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Updated: June 5, 2025
"It is no fault of yours that the Count was not found dead in his bed this morning," he began, fixing his fiery eyes on Akulina. "What? What? What is this?" asked Fischelowitz excitedly. "Only this," said the Cossack, displaying the letter he had brought from the Count's rooms. "Nothing more. Your wife has succeeded very well. He is quite mad now.
"I thought," said he, "that the man was drunk, and had not fed his horse for two days the animal looked so exhausted." Unable to sleep, and with her heart palpitating at every sound, Akulina lay awake all night vainly awaiting Polikey's return. When the cock crowed the third time she was obliged to get up to attend to the fire. Day was just dawning and the church-bells had begun to ring.
He was too kind-hearted, also, to blame the Count, as his wife did, for having been the promoter of the loan, for he readily admitted that he would have lent as much, had he made the vagabond's acquaintance under any other circumstances. But the Count, since Akulina had expressed herself with so much force and precision, could not look upon the affair in the same light.
But why should I? It is thrown away. There is no shame in you. You see nothing, you care for nothing, you hear no reason, you feel no argument. I will go home and make soup. I am better there than in the shop. Oh yes! it is always that. Akulina can make good things to eat, and good tea and good punch to drink, and Akulina is the Archangel Michael in the kitchen.
"What is the use of eating to-day when there will be so many good things to-morrow?" Neither Fischelowitz nor the Count vouchsafed any answer to this thrust. For the second time, since the Count had entered, however, the tobacconist wore an expression approaching to gravity. The Count himself kept his composure admirably, only glancing coldly at Akulina, and then looking at his cigarette.
"I woke up in the servants' kitchen on the stove . . . . They can all confirm that. How I got on to the stove I can't say. . . ." "Don't disturb yourself . . . Do you know Akulina?" "Oh well, not particularly." "Did she leave you for Klyauzov?" "Yes. . . . Yefrem, bring some more mushrooms! Will you have some tea, Yevgraf Kuzmitch?"
There there are simply such wonders as a silly girl like you could never fancy in your dreams! Of course, you can't understand it! 'Why so, Viktor Alexandritch! I understand; I understood everything. 'My eye, what a girl it is! Akulina looked down. 'You used not to talk to me like that once, Viktor Alexandritch, she said, not lifting her eyes.
'Once?... once!... My goodness! he remarked, as though in indignation. They both were silent. 'It's time I was going, said Viktor, and he was already rising on to his elbow. 'Wait a little longer, Akulina besought him in a supplicating voice. 'What for?... Why, I've said good-bye to you. 'Wait a little, repeated Akulina. Viktor lay down again and began whistling.
Since then, you know, I have had time to enter into lawful wed-lock, as they say.... Oh ... I took a merchant's daughter seven thousand for her dowry. Her name's Akulina; it goes well with Trifon. She is an ill- tempered woman, I must tell you, but luckily she's asleep all day.... Well, shall it be preference? We sat down to preference for halfpenny points.
As he walked home through the quiet streets he swore that he would take vengeance upon Akulina, by producing the letter and reading it in her husband's presence, and before the assembled establishment, before the Count made his appearance.
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