"Holloa, he! twelve o'clock," Tchichikoff said at last, looking at
his watch, "how could I so utterly forget myself? if at least there
had been any business-like result in these reflections, but as it is,
it was but folly and nonsense!" Saying this, he changed his highland
costume for a more becoming one, buckled tighter up his full stomach,
perfumed his face and hands with some Eau de Cologne, put his warm
travelling-cap in his hand, and the various documents under his arm and
hurriedly left the inn, hastening towards the government offices to
conclude his contracts.
He did not hasten for fear of being too late; oh, no, he was not
afraid of being too late, because the President of the Council was now
his intimate friend, and could prolong or shorten the sittings in the
court at his own convenience; he was as powerful in his office as Homer
in his classical poems, who lengthened his days and sent tempestuous
nights when he wished to shorten the quarrels of his favourite heroes,
or allow them to fight out their differences.
With our hero it was different, he felt an inward longing to terminate
his business as quickly as possible; until he had done so, he would be
sure not to feel either tranquil or comfortable, because the reflection
occurred to him, that the serfs were not a positive reality though
he had a point of law in his favour, and that under such peculiar
circumstances it is always prudent to hasten the conclusion as quickly
as possible.
But scarcely had he walked a short distance in the street, and whilst
musing on the subject of his errand, covered as he was in a large
coffee-coloured travelling cloak, he could not avoid running, as he was
just on the point of turning round the corner, against a gentleman also
dressed in a large coffee-coloured travelling cloak and huge cap to
match it covering his head and ears.
This gentleman could not repress an exclamation of joyful surprise at
the sight of Tchichikoff, for it proved to be his friend Maniloff. They
sank at once into each other's arms, and remained in that position,
firmly clasped together, for more than five minutes in the middle of
the thronged pavement. The exchange of their mutual affection was so
tender and strong, that both suffered for the rest of the day from
pains in their fore-teeth. Maniloff's gratification was so great, that
actually nothing else but his nose and lips could be seen on his face;
as for his eyes, they had literally molten away for joy.
For more than a quarter of an hour he held firmly clasped between his
own Tchichikoff's hand, and by his affectionate pressure heated it to a
considerable degree. In the most elaborate, elegant, and chosen terms,
he assured his friend that he had hastened to town to embrace his dear
Pavel Ivanovitch; his address was concluded with such compliments as
might perhaps only be spoken to a young lady when she is led to a
country-dance.
Tchichikoff opened his mouth without knowing what he was going to say
in acknowledgment of such great civilities, when Maniloff suddenly
produced from under his cloak a parcel of papers, rolled up in the
shape of a tube, and tied together with a pink ribbon.
"What is that?" inquired Tchichikoff.
"The dead serfs, my dear Pavel Ivanovitch," replied Maniloff, with his
usual honeyed smile.
"Ah!" he immediately untied and unfolded the papers, and cast a hurried
glance over the lists and was pleasantly surprised at the neatness and
accuracy of the writing.
"A beautiful hand-writing," said he, "it will be quite unnecessary
for me to copy it over again. And even a beautiful black line like a
frame around it! pray, and who has taken the trouble to draw these
accomplished lines around it?"
"Pray do not ask me," said Maniloff.
"Yourself?"
"My wife."
"By heavens! I am really ashamed to have given you and your kind lady
so much trouble, I am indeed quite ashamed!"
"For our own dear Pavel Ivanovitch, nothing is a trouble!"
Tchichikoff bowed deeply and civilly an acknowledgment. When Maniloff
heard that his friend was on his way to the government offices for
the purpose of concluding the formalities of the contracts of sale,
he immediately offered to accompany him thither. The two friends
joined their arms and went away together. At each indifferent, uneven,
or broken flag-stone, Maniloff immediately and civilly assisted
Tchichikoff to pass over, and in his anxiety, even nearly lifted
him from the ground with his arm, adding at the same time, and with
a pleasant smile, that he would not suffer his dear friend to hurt
his little feet against any stone whatever. Tchichikoff felt really
ashamed, not knowing how he could return the attention, because he was
conscious that he was rather of a heavy weight.
While continuing to exchange civilities, they arrived at last upon
a large and open square, where they beheld the Imperial government
offices before them; the building was a very extensive one, three
stories high, and painted white, like chalk, no doubt a symbolic sign
of the purity of the hearts of those who were appointed to administer
justice; the other buildings in the square were altogether out of
proportion with the immense white house.
The most remarkable features in it were; a sentry's box, before
which a soldier with his musket was walking up and down, several
droschki-stands surrounded by their idle drivers, and at last a range
of wooden walls, painted grey, and with their usual inscriptions and
characters drawn on them, with either chalk or charcoal; there was
really nothing else worth mentioning to be seen on this desolate, or as
it would be called in Russia--handsome square.
From out of the windows of the second and third stories, now and then
a few heads of the unimpeachable and incorruptible administrator's
assistants would make a momentary appearance and then immediately draw
them back again, no doubt because their President entered the room at
the moment.
The two friends now entered the large building and found themselves
before a wide staircase, which they did not ascend, but rather scaled
in a canter, because Tchichikoff was trying to escape the further
assistance of Maniloff's arm, and therefore rushed quickly forward,
whilst his friend Maniloff on the other hand, was also anxious to
hasten forward in order to prevent Tchichikoff feeling tired from the
ascension of the long flight of stairs. With these different objects in
view, they both rushed madly as it were onward until they both met at
the landing above, which, ended in a sudden collision in a dark passage.
Neither the passage nor the interior of the rooms which they entered
immediately after, in any way made a pleasant impression upon their
sight as regards cleanliness. It is true also, that at that particular
moment, neither of them was disposed to pay any attention to the
circumstance; and all that which was wanting in order and cleanliness,
was therefore left to remain dirty and disorderly just as it was,
assuming not the least feature of attraction. The door-keeper of the
offices received his guests in a shabby and inelegant costume, and
opened the door to the new corners.
It would perhaps have been deemed desirable to have a minute
description of the various rooms through which our two heroes passed;
but the author must confess, that he has a particular repugnance for
any and all places of justice in any country, but particularly so for
those in his own country. And even, though it has happened to him to
pass or rather wind his way through some courts of justice decorated
in the highest fashion, and covered with carpets and marqueterie, and
polished tables, yet he always endeavoured to hurry his steps as much
as possible, while casting down his eyes, and therefore it is quite
impossible for him to give any interesting description of the inner
charms and attractions of the courts of justice in the Russian Empire.
Our heroes saw numerous piles of waste paper and of white paper, many
downcast heads, broad shoulders, dress-coats, and imperial shape and
even some common grey cotton jackets, which contrasted very strongly
with the other colours; some of these grey jacketed gentlemen had
their heads bent all on one side, and nearly leaning on the paper,
as if ready to fell asleep over their work, and yet they were busy
scribbling, copying perhaps some brief or inventory concerning a
mortgaged estate, which the Crown was about to take possession of,
because the righteous owner had been ruined or banished from the
country.
At intervals, short exclamations could be heard pronounced in a subdued
and often unpleasant tone of voice, such as: "Mr. so and so, will you
give me the application of No. 777! You are in the continual habit of
mislaying the cork of the imperial ink-bottle!"
Now and then the sounds of a voice speaking in a tone of importance
was also heard, no doubt proceeding from a superior officer, and
consequently in a more autocratic manner:
"Here, take that and copy it off immediately, if not, I shall order
your boots to be taken off your feet, and you shall have to sit for six
hours without a chance of eating anything."
The noise produced by the quills in operation was very great indeed,
and resembled very much the noise produced by a carriage when passing
through a forest across a road strewn with dry autumnal leaves.
Tchichikoff and Maniloff approached the first table they were near, and
at which two _employés_, rather young men, were sitting, and busying
themselves in doing nothing, they addressed them in the following
manner:
"Will you allow me to inquire, where the 'contract of sale' business is
transacted in these offices?"
"And what is your business?" said both _employés_ at once, whilst
turning to the speaker.
"I want to hand in a petition concerning some contracts of sale."
"And what is it you have been buying?"
"Before telling that, I should have liked to know first where the
contract of sale department is--is it here or in another place?"
"You must first tell us what you have been purchasing and at what
price, and then we shall tell you where you will have to apply to, but
without knowing this we cannot advise you." Tchichikoff saw at once
that curiosity only prompted them to address these questions to him,
and that like all young men or _employés,_ they wished to gratify their
curiosity and give at the same time a greater importance to themselves
and to their occupations.
"My good young gentlemen," said Tchichikoff, "I am perfectly aware
that all contracts of sale, no matter at what price a bargain has been
concluded, are settled and legalised at one and the same place, and
if you don't know what is doing at your table, then we shall at once
proceed to ask some one else."
The _employés_ made no reply whatever to this observation, but one of
them pointed with his fore-finger to the corner of the room, where an
elderly man was sitting behind a table and stirring about in a heap of
papers.
Tchichikoff and Maniloff passed through a long range of tables straight
towards the old man. He seemed to be very seriously engaged with his
occupation.
"Sir, will you allow me to ask you," said Tchichikoff with a bow,
"whether this is the department or section for the conclusion of
contracts of sale?"
The elderly _employé_ lifted up his eyes and spoke abruptly in reply:
"contract of sale business is not transacted here."
"And pray, where then?"
"In the section for the conclusion of contracts of sale."
"But where am I to find this section?"
"It is under the superintendence of Ivan Antonovitch."
"Could you perhaps tell me where I might find Ivan Antonovitch?"
The old man pointed with his forefinger to another corner of the
extensive room. Tchichikoff and Maniloff hurried towards the seat of
Ivan Antonovitch, who had espied them already with one of his eyes and
scrutinized them now with the other, which having done, he immediately
plunged again if possible still deeper into his occupation.