第285章

第285章intheearlypartofhistimeathomenikolaywasseriousandevendull.hewasworriedbythenecessityofmeddlinginthestupidbusinessmatterswhichhismotherhadsentforhimtolookafter.toberidofthisburdenassoonaspossible,onthethirddayafterhisreturn,hemarchedangrilyoff,makingnoreplytoinquirieswherehewasgoing,withscowlingbrowsenteredmitenka’slodge,anddemandedfromhimanaccountinfull.whathemeantbyanaccountinfull,nikolayknewevenlessthanthepanic-strickenandbewilderedmitenka.theconversationandmitenka’saccountsdidnotlastlong.thevillageelder,thedeputy,andthevillageclerk,waitingintheentryofthelodge,heardwithaweanddelightatfirsttheboomingandsnappingoftheyoungcount’svoiceinaconstantlyascendingscale,thenterriblewordsofabuse,flungoneafteranother.

“robber！ungratefulbrute！…i’llthrashthedog！…notpapatodealwith…plunderingus…”andsoon.

then,withnolessaweanddelight,thesepersonssawtheyoungcount,witharedfaceandbloodshoteyes,ingmitenkaoutbythecollar,kickinghimwithgreatdexterityateveryappropriatemomentbetweenhiswords,andshouting：

“awaywithyou！neverletmeseteyesonyou,blackguard！”

mitenkaflewheadfirstdownsixstepsandrantotheshrubbery.thisshrubberywaswellknownasahavenofrefugefordelinquentsatotradnoe.mitenkahad,oncominghomedrunkfromthetown,himselfhiddenintheshrubbery,andmanyoftheresidentsofotradnoehadbeenindebtedtothesavingpoweroftheshrubberywhenanxioustoconcealthemselvesfrommitenka.

mitenka’swifeandsister-in-law,withfrightenedfaces,peepedintothepassagefromthedooroftheirroom,wherewasabrightsamovarboiling,andthebailiff’shighbedsteadstoodunderaquiltedpatchworkcoverlet.

theyoungcountwalkedby,treadingresolutelyandbreathinghard,takingnonoticeofthem,andwentintothehouse.

thecountessheardatoncethroughhermaidsofwhathadbeenhappeninginthelodge,andononesidewascomfortedbythereflectionthatnowtheirpositionwouldbesuretoimprove,thoughontheotherhandshewasuneasyastotheeffectofthesceneonherson.shewentseveraltimesontiptoetohisdoor,andlistenedashelightedonepipeafteranother.

thenextdaytheoldcountdrewhissonononeside,and,withatimidsmile,saidtohim,“butyouknow,mydearboy,youhadnoreasontobesoangry.mitenkahastoldmeallaboutit.”

“iknew,”thoughtnikolay,“thatishouldnevermakeheadortailofanythinginthiscrazyworld.”

“youwereangryathisnothavingputdownthesesevenhundredandeightroubles.butyouseetheywerecarriedforwardbydoubleentry,andyoudidn’tlookatthenextpage.”

“papa,he’sablackguardandathief,iamcertain.andwhatihavedone,ihavedone.butifyoudon’twishit,iwillsaynothingtohim.”

“no,mydearboy！”（theoldcountwasconfused.hewasconsciousthathehadmismanagedhiswife’sestateandhadwrongedhischildren,buthehadnonotionhowtorectifytheposition.）“no,ibegyoutogointothings.iamold.i…”

“no,papa,forgivemeifihavedonewhatyoudislike.iknowlessaboutitthanyoudo.”

“damnthemall,thesepeasants,andmoneymattersanddoubleentries,”hethought.“iusedoncetounderstandscoringatcards,butbookkeepingbythedoubleentryisquitebeyondme,”hesaidtohimself,andfromthattimehedidnotmeddlefurtherwiththemanagementofthefamilyaffairs.butonedaythecountesscalledhersonintoherroom,toldhimthatshehadapromissorynotefromannamihalovnafortwothousandroubles,andaskednikolaywhathethoughtitbesttodoaboutit.

“well,”answerednikolay,“yousaythatitrestswithme.idon’tlikeannamihalovna,andidon’tlikeboris,buttheywereourfriends,andtheywerepoor.sothat’swhatiwoulddo！”andhetoreupthenoteandbysodoingmadethecountesssobwithtearsofjoy.afterthis,youngrostovtooknofurtherpartinbusinessofanysort,butdevotedhimselfwithpassionateinteresttoeverythingtodowiththechase,whichwaskeptuponagreatscaleontheoldcount’sestate.