the ground was soft under his feet； and the air smelt of dung； on the right
side of the door were two loose boxes for a pair of grey horses。 Peter
Nikolaevich stretched out his hand in their directionone box was empty。
He put out his footthe horse might have been lying down。 But his foot
did not touch anything solid。 〃Where could they have taken the horse？〃
he thought。 They certainly had not harnessed it； all the sledges stood still
outside。 Peter Nikolaevich went out of the stable。
〃Stepan； come here！〃 he called。
Stepan was the head of the workmen's gang。 He was just stepping
out of the cottage。
〃Here I am！〃 he said； in a cheerful voice。 〃Oh； is that you； Peter
Nikolaevich？ Our men are coming。〃
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〃Why is the stable door open？
〃Is it？ I don't know anything about it。 I say； Proshka； bring the
lantern！〃
Proshka came with the lantern。 They all went to the stable； and
Stepan knew at once what had happened。
〃Thieves have been here； Peter Nikolaevich；〃 he said。 〃The lock is
broken。〃
〃No； you don't say so！〃
〃Yes； the brigands！ I don't see 'Mashka。' 'Hawk' is here。 But
'Beauty' is not。 Nor yet 'Dapple…grey。'〃
Three horses had been stolen！
Peter Nikolaevich did not utter a word at first。 He only frowned and
took deep breaths。
〃Oh；〃 he said after a while。 〃If only I could lay hands on them！ Who
was on guard？〃
〃Peter。 He evidently fell asleep。〃
Peter Nikolaevich called in the police； and making an appeal to all the
authorities； sent his men to track the thieves。 But the horses were not to be
found。
〃Wicked people；〃 said Peter Nikolaevich。 〃How could they！ I was
always so kind to them。 Now； wait！ Brigands！ Brigands the whole lot
of them。 I will no longer be kind。〃
X
IN the meanwhile the horses； the grey ones； had all been disposed of；
Mashka was sold to the gipsies for eighteen roubles； Dapple…grey was
exchanged for another horse； and passed over to another peasant who lived
forty miles away from the estate； and Beauty died on the way。 The man
who conducted the whole affair wasIvan Mironov。 He had been
employed on the estate； and knew all the whereabouts of Peter
Nikolaevich。 He wanted to get back the money he had lost； and stole the
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
horses for that reason。
After his misfortune with the forged coupon； Ivan Mironov took to
drink； and all he possessed would have gone on drink if it had not been for
his wife； who locked up his clothes； the horses' collars； and all the rest of
what he would otherwise have squandered in public…houses。 In his
drunken state Ivan Mironov was continually thinking； not only of the man
who had wronged him； but of all the rich people who live on robbing the
poor。 One day he had a drink with some peasants from the suburbs of
Podolsk； and was walking home together with them。 On the way the
peasants； who were completely drunk； told him they had stolen a horse
from a peasant's cottage。 Ivan Mironov got angry； and began to abuse the
horse…thieves。
〃What a shame！〃 he said。 〃A horse is like a brother to the peasant。
And you robbed him of it？ It is a great sin； I tell you。 If you go in for
stealing horses； steal them from the landowners。 They are worse than dogs；
and deserve anything。〃
The talk went on； and the peasants from Podolsk told him that it
required a great deal of cunning to steal a horse on an estate。
〃You must know all the ins and outs of the place； and must have
somebody on the spot to help you。〃
Then it occurred to Ivan Mironov that he knew a landowner
Sventizky； he had worked on his estate； and Sventizky； when paying him
off； had deducted one rouble and a half for a broken tool。 He
remembered well the grey horses which he used to drive at Sventizky's。
Ivan Mironov called on Peter Nikolaevich pretending to ask for
employment； but really in order to get the information he wanted。 He took
precautions to make sure that the watchman was absent； and that the
horses were standing in their boxes in the stable。 He brought the thieves to
the place； and helped them to carry off the three horses。
They divided their gains； and Ivan Mironov returned to his wife with
five roubles in his pocket。 He had nothing to do at home； having no
horse to work in the field； and therefore continued to steal horses in
company with professional horse…thieves and gipsies。
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XI
PETER NIKOLAEVICH SVENTIZKY did his best to discover who
had stolen his horses。 He knew somebody on the estate must have helped
the thieves； and began to suspect all his staff。 He inquired who had slept
out that night； and the gang of the working men told him Proshka had not
been in the whole night。 Proshka； or Prokofy Nikolaevich； was a young
fellow who had just finished his military service； handsome； and skilful in
all he did； Peter Nikolaevich employed him at times as coachman。 The
district constable was a friend of Peter Nikolaevich； as were the provincial
head of the police； the marshal of the nobility； and also the rural councillor
and the examining magistrate。 They all came to his house on his saint's
day； drinking the cherry brandy he offered them with pleasure； and eating
the nice preserved mushrooms of all kinds to accompany the liqueurs。
They all sympathised with him in his trouble and tried to help him。
〃You always used to take the side of the peasants；〃 said the district
constable； 〃and there you are！ I was right in saying they are worse than
wild beasts。 Flogging is the only way to keep them in order。 Well； you
say it is all Proshka's doings。 Is it not he who was your coachman
sometimes？〃
〃Yes； that is he。〃
〃Will you kindly call him？〃
Proshka was summoned before the constable； who began to examine
him。
〃Where were you that night？〃
Proshka pushed back his hair； and his eyes sparkled。
〃At home。〃
〃How so？ All the men say you were not in。〃
〃Just as you please； your honour。〃
〃My pleasure has nothing to do with the matter。 Tell me where you
were that night。〃
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
〃At home。〃
〃Very well。 Policeman； bring him to the police…station。〃
The reason why Proshka did not say where he had been that night was
that he had spent it with his sweetheart； Parasha； and had promised not to
give her away。 He kept his word。 No proofs were discovered against him；
and he was soon discharged。 But Peter Nikolaevich was convinced that
Prokofy had been at the bottom of the whole affair； and began to hate him。
One day Proshka bought as usual at the merchant's two measures of oats。
One and a half he gave to the horses； and half a measure he gave back to
the merchant； the money for it he spent in drink。 Peter Nikolaevich found
it out； and charged Prokofy with cheating。 The judge sentenced the man to
three months' imprisonment。
Prokofy had a rather proud nature； and thought himself superior to
others。 Prison was a great humiliation for him。 He came out of it very
depressed； there was nothing more to be proud of in life。 And more than
that； he felt extremely bitter； not only against Peter Nikolaevich； but
against the whole world。
On the whole； as all the people around him noticed； Prokofy became
another man after his imprisonment； both careless and lazy； he took to
drink； and he was soon caught stealing clothes at some woman's house；
and found himself again in prison。
All that Peter Nikolaevich discovered about his grey horses was the
hide of one of them； Beauty； which had been found somewhere on the
estate。 The fact that the thieves had got off scot…free irritated Peter
Nikolaevich still more。 He was unable now to speak of the peasants or to
look at them without anger。 And whenever he could he tried to oppress
them。
XII
AFTER having got rid of the coupon； Eugene Mihailovich forgot all
about it； but his wife； Maria Vassilievna； could not forgive herself for
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THE FORGE
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