"Allow me to ask if you please," spoke Tchichikoff with a civil bow,
"is this the section for the contracts of sale?"
Ivan Antonovitch appeared as if he had not heard the question at all,
and busied himself as completely as possible among his papers without
saying a word in reply. It was evident that this person was already
a man of a sedate and serious age, and not at all like those two
youngsters or madcaps. Ivan Antonovitch seemed to be already at some
distance beyond forty years; his hair was black and abundantly covered
his head; the centre of his face seemed to rush forward towards its
extremity, the nose, in a word, it was a face that would be called in
ordinary Russian parlance, a muggy one.
"Allow me to ask you, Sir, if this is the department for the conclusion
of contracts of sale?" Tchichikoff demanded again.
"Yes," answered Ivan Antonovitch, turning his muggy face towards the
inquirer for a moment, and, then immediately beginning to write again.
"My business is the following: I have purchased of several landed
proprietors in this province a number of serfs with the intention of
settling them elsewhere: the contracts of sale are prepared and now
only require to be lawfully legalized."
"Are the contracting parties present?"
"Some of them are in town, others have sent their powers of attorney."
"Have you brought a written petition on the subject?"
"I have done so, Sir. I should have liked, that is to say, I would
be very glad indeed to terminate this business as soon as possible.
Therefore, could we not, for an instance, begin at once in order to
finish all this very day?"
"Oh to-day! that is quite impossible," said Ivan Antonovitch. "Due
inquiries must be made in the first instance to ascertain if no
objections could or would be raised in the matter."
"As regards this, and in order to speed the subject, I may inform you,
Sir, that Ivan Gregorievitch, the president, is an intimate friend of
mine."
"But allow me to observe to you, Sir, that Ivan Gregorievitch is not
the only person who would have to attend to this matter; there are
other persons as well," said Ivan Antonovitch dryly.
Tchichikoff caught at once the hint which Ivan Gregorievitch had
dropped for his information, and said, "nor shall others have to
complain of me, I have been in the civil service of our country myself,
I know what business and promptitude means."
"Well, then I would advise you to go at once to the President," said
Ivan Antonovitch, in a rather pleasanter tone of voice, "let him give
his instructions to whom it concerns, and as for ourselves you may be
assured that your business shall be attended to."
Tchichikoff produced a white bank-note from his pocket-book and laid it
on the table before Ivan Antonovitch, which the other did not seem to
see at all, but instantly covered with a large book. Tchichikoff was
about drawing his attention to it, but Ivan Antonovitch with a peculiar
nod of his head made him understand that it was perfectly unnecessary.
"That man will shew you into the President's private office," said Ivan
Antonovitch, whilst making a sign to one of the _employés_ to approach,
who happened to be just in the way and no doubt ready to devote all his
energies to the service of justice and his country, in which devotion
he seemed to have even sacrificed his coat, if we were to judge by his
two sleeves, which had burst at both elbows and which now displayed
the lining to great advantage, and for which services and devotion of
years such men are generally dismissed with a useless title or a paltry
pension.
This man then joined our friends and served them like Virgil once
assisted Dante, and led them through a long range of tables and rooms
into the office of the President, where they saw a lonely, large and
comfortable arm-chair, in which and before a table and two huge books
they beheld the President, radiant like the sun.
At this sight, the modern Virgil felt an inexpressible feeling of
delight overcome him suddenly, so great and powerful indeed, that he
would not dare to venture a step further but turned round immediately,
and thus showed the back of his coat which was completely worn out
and covered all over with down and feathers. When the two friends
had entered the apartment they saw that the President was not alone;
behind him sat Sobakevitch, who was completely hidden by a large
cheval looking-glass. The entrance of the two guests was hailed with
an exclamation of joyful surprise, and the presidential chair was
pushed back loudly. Sobakevitch also rose from his seat, and as he thus
happened to be standing before the looking-glass, his huge figure and
extensively wide and long sleeves of his coat loomed larger than ever.
The President most cordially embraced Tchichikoff, and the walls of the
justice-room re-echoed their tender exchange of affection, they then
civilly inquired after the respective state of their health, and it
proved that they were both suffering from pains in their loins, the
natural consequence of a sedentary life and occupations.
The President seemed to have been already informed by Sobakevitch of
Tchichikoff's purchase, because he now begun to compliment him on the
subject, which at first seemed rather to take our hero by surprise,
especially when the idea occurred to him, that two of the contracting
parties, namely Maniloff and Sobakevitch, with whom he had come to an
understanding of mutual secrecy, were now standing opposite one another.
However, he soon recovered himself, and thanking the President for his
civil inquiries, he immediately turned towards Sobakevitch and asked
him politely.
"And how do you do?"
"Thank Heavens, I have no reason to complain," answered Sobakevitch.
And really he had no cause of complaint; it would have been easier for
a piece of pig-iron to catch a cold and begin to cough, than for this
wonderfully constituted landed proprietor.
"True enough, you have always enjoyed an excellent state of health,"
the President observed, "and I remember your late father, was as strong
and healthy a man as yourself."
"Yes, he was in the habit of going bearhunting all by himself,"
answered Sobakevitch.
"However, I am of opinion," said the President again, "that you could
master a bear as well, if you liked to encounter one."
"No, I could not," Sobakevitch answered; "my late father was much
stronger than I am;" and, after a deep sigh, he continued: "No, the men
of our present day are not what they used to be formerly. Take me even
for an example; what is my life and strength? I have just sufficient
energy to bear my life."
"Why, what makes you complain of your life?" the President inquired
again.
"It is not good or satisfactory!" exclaimed Sobakevitch, whilst shaking
his head slowly. "Just judge yourself, Ivan Gregorievitch: I am at the
beginning of my third score, and have not once suffered the slightest
complaint or indisposition, not even from a cold. Now you will agree
with me that this cannot be for the better. Some fine day will dawn
when I shall have, no doubt, to pay dearly for this, my present state
of health and life."
Hereupon Sobakevitch relapsed into what seemed a state of melancholy or
hypochondria.
"What a strange fancy, to be sure," the President and Tchichikoff
thought at the same time, "to be brooding on such a subject."
"I have a letter for you my dear President," said Tchichikoff,
producing Pluschkin's letter, with the evident intention of changing
the subject of their conversation.
"And pray from whom?" the President demanded, as he was breaking the
seal; and, having done so, he exclaimed: "Ah! is it possible, from
Pluschkin. He is still a wanderer on the surface of this world. What a
strange fate, that man's is; for I must tell you, gentlemen, that he
was one of the most accomplished, and wealthiest men I ever happened to
know! and now--"
"A real dog," said Sobakevitch, "a rascal, who has starved the greater
part of his serfs."
"Very well, and with great pleasure," said the President, when he had
read the letter; "I am willing to be his representative and agent in
the matter. When do you wish to sign the contracts, now or later?"
"Now, if you please," said Tchichikoff; "and I shall even beg of you
to transact all the business, if possible, to-day, because I wish to
leave town to-morrow on some important affairs. I have brought with me
the various documents--such as the contract of sale, the petition, and
the list of names; in fact everything is ready."
"All this is well and good," said the President; "do as you please;
but we do not intend to part with you so easily. The contracts shall
be attended to, and signed this very day, on condition that you will
consent to remain with us. I will give my instructions immediately,"
continued the high officer of the crown, as he opened the door leading
into the office, which was now crowded with _employés_, who, like the
industrious bees, were gathered in heaps of a hundred, on the spot;
if it was possible that so many of them could have found any real
employment. "Ivan Antonovitch, is he there?"
"Here!" answered a voice from the interior.
"Send him to me!"
The muggy face of Ivan Antonovitch, already so familiar to us, soon
after made its appearance before the President's room, and he entered
with a profusion of servile bowing.
"Take these papers, Ivan Antonovitch, all these contracts of sale must
be--"
"By the bye, do not forget, Ivan Gregorievitch," interrupted
Sobakevitch, "that we shall require witnesses, at least two for each
contracting party. I would suggest that you should send at once to the
Procurator, he is a regular holiday-man, and is sure to be at home--his
public business is usually managed by his lawyer, Mr. Solotucha, the
greatest sharp I ever met with in this world. The Superintendent of the
Medical Faculties is also a holiday-bird, and likely to be at home, if
he has not already gone to play cards somewhere; however, there are
a great many more besides those two, and who live even nearer, for
instance, Truchatchevitch, Beguschikin, all these people live free of
expense in this wide world."
"Just so, exactly, you are perfectly right!" said the President; and he
immediately gave instructions to some of his messengers to go in search
of the parties just mentioned by Sobakevitch.
"I will also request you," added Tchichikoff, "to send for the attorney
of a widow lady, with whom I have also concluded a trifling business.
Her agent is the son of the Proto-pope, Father Kyrila; I am told he
holds an appointment in your offices."
"To be sure we shall have him as well," said the President. "Everything
shall be done to your satisfaction, but as for my _employés_, I must
beg, nay even insist upon, your giving them no gratuity. I never suffer
any of my friends to pay for anything."
Saying this, he immediately gave all the necessary instructions to
Ivan Antonovitch, who seemed not to like the arrangements at all.
The contracts of sale seemed to produce a very favourable impression
upon the mind of the President, especially when he had glanced over
them, and found that the purchases made by Tchichikoff amounted to
nearly half a million of silver roubles. He kept looking for several
minutes at Tchichikoff, straight into the eyes, with a feeling of great
satisfaction, and then added, smiling:
"It is thus, then! In such a manner then my dear Pavel Ivanovitch, you
have made some valuable and important acquisitions indeed!"
"Yes, really, I have made some acquisitions," replied Tchichikoff,
modestly.
"A good speculation, really--a capital undertaking!"
"Yes, indeed, and I must own that I am of opinion that I could not
venture into a more profitable business. Whatever the opinion of
the world may be, I opine that the aim of a man is never thoroughly
defined, if he does not stand with a firm footing upon a solid
foundation, and not upon any frivolous chimera of a youthful
imagination."
Hereupon, he added in a few more strong terms, and in good time, his
disapproval of the hot-headed liberalism of the present youthful
generation. But it was remarkable that with all his clever reasoning,
there was a slight irregularity in the usual calm and dignified tone
of voice, as if he was at the same time whispering to himself, "Oh, my
good fellow, how mercilessly you impose upon people!" He even did not
venture to lift his eyes either to Sobakevitch or Maniloff, fearing to
meet some peculiar expression in their faces or countenance.
However, his alarms were imaginary. Sobakevitch's face was perfectly
devoid of any expression whatever, whilst Maniloff was perfectly
captivated by his elaborate speech. He only kept nodding his head
approvingly, and throwing himself into that peculiar position into
which an amateur of music would plunge when his favourite _prima donna_
has surpassed even the notes of the violin, and sent forth a tone which
the throat of a bird would have been incapable of articulating.
"But why don't you mention to our friend Ivan Gregorievitch,"
Sobakevitch interrupted at last, "what kind of acquisition you have
been making? And you, my dear President, why don't you ask him what
purchases he has been making? Excellent people, as valuable as gold.
I must inform you that I have even sold him my old Micheeff, the
coach-builder."
"No, really, have you sold that excellent fellow Micheeff?" the
President inquired. "I remember now your coach-builder, Micheeff, very
well--an excellent and clever artisan. He has often mended my droschki.
But stop, allow me--how is this--I remember now, you told me that he
was dead."
"Who! Micheeff dead?" said Sobakevitch, and nearly betraying himself.
"It was his brother who died; as for the coach-builder, he is
perfectly alive and healthier than ever he was before. He finished the
other day a britchka with which you might venture to travel in a canter
to Moscow. I am of opinion that he ought to be appointed to work for
the Emperor alone."
"Yes, truly, Micheeff is a very clever fellow indeed," said the
President, "and I am even surprised that you could agree to part with
him for any amount or consideration."
"Micheeff is not the only one. I have even sold Stephen Korobka, the
joiner; Milushkin, the potter; Maxim Teliatnikoff, the shoemaker--they
are all gone, I have got rid of every one of them."
But when the President asked him why he had thus disposed of them,
as they were all such clever and indispensable workmen on a country
estate, Sobakevitch answered, whilst sawing his right arm in the air:
"Bah, I was attacked by a peculiar whim of mine, and I said to myself,
I am determined, and will sell all these fellows, and thus, then, I
got rid of them all on account of a fancy." After this explanation;
he allowed his head to hang down, as if he was addressing inward
reproaches to himself, and then he added again:
"Though you see that I am already a greyhaired man, yet I must confess
I am still deficient in wisdom."
"But allow me to ask you, my dear Pavel Ivanovitch," the President said
again, "how did you purchase these serfs, without the land they were
born upon? is it with the intention of removing them from here?"
"Just so, for emigration."
"Ah, for emigration views, that is another thing. And pray for what
part of the country? if the question is not indiscreet?"
"To what part of the country--oh, ah, I shall take them into the
government of Kherson."
"Oh, that is one of the finest provinces in the Empire!" exclaimed
the President, and expressed his high praise of the excellency of the
soil in that province, and the richness of its steppes. "And have
you sufficient land for the accommodation of your newly-acquired
population?"
"Just sufficient for comfortable distribution among my new serfs."
"Have you a fine flowing river, or a brook?"
"A river. However, there is also a large brook." Saying this,
Tchichikoff involuntarily looked at Sobakevitch, and though the other
remained as cool and indifferent as before, nevertheless it seemed to
him as if the following was as it were, written in the expression of
his face. "Oh, what a falsehood! for it is not likely that you will
have a river and a brook as well, when, perhaps you have not even a
piece of land!"