第20章 MAKSIM MAKSIMYCH(4)

By this time the carriage was a long way off,but Pechorin made a sign with his hand which might be interpreted as meaning:

"It is doubtful whether I shall return,and there is no reason,either,why I should!"The jingle of the bell and the clatter of the wheels along the flinty road had long ceased to be audible,but the poor old man still remained standing in the same place,deep in thought.

"Yes,"he said at length,endeavouring to assume an air of indifference,although from time to time a tear of vexation glistened on his eyelashes."Of course we were friends --well,but what are friends nowadays?...What could I be to him?I'm not rich;I've no rank;and,moreover,I'm not at all his match in years!--See what a dandy he has become since he has been staying in Petersburg again!...What a carriage!...What a quantity of luggage!...

And such a haughty manservant too!"...

These words were pronounced with an ironical smile.

"Tell me,"he continued,turning to me,"what do you think of it?Come,what the devil is he off to Persia for now?...Good Lord,it is ridiculous --ridiculous!...But Ialways knew that he was a fickle man,and one you could never rely on!...But,indeed,it is a pity that he should come to a bad end ...

yet it can't be otherwise!...I always did say that there is no good to be got out of a man who forgets his old friends!"...

Hereupon he turned away in order to hide his agitation and proceeded to walk about the court-yard,around his cart,pretending to be examining the wheels,whilst his eyes kept filling with tears every moment.

"Maksim Maksimych,"I said,going up to him,"what papers are these that Pechorin left you?""Goodness knows!Notes of some sort"...

"What will you do with them?"

"What?I'll have cartridges made of them.""Hand them over to me instead."

He looked at me in surprise,growled some-thing through his teeth,and began to rummage in his portmanteau.Out he drew a writing-book and threw it contemptuously on the ground;then a second --a third --a tenth shared the same fate.There was something childish in his vexation,and it struck me as ridiculous and pitiable...

"Here they are,"he said."I congratulate you on your find!"...

"And I may do anything I like with them?""Yes,print them in the newspapers,if you like.

What is it to me?Am I a friend or relation of his?It is true that for a long time we lived under one roof ...but aren't there plenty of people with whom I have lived?"...

I seized the papers and lost no time in carry-ing them away,fearing that the staff-captain might repent his action.Soon somebody came to tell us that the "Adventure"would set off in an hour's time.I ordered the horses to be put to.

I had already put my cap on when the staff-captain entered the room.Apparently he had not got ready for departure.His manner was somewhat cold and constrained.

"You are not going,then,Maksim Maksim-ych?"

"No,sir!"

"But why not?"

"Well,I have not seen the Commandant yet,and I have to deliver some Government things.""But you did go,you know."

"I did,of course,"he stammered,"but he was not at home ...and I did not wait."I understood.For the first time in his life,probably,the poor old man had,to speak by the book,thrown aside official business 'for the sake of his personal requirements'...and how he had been rewarded!