第529章

第529章bynineo’clockinthemorning,whenthetroopsweremovingacrossmoscow,peoplehadceasedcomingtorastoptchinforinstructions.allwhocouldgetawayweregoingwithoutaskingleave;thosewhostayeddecidedforthemselveswhattheyhadbetterdo.

countrastoptchinorderedhishorsesinordertodrivetosokolniky,andwithayellowandfrowningface,satinsilencewithfoldedarmsinhisstudy.

everygoverningofficialinquiet,untroubledtimesfeelsthatthewholepopulationunderhischargeisonlykeptgoingbyhisefforts;anditisthissenseofbeingindispensablynecessaryinwhicheverygoverningofficialfindsthechiefrewardforhistoilsandcares.itiseasytounderstandthatwhiletheoceanofhistoryiscalm,thegoverningofficialholdingonfromhiscrazylittleskiffbyapoletotheshipofthepeople,andmovingwithit,mustfancythatitishiseffortsthatmovetheshipontowhichheisclinging.butastormhasbuttoarisetosettheseaheavingandtheshiptossinguponit,andsucherrorbecomesatonceimpossible.theshipgoesonitsvastcourseunchecked,thepolefailstoreachthemovingvessel,andthepilot,frombeingthemaster,thesourceofpower,findshimselfahelpless,weak,anduselessperson.

rastoptchinfeltthis,anditdrovehimtofrenzy.theheadofthepolice,whohadgotawayfromthecrowd,wentintoseehimatthesametimeasanadjutant,whocametoannouncethathishorseswereready.bothwerepale,andtheheadofthepolice,afterreportingthathehaddischargedthecommissiongiventohim,informedcountrastoptchinthattherewasanimmensecrowdofpeopleinhiscourtyardwantingtoseehim.

withoutawordinreply,countrastoptchingotupandwalkedwithrapidstepstohislight,sumptuouslyfurnisheddrawing-room.hewentuptothebalconydoor,tookholdofthedoor-handle,letgoofit,andmovedawaytothewindow,fromwhichthewholecrowdcouldbebetterseen.thetallyoungfellowwasstandinginthefront,andwithasevereface,wavinghisarmsandsayingsomething.theblood-bespatteredsmithstoodbesidehimwithagloomyair.throughtheclosedwindowscouldbeheardtheroarofvoices.

“isthecarriageready？”saidrastoptchin,movingbackfromthewindow.

“yes,yourexcellency,”saidtheadjutant.

rastoptchinwentagaintothebalconydoor.

“why,whatisittheywant？”heaskedtheheadofthepolice.

“yourexcellency,theysaytheyhavecometogethertogotofightthefrench,byyourorders;theywereshoutingsomethingabouttreachery.butitisanangrycrowd,yourexcellency.ihadmuchadotogetaway.ifimayventuretoest,yourexcellency…”

“kindlyleaveme;iknowwhattodowithoutyourassistance,”criedrastoptchinangrily.hestoodatthedoorofthebalconylookingatthecrowd.“thisiswhattheyhavedonewithrussia！thisiswhattheyhavedonewithme！”thoughtrastoptchin,feelingarushofirrepressiblerageagainsttheundefinedsomeonetowhosefaultwhatwashappeningcouldbesetdown.asisoftenthecasewithexcitablepersons,hewaspossessedbyfury,whilestillseekinganobjectforit.“hereisthepopulace,thedregsofthepeople,”hethought,lookingatthecrowd,“thattheyhavestirredupbytheirfolly.theywantavictim,”cameintohismind,ashewatchedthewavingarmofthetallfellowinfront.andthethoughtstruckhimpreciselybecausehetoowantedavictim,anobjectforhiswrath.

“isthecarriageready？”heaskedagain.

“yes,yourexcellency.whatordersinregardtovereshtchagin？heiswaitingatthesteps,”answeredtheadjutant.

“ah！”criedrastoptchin,asthoughstruckbysomesuddenrecollection.

andrapidlyopeningthedoor,hewalkedresolutelyoutonthebalcony.thehumoftalkinstantlydieddown,capsandhatswerelifted,andalleyeswereraiseduponthegovernor.

“good-day,lads！”saidthecount,speakingloudlyandquickly.“thanksforcoming.i’llcomeouttoyouinamoment,butwehavefirsttodealwithacriminal.wehavetopunishthewretchbywhosedoingmoscowisruined.waitforme！”andasrapidlyhereturnedtotheapartment,slammingthedoorviolently.

anapprovingmurmurofsatisfactionranthroughthecrowd.“he’llhaveallthetraitorscutdown,ofcourse.andyoutalkofthefrench…he’llshowustherightsandthewrongsofitall！”saidthepeople,asitwerereproachingoneanotherforlackoffaith.

afewminuteslateranofficercamehurriedlyoutofthemainentrance,andgavesomeorder,andthedragoonsdrewthemselvesupstiffly.thecrowdmovedgreedilyupfromthebalconytothefrontsteps.comingouttherewithhastyandangrysteps,rastoptchinlookedabouthimhurriedly,asthoughseekingsomeone.

“whereishe？”hesaid,andatthemomenthesaidit,hecaughtsightofayoungmanwithalong,thinneck,andhalfofhisheadshavenandcoveredwithshorthair,comingroundthecornerofthehousebetweentwodragoons.thisyoungmanwasclothedinafox-linedblueclothcoat,thathadoncebeenfoppishbutwasnowshabby,andinfilthyconvict’strousersoffustian,thrustintouncleanedandbatteredthinboots.hisuncertaingaitwasedbytheheavymanacleshangingabouthisthin,weaklegs.

“ah！”saidrastoptchin,hurriedlyturninghiseyesawayfromtheyoungmaninthefox-linedcoatandpointingtothebottomsteps.“puthimhere！”

withaclankofmanaclestheyoungmansteppedwitheffortontothestepindicatedtohim;puttinghisfingerintothetightcollarofhiscoat,heturnedhislongnecktwice,andsighing,foldedhisthin,unworkmanlikehandsbeforehimwitharesignedgesture.

forseveralseconds,whiletheyoungmanwastakinguphispositiononthestep,therewascompletesilence.onlyatthebackofthemassofpeople,allpressinginonedirection,couldbeheardsighsandgroansandsoundsofpushingandtheshufflingoffeet.

rastoptchin,waitingforhimtobeonthespothehaddirected,scowled,andpassedhishandoverhisface.