LITMIR.BIZ

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trying to fall into the suitable tone, and, in fact, doing his very utmost to earn what had been promised him, for what he had received already he reckoned as already earned.

      “And you know nothing?”

      “So far, nothing, sir.”

      “Listen... you know... maybe you will know...”

      “Later on, of course, maybe I shall know.”

      “It’s a poor look out,” thought our hero. “Listen: here’s something more, my dear fellow.”

      “I am truly grateful to your honour.”

      “Was Vahramyev here yesterday?...”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “And... somebody else?... Was he?... Try and remember, brother.”

      The man ransacked his memory for a moment, and could think of nothing appropriate.

      “No, sir, there wasn’t anybody else.”

      “H’m!” a silence followed.

      “Listen, brother, here’s some more; tell me all, every detail.”

      “Yes, sir,” Ostafyev had by now become as soft as silk; which was just what Mr. Golyadkin needed.

      “Explain to me now, my good man, what footing is he on?”

      “All right, sir, a good one, sir,” answered the man, gazing open-eyed at Mr. Golyadkin.

      “How do you mean, all right?”

      “Well, it’s just like that, sir.” Here Ostafyev twitched his eyebrows significantly. But he was utterly nonplussed and didn’t know what more to say.

      “It’s a poor look out,” thought Mr. Golyadkin.

      “And hasn’t anything more happened... in there... about Vahramyev?”

      “But everything is just as usual.”

      “Think a little.”

      “There is, they say...”

      “Come, what?”

      Ostafyev put his hand in front of his mouth.

      “Wasn’t there a letter... from here... to me?”

      “Mihyeev the attendant went to Vahramyev’s lodging, to their German landlady, so I’ll go and ask him if you like.”

      “Do me the favour, brother, for goodness’ sake!... I only mean... you mustn’t imagine anything, brother, I only mean... Yes, you question him, brother, find out whether they are not getting up something concerning me. Find out how he is acting. That is what I want; that is what you must find out, my dear fellow, and then I’ll reward you, my good man...”

      “I will, your honour, and Ivan Semyonovitch sat in your place today, sir.”

      “Ivan Semyonovitch? Oh! really, you don’t say so.”

      “Andrey Filippovitch told him to sit there.”

      “Re-al-ly! How did that happen? You must find out, brother; for God’s sake find out, brother; find it all out — and I’ll reward you, my dear fellow; that’s what I want to know... and don’t you imagine anything, brother...”

      “Just so, sir, just so; I’ll go at once. And aren’t you going in today, sir?”

      “No, my friend; I only looked round, I only looked round, you know. I only came to have a look round, my friend, and I’ll reward you afterwards, my friend.”

      “Yes, sir.” The man ran rapidly and eagerly up the stairs and Mr. Golyadkin was left alone.

      “It’s a poor look out!” he thought. “Eh, it’s a bad business, a bad business! Ech! things are in a bad way with us now! What does it all mean? What did that drunkard’s insinuations mean, for instance, and whose trickery was it? Ah! I know whose it was. And what a thing this is. No doubt they found out and made him sit there... But, after all, did they sit him there? It was Andrey Filippovitch sat him there and with what object? Probably they found out... That is Vahramyev’s work — that is, not Vahramyev, he is as stupid as an ashen post, Vahramyev is, and they are all at work on his behalf, and they egged that scoundrel on to come here for the same purpose, and the German woman brought up her grievance, the one-eyed hussy. I always suspected that this intrigue was not without an object and that in all this old-womanish gossip there must be something, and I said as much to Krestyan Ivanovitch, telling him they’d sworn to cut a man’s throat — in a moral sense, of course — and they pounced upon Karolina Ivanovna. Yes, there are master hands at work in this, one can see! Yes, sir, there are master hands at work in this, not Vahramyev’s. I’ve said already that Vahramyev is stupid, but... I know who it is behind it all, it’s that rascal, that impostor! It’s only that he relies upon, which is partly proved by his successes in the best society. And it would certainly be desirable to know on what footing he stands now. What is he now among them? Only, why have they taken Ivan Semyonovitch? What the devil do they want with Ivan Semyonovitch? Could not they have found any one else? Though it would come to the same thing whoever it had been, and the only thing I know is that I have suspected Ivan Semyonovitch for a long time past. I noticed long ago what a nasty, horrid old man he was — they say he lends money and takes interest like any Jew. To be sure, the bear’s the leading spirit in the whole affair. One can detect the bear in the whole affair. It began in this way. It began at the Ismailovsky Bridge; that’s how it began...”

      At this point Mr. Golyadkin frowned, as though he had taken a bite out of a lemon, probably remembering something very unpleasant.

      “But, there, it doesn’t matter,” he thought. “I keep harping on my own troubles. What will Ostafyev find out? Most likely he is staying on or has been delayed somehow. It is a good thing, in a sense, that I am intriguing like this, and am laying mines on my side too. I’ve only to give Ostafyev ten kopecks and he’s... so to speak, on my side. Only the point is, is he really on my side? Perhaps they’ve got him on their side too... and they are carrying on an intrigue by means of him on their side too. He looks a ruffian, the rascal, a regular ruffian; he’s hiding something, the rogue. ‘No, nothing,’ says he, ‘and I am deeply grateful to your honour.’ says he. You ruffian, you!”

      He heard a noise... Mr. Golyadkin shrank up and skipped behind the stove. Some one came down stairs and went out into the street. “Who could that be going away now?” our hero thought to himself. A minute later footsteps were audible again... At this point Mr. Golyadkin could not resist poking the very tip of his nose out beyond his corner — he poked it out and instantly withdrew it again, as though some one had pricked it with a pin. This time some one he knew well was coming — that is the scoundrel, the intriguer and the reprobate — he was approaching with his usual mean, tripping little step, prancing and shuffling with his feet as though he were going to kick some one.

      “The rascal,” said our hero to himself.

      Mr. Golyadkin could not, however, help observing that the rascal had under his arm a huge green portfolio belonging to his Excellency.

      “He’s on a special commission again,” thought Mr. Golyadkin, flushing crimson and shrinking into himself more than ever from vexation.

      As soon as Mr. Golyadkin junior had slipped past Mr. Golyadkin senior without observing him in the least, footsteps were heard for the third time, and this time Mr. Golyadkin guessed that these were Ostafyev’s. It was, in fact, the sleek figure of a copying clerk, Pisarenko by name. This surprised Mr. Golyadkin. Why had he mixed up other people in their secret? our hero wondered. What barbarians! nothing is sacred to them! “Well, my friend?” he brought out, addressing Pisarenko: “who sent you, my friend?...”

      “I’ve come about your business. There’s no news so far from any one. But should there be any we’ll let you know.”

      “And Ostafyev?”

      “It was quite impossible for him to come, your honour.

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