第504章

第504章“thecounthadastyinhiseye,”saidtheadjutantsmiling;“andhewasverymuchputoutwhenitoldhimpeoplewerecomingtoaskwhatwasthematter.andoh,count,”hesaidsuddenly,addressingpierrewithasmile,“wehavebeenhearingthatyouareintroublewithdomesticanxieties,thatthecountess,yourspouse…”

“ihaveheardnothingaboutit,”saidpierreindifferently.“whatisityouhaveheard？”

“oh,youknow,storiesaresooftenmadeup.ionlyrepeatwhatihear.”

“whathaveyouheard？”

“oh,theysay,”saidtheadjutantagainwiththesamesmile,“thatthecountess,yourwife,ispreparingtogoabroad.it’smostlikelynonsense.”

“itmaybe,”saidpierre,lookingabsent-mindedlyabouthim.“whoisthat？”heasked,indicatingatalloldmaninacleanblueovercoat,withabig,snow-whitebeardandeyebrowsandaruddyface.

“that？oh,he’samerchant;thatis,he’stherestaurant-keeper,vereshtchagin.youhaveheardthestoryoftheproclamation,idaresay？”

“oh,sothat’svereshtchagin！”saidpierre,scrutinisingthefirm,calmfaceoftheoldmerchant,andseekinginitsometokenoftreachery.

“that’snotthemanhimself.that’sthefatherofthefellowwhowrotetheproclamation,”saidtheadjutant.“theyoungmanhimselfisincustody,andifancyitwillgohardwithhim.”

alittleoldgentlemanwithastar,andagermanofficialwithacrossonhisneck,joinedthegroup.

“it’sacomplicatedstory,yousee,”theadjutantwasrelating.“theproclamationappearedtwomonthsago.itwasbroughttothecount.heorderedinquirytobemade.well,gavriloivanitchmadeinvestigations;theproclamationhadpassedthroughsomesixty-threehands.wecometooneandask,fromwhomdidyougetit？fromsoandso.andthenextrefersusontosoandso;andinthatwaytheytracedittovereshtchagin…ahalf-educatedmerchant’sson,oneofthoseprettydears,youknow,”saidtheadjutantsmiling.“hetoowasasked,fromwhomdidyougetit？andweknewverywellfromwhomhehaditreally.hecouldhavehaditfromnoonebutthedirectorofthepost-office.butitwascleartherewasanunderstandingbetweenthem.hesayshegotitfromnoone,buthadcomposedithimself.andthreatenhimandquestionhimastheywould,hestucktoit,hehadwrittenithimself.sothematterwasreported,andthecounthadhimsentfor.‘fromwhomdidyougettheproclamation？’‘iwroteitmyself.’well！youknowthecount,”saidtheadjutant,withasmileofprideanddelight.“hewasfearfullyangry;andonlyfancytheinsolence,andlying,andstubbornness！”

“oh！thecountwantedhimtosayitwasfromklutcharyov,iunderstand,”saidpierre.

“ohno,notatall,”saidtheadjutantindismay.“klutcharyovhadsinsenoughtoanswerforwithoutthat,andthat’swhyhewasbanished.butanyway,thecountwasveryindignant.‘howcouldyouwriteit？’saysthecount.hetookupthehamburggazettethatwasonthetable.‘hereitis.youdidnotcomposeit,buttranslatedit,andverybadlytoo,becauseyoudon’tevenknowfrench,youfool.’whatdoyouthink？‘no,’sayshe,‘ihaveneverreadanygazettes;imadeitup.’‘butifso,you’reatraitor,andi’llhandyouoverforjudgment,andyouwillbehanged.’‘tellusfromwhomyougotit.’‘ihavenotseenanygazettes;icomposedit.’sothematterrests.thecountsentforthefather;hestickstothesamestory.andtheyhadhimtried,andhewassentenced,ibelieve,tohardlabour.nowthefatherhascometopetitioninhisfavour.butheisaworthlessyoungscamp！youknowthestyleofspoiltmerchant’sson,aregulardandyandlady-killer;hasattendedlecturesofsomesort,andsofanciesthathe’saboveeverybody.aregularyoungscamp！hisfatherhasaneating-househereonthekamennybridge;andintheshop,youknow,thereisagreatpictureofgodthesupporterofall,representedwithasceptreinonehandandtheempireintheother;well,hetookthatpicturehomeforafewdays,andwhatdoyousupposehedid！hegotholdofsomewretchedpainter…”