had　seen　him

running　up　and　down　the　road　and　asking　every　one　he　met　if　he　or

she　had　found　an　envelope。



One　of　them　had　seen　him　also　walking　by　the　side　of　his

tired…out　horse。　　〃I　thought；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　man　was　drunk；

and　had　not　fed　his　horse　for　two　daysthe　animal　looked　so

exhausted。〃



Unable　to　sleep；　and　with　her　heart　palpitating　at　every　sound；

Akulina　lay　awake　all　night　vainly　awaiting　Polikey's　return。

When　the　cock　crowed　the　third　time　she　was　obliged　to　get　up　to

attend　to　the　fire。　　Day　was　just　dawning　and　the　church…bells

had　begun　to　ring。　　Soon　all　the　children　were　also　up；　but　there

was　still　no　tidings　of　the　missing　husband　and　father。



In　the　morning　the　chill　blasts　of　winter　entered　their　humble

home；　and　on　looking　out　they　saw　that　the　houses；　fields；　and

roads　were　thickly　covered　with　snow。　　The　day　was　clear　and

cold；　as　if　befitting　the　holy…day　they　were　about　to　celebrate。　

They　were　able　to　see　a　long　distance　from　the　house；　but　no　one

was　in　sight。



Akulina　was　busy　baking　cakes；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　joyous

shouts　of　the　children　she　would　not　have　known　that　Polikey　was

coming　up　the　road；　for　a　few　minutes　later　he　came　in　with　a

bundle　in　his　hand　and　walked　quietly　to　his　corner。　　Akulina

noticed　that　he　was　very　pale　and　that　his　face　bore　an

expression　of　sufferingas　if　he　would　like　to　have　cried　but

could　not　do　so。　　But　she　did　not　stop　to　study　it；　but　excitedly

inquired：　〃What！　　Illitch；　is　everything　all　right　with　you？〃



He　slowly　muttered　something；　but　his　wife　could　not　understand

what　he　said。



〃What！〃　she　cried　out；　〃have　you　been　to　see　our　mistress？〃



Polikey　still　sat　on　the　bed　in　his　corner；　glaring　wildly　about

him；　and　smiling　bitterly。　He　did　not　reply　for　a　long　time；　and

Akulina　again　cried：



〃Eh？　　Illitch！　　Why　don't　you　answer　me？　　Why　don't　you　speak？〃



Finally　he　said：　〃Akulina；　I　delivered　the　money　to　our　mistress；

and　oh；　how　she　thanked　me！〃　　Then　he　suddenly　looked　about　him；

with　an　anxious；　startled　air；　and　with　a　sad　smile　on　his　lips。　

Two　things　in　the　room　seemed　to　engross　the　most　of　his

attention：　the　baby　in　the　cradle；　and　the　rope　which　was

attached　to　the　ladder。　　Approaching　the　cradle；　he　began　with

his　thin　fingers　quickly　to　untie　the　knot　in　the　rope　by　which

the　two　were　connected。　　After　untying　it　he　stood　for　a　few

moments　looking　silently　at　the　baby。



Akulina　did　not　notice　this　proceeding；　and　with　her　cakes　on　the

board　went　to　place　them　in　a　corner。



Polikey　quickly　hid　the　rope　beneath　his　coat；　and　again　seated

himself　on　the　bed。



〃What　is　it　that　troubles　you；　Illitch？〃　inquired　Akulina。　　〃You

are　not　yourself。〃



〃I　have　not　slept；〃　he　answered。



Suddenly　a　dark　shadow　crossed　the　window；　and　a　minute　later　the

girl　Aksiutka　quickly　entered　the　room；　exclaiming：



〃The　boyarinia　commands　you；　Polikey　Illitch；　to　come　to　her　this

moment！〃



Polikey　looked　first　at　Akulina　and　then　at　the　girl。



〃This　moment！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　more　is　wanted？〃



He　spoke　the　last　sentence　so　softly　that　Akulina　became　quieted

in　her　mind；　thinking　that　perhaps　their　mistress　intended　to

reward　her　husband。



〃Say　that　I　will　come　immediately；〃　he　said。



But　Polikey　failed　to　follow　the　girl；　and　went　instead　to

another　place。



From　the　porch　of　his　house　there　wa