“Some are here, and from the others I have written authority.”

“Have you brought your drafts of the bills of sale?”

“Yes, I have. I should like to know—I am in somewhat of a hurry—if the business could not be finished to-day?”

“Oh, to-day! that’s impossible,” said Ivan Antonovitch. “Inquiries must first be instituted as to whether there is anything illegal about these matters.”

“As far as that is concerned, and in order that the affair may be expedited, I may mention that Ivan Grigorievitch, the President of the Court, is a great friend of mine.”

“Yes; but Ivan Grigorievitch is not the only person in the world to be considered; there are others,” said Ivan Antonovitch grimly.

Tchitchikoff understood the hint conveyed by Ivan Antonovitch, and so he said, “The others will not be left dissatisfied. I have been in the service myself; I know how the business is managed.”

“Go to Ivan Grigorievitch,” said Ivan Antonovitch, in a somewhat mollified voice. “Let him give orders to the proper persons; but the matter does not depend on us.”

Tchitchikoff, pulling a bank-note from his pocket, laid it before Ivan Antonovitch, who did not notice it in the least, though he immediately covered it with a book. Tchitchikoff was about to point it out to him; but Ivan Antonovitch let it be understood, by a motion of his head, that it was not necessary for him to do so.

“There, that fellow will conduct you to the court-room,” the official next said, nodding his head. A clerk with frayed sleeves and patched trousers guided our friends, as Virgil guided Dante in the olden days, taking them straight to the court-room, where in an ample arm-chair, and behind two ponderous books and a mirror of the laws, sat the president in state, like the sun. He was not alone, for beside him sat Sobakevitch, entirely concealed by the zertzalo.² The entrance of the visitors elicited an exclamation, and the presidential chair was shoved back. Sobakevitch also rose from his seat. The president received Tchitchikoff into his embrace, and the audience-chamber resounded with kisses, after which the two friends inquired about each other’s health. It then appeared that they both had the back-ache, which was immediately attributed to their sedentary life. The president, it seemed, had already been informed of the purchases by Sobakevitch, for he immediately began to congratulate our hero, which threw him into some confusion at first, especially when he perceived that Sobakevitch and Maniloff, two of the persons with whom the business had been privately transacted, now stood face to face. However, he thanked the president, and then turning to Sobakevitch, he inquired, “And how is your health?”

“Glory to God, I do not complain,” said Sobakevitch. And, in fact, he had nothing to complain of. Iron would sooner have taken cold or caught a cough than this marvellously well constituted landowner.

“Yes, you have always gloried in your health,” said the president; “and your late father also was a strong man.”

“Yes, he went bear-hunting alone,” replied Sobakevitch.

“But it seems to me,” said the president, “that you also could overthrow a bear if you chose to go out and encounter him.”

“No, I could not throw him,” answered Sobakevitch. “My father was much stronger than I am.” And he continued, with a sigh, “No, there are no such people left now. Here’s my life, for example. What sort of a life is it? It is nothing but——”