Reading did not long suit his taste, however. On the other hand, he took some pleasure in caressing his children, though he never thought of teaching or reproving them. He considered that the education of children was woman’s work; and, with this view, he had provided his wife with an old Swiss governess, to whom he rarely spoke, not knowing very well what to say to her.

At last Tchitchikoff reverted, in spite of himself, to the idea of a journey, of some excursion or other, but without any definite plan. Whilst he was yet in a state of indecision, the end of the autumn and the whole of the winter passed by. However, the triennial election of magistrates was soon to take place in the chief town of the government—a town which was ordinarily quite deserted and sleepy, and which he had only visited at the time of his marriage, and on the occasion of purchasing his property. He had only spent six days there, and those incessantly in the courts. Several gentlemen, however, now came to sound his intentions, and to seek his vote; many of the outgoing magistrates, who wished to retain their positions, or even to obtain more important ones, hastened to pay court to him. Time sped on. It was a magnificent opportunity for escaping, at least for three weeks, from the uniformity and monotony of a prolonged sojourn in the country.

Our hero took the greatest delight in the preparations for his trip. He carefully inspected the condition of his fresh vehicle, recommended Selifan and Petrushka not to get drunk during his absence, for in lieu of these old retainers he preferred to take with him his new valet and his wife’s coachman, a man of very fine appearance, who spoke little and drank a great deal, though he had never been seen intoxicated.

On reaching the city, our hero alighted at the best hotel, sent in haste for a tailor, and ordered a nobleman’s uniform; then he dined, and went to take a walk in the public garden. On returning to his hostelry in the evening, he passed by the house occupied by the marshal of the nobility of the district and saw that it was brilliantly lighted up. The marshal, whose name was Stepan Stepanovitch Podgruzdyoff, had nearly half of the local nobility in his rooms. The servants were handing round tea, and the whole apartment was pervaded with an odour of lemon, rum, and Turkish tobacco. But what predominated over everything else was the discussion of the elections which were about to take place. Nearly all of Podgruzdyoff’s guests were in a joyous frame of mind. He himself sat in a large magisterial chair, in front of the writing- table in his study; and the elective police judge, whose name was Prokop Petrovitch Zazhmurin, sat as near to him as possible on a light, fanciful chair, contrasting with the other one.

“I should be glad to hear from your own mouth an answer to this question,” said the judge. “Will you comply with the desire of the entire nobility, who want you to remain marshal for another three years? It is very flattering to serve under you; and, infirm as I am, I might, in that case, consider the subject of continuing my functions as judge for another term of three years, and even for two terms. But if they want me, it must be with you.”

“No, Prokop Petrovitch,” replied the marshal. “I have told you, and I hold to it, that I have done my duty and discharged my tribute. If the nobility re-elect me, all that I shall do will be to thank them very cordially; but at the same time I shall refuse.”

“In that case, I shall adhere to my own determination not to be re-elected. Who would be a worthy representative of our district after you? Farewell, Stepan Stepanovitch! I regret that I have not been able to alter your decision. It is very bad of you to reject our supplications like this.”

Judge Zazhmurin thereupon pressed the marshal’s hand, and gained the street by descending the private staircase.

No sooner had he taken his departure, than captain-ispravnik Burdyakin entered the marshal’s study. “Prokop Petrovitch has just gone,” said he. “He surely must have told you that he has had more than enough of the service.”

“That is really what he did say. What do you think of it, eh?”


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