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the most obsequious countenance, when he had an inkling that it was to his interest. He dressed in Russian style, with a shirt buttoning down on one side, and a full-skirted coat. He had saved a good sum of money, but was for ever dreaming of improving his position. More than half the peasants were in his clutches, every one in the neighbourhood was in debt to him. From the neighbouring landowners he bought and rented lands which were worked by the peasants, in payment of debts which they could never shake off. He was a widower, with four grown-up daughters. One of them was already a widow and lived in the inn with her two children, his grandchildren, and worked for him like a charwoman. Another of his daughters was married to a petty official and in one of the rooms of the inn, on the wall could be seen, among the family photographs, a miniature photograph of this official in uniform and official epaulettes. The two younger daughters used to wear fashionable blue or green dresses, fitting tight at the back, and with trains a yard long, on Church holidays or when they went to pay visits. But next morning they would get up at dawn, as usual, sweep out the rooms with a birch broom, empty the slops, and clean up after lodgers. In spite of the thousands of roubles he had saved, Trifon Borissovitch was very fond of emptying the pockets of a drunken guest, and, remembering that not a month ago he had, in twenty-four hours, made two if not three hundred roubles out of Dmitri, when he had come on his escapade with Grushenka, he met him now with eager welcome, scenting his prey the moment Mitya drove up to the steps. Dmitri Fyodorovitch, dear sir, we see you once more! Stay, Trifon Borissovitch, began Mitya, first and foremost, where is she? Agrafena Alexandrovna? The innkeeper understood at once, looking sharply into Mityas face. Shes here, too With whom? With whom? Some strangers. One is an official gentleman, a Pole, to judge from his speech. He sent the horses for her from here; and theres another with him, a friend of his, or a fellow traveller, theres no telling. Theyre dressed like civilians. Well, are they feasting? Have they money? Poor sort of a feast! Nothing to boast of, Dmitri Fyodorovitch. Nothing to boast of? And who are the others? Theyre two gentlemen from the town. Theyve come back from Tcherny, and are putting up here. Ones quite a young gentleman, a relative of Mr. Miüsov, he must be, but Ive forgotten his name and I expect you know the other, too, a gentleman called Maximov. Hes been on a pilgrimage, so he says, to the monastery in the town. Hes travelling with this young relation of Mr. Miüsov. Is that all? Yes. Stay, listen, Trifon Borissovitch. Tell me the chief thing: What of her? How is she? Oh, shes only just come. Shes sitting with them. Is she cheerful? Is she laughing? No, I think shes not laughing much. Shes sitting quite dull. Shes combing the young gentlemans hair. The Polethe officer? |
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