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Page 5
"Lord, my God!" the shoemaker continued warmly, "when is the end? when,
O Lord! A poor wretch I am, a poor wretch whose sufferings are endless!
What a life, what a life mine's been come to think of it! In my young
days, I was beaten by a German I was 'prentice to; in the prime of life
beaten by my own countrymen, and last of all, in ripe years, see what I
have been brought to. . ."
"Ugh, you flabby soul!" said Gavrila Andreitch. "Why do you make so many
words about it?"
"Why, do you say, Gavrila Andreitch? It's not a beating I'm afraid of,
Gavrila Andreitch. A gentleman may chastise me in private, but give me a
civil word before folks, and I'm a man still; but see now, whom I've to
do with . . ."
"Come, get along," Gavrila interposed impatiently. Kapiton turned away
and staggered off.
"But, if it were not for him," the steward shouted after him, "you would
consent for your part?"
"I signify my acquiescence," retorted Kapiton as he disappeared.
His fine language did not desert him, even in the most trying positions.
The steward walked several times up and down the room.
"Well, call Tatiana now," he said at last.
A few instants later, Tatiana had come up almost noiselessly, and was
standing in the doorway.
"What are your orders, Gavrila Andreitch?" she said in a soft voice.
The steward looked at her intently.
"Well, Taniusha," he said, "would you like to be married? Our lady has
chosen a husband for you?"
"Yes, Gavrila Andreitch. And whom has she deigned to name as a husband
for me?" she added falteringly.
"Kapiton, the shoemaker."
"Yes, sir."
"He's a feather-brained fellow, that's certain. But it's just for that
the mistress reckons upon you."
"Yes, sir."
"There's one difficulty . . . you know the deaf man, Gerasim, he's courting
you, you see. How did you come to bewitch such a bear? But you see,
he'll kill you, very like, he's such a bear . . ."
"He'll kill me, Gavrila Andreitch, he'll kill me, and no mistake."
"Kill you . . . Well we shall see about that. What do you mean by saying
he'll kill you? Has he any right to kill you? tell me yourself."
"I don't know, Gavrila Andreitch, about his having any right or not."
"What a woman! why, you've made him no promise, I suppose . . ."
"What are you pleased to ask of me?"
The steward was silent for a little, thinking, "You're a meek soul!
Well, that's right," he said aloud; "we'll have another talk with you
later, now you can go, Taniusha; I see you're not unruly, certainly."
Tatiana turned, steadied herself a little against the doorpost, and went
away.
"And, perhaps, our lady will forget all about this wedding by to-
morrow," thought the steward; "and here am I worrying myself for
nothing! As for that insolent fellow, we must tie him down if it comes
to that, we must let the police know . . . Ustinya Fyedorovna!" he shouted
in a loud voice to his wife, "heat the samovar, my good soul . . ." All
that day Tatiana hardly went out of the laundry. At first she had
started crying, then she wiped away her tears, and set to work as
before. Kapiton stayed till late at night at the gin-shop with a friend
of his, a man of gloomy appearance, to whom he related in detail how he
used to live in Petersburg with a gentleman, who would have been all
right, except he was a bit too strict, and he had a slight weakness
besides, he was too fond of drink; and, as to the fair sex, he didn't
stick at anything. His gloomy companion merely said yes; but when
Kapiton announced at last that, in a certain event, he would have to lay
hands on himself to-morrow, his gloomy companion remarked that it was
bedtime. And they parted in surly silence.
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