United States or Myanmar ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I have promised to do so. As it chances, it will be convenient." The Count smiled to himself in a meaning way, as though already enjoying the triumph of laying the gold pieces upon the counter under Akulina's flat nose. "And yet Fischelowitz has already given it to you!
Akulina's unmistakable step was heard in the passage a moment later. Schmidt would have preferred that Fischelowitz should have come himself, though he managed to live on very good terms with Akulina. Though far from tactful he guessed that in a matter concerning the Count, the tobacconist would prove more obliging than his wife.
Akulina's face expressed a blank amazement almost comical in its vacuity. For once, she was taken off her guard. Her husband read the letter over twice and examined the handwriting curiously. "A joke is a joke, Akulina," he said at last. "But you have carried this too far. What if the Count had died?" "I would like to know what I am accused of," said Akulina, "and what all this is about."
The Count glanced at the back of Akulina's head, which was decently covered by a flattened twist of very shining black hair, and then he looked at Fischelowitz as though to inquire whether the latter would suffer a gentleman to be thus insulted in his presence and on his premises. Fischelowitz seemed embarrassed, and coloured a little.
Akulina knocked it from the counter into the farthest corner of the shop." "Tell us all about it," said Schmidt, more interested than ever. "Ah, that that is quite another matter," answered the Count, reddening perceptibly as he remembered Akulina's furious abuse. "If you do not, I have no doubt that she will," said Dumnoff, taking another sip.
"You do not understand?" cried Schmidt, facing him again. "I mean that if you laugh at Vjera I will break most of your bones." At that moment Akulina's stout figure appeared, entering from the street. The Cossack stood still, glaring at her, his face growing white and contracted with anger.
It was a terrible day, and everything jarred upon the poor girl's nature, from Akulina's thick, strong voice, continually discussing the question of marks and pennies, with occasional allusions to late events, to the disagreeable, scratching, paring sound of the Cossack's heavy knife as it cut its way through the great packages of leaves.
The Count had no precise object in view when he hurriedly left the shop with the parcel containing the broken doll. What he most desired for the moment was to withdraw himself from the storm of Akulina's abuse, seeing that he had no means of checking the torrent, nor of exacting satisfaction for the insults received.
Word Of The Day