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night。
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
PART SECOND
I
THE whole time he was lying in the gutter Stepan saw continually
before his eyes the thin； kindly； and frightened face of Maria Semenovna；
and seemed to hear her voice。 〃How can you？〃 she went on saying in his
imagination； with her peculiar lisping voice。 Stepan saw over again and
over again before him all he had done to her。 In horror he shut his eyes；
and shook his hairy head； to drive away these thoughts and recollections。
For a moment he would get rid of them； but in their place horrid black
faces with red eyes appeared and frightened him continuously。 They
grinned at him； and kept repeating； 〃Now you have done away with her
you must do away with yourself； or we will not leave you alone。〃 He
opened his eyes； and again he saw HER and heard her voice； and felt an
immense pity for her and a deep horror and disgust with himself。 Once
more he shut his eyes； and the black faces reappeared。 Towards the
evening of the next day he rose and went； with hardly any strength left； to
a public…house。 There he ordered a drink； and repeated his demands over
and over again； but no quantity of liquor could make him intoxicated。 He
was sitting at a table； and swallowed silently one glass after another。
A police officer came in。 〃Who are you？〃 he asked Stepan。
〃I am the man who murdered all the Dobrotvorov people last night；〃
he answered。
He was arrested； bound with ropes； and brought to the nearest police…
station； the next day he was transferred to the prison in the town。 The
inspector of the prison recognised him as an old inmate； and a very
turbulent one； and； hearing that he had now become a real criminal；
accosted him very harshly。
〃You had better be quiet here；〃 he said in a hoarse voice； frowning；
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
and protruding his lower jaw。 〃The moment you don't behave； I'll flog
you to death！ Don't try to escape I will see to that！〃
〃I have no desire to escape；〃 said Stepan； dropping his eyes。 〃I
surrendered of my own free will。〃
〃Shut up！ You must look straight into your superior's eyes when you
talk to him；〃 cried the inspector； and struck Stepan with his fist under the
jaw。
At that moment Stepan again saw the murdered woman before him；
and heard her voice； he did not pay attention； therefore； to the inspector's
words。
〃What？〃 he asked； coming to his senses when he felt the blow on his
face。
〃Be off！ Don't pretend you don't hear。〃
The inspector expected Stepan to be violent； to talk to the other
prisoners； to make attempts to escape from prison。 But nothing of the kind
ever happened。 Whenever the guard or the inspector himself looked into
his cell through the hole in the door； they saw Stepan sitting on a bag filled
with straw； holding his head with his hands and whispering to himself。 On
being brought before the examining magistrate charged with the inquiry
into his case； he did not behave like an ordinary convict。 He was very
absent…minded； hardly listening to the questions； but when he heard what
was asked； he answered truthfully； causing the utmost perplexity to the
magistrate； who； accustomed as he was to the necessity of being very
clever and very cunning with convicts； felt a strange sensation just as if he
were lifting up his foot to ascend a step and found none。 Stepan told him
the story of all his murders； and did it frowning； with a set look； in a quiet；
businesslike voice； trying to recollect all the circumstances of his crimes。
〃He stepped out of the house；〃 said Stepan； telling the tale of his first
murder； 〃and stood barefooted at the door； I hit him； and he just groaned； I
went to his wife； 。 。 。〃 And so on。
One day the magistrate； visiting the prison cells； asked Stepan whether
there was anything he had to complain of； or whether he had any wishes
that might be granted him。 Stepan said he had no wishes whatever； and
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
had nothing to complain of the way he was treated in prison。 The
magistrate； on leaving him； took a few steps in the foul passage； then
stopped and asked the governor who had accompanied him in his visit
how this prisoner was behaving。
〃I simply wonder at him；〃 said the governor； who was very pleased
with Stepan； and spoke kindly of him。 〃He has now been with us about
two months； and could be held up as a model of good behaviour。 But I am
afraid he is plotting some mischief。 He is a daring man； and
exceptionally strong。〃
II
DURING the first month in prison Stepan suffered from the same
agonising vision。 He saw the grey wall of his cell； he heard the sounds of
the prison； the noise of the cell below him； where a number of convicts
were confined together； the striking of the prison clock； the steps of the
sentry in the passage； but at the same time he saw HER with that kindly
face which conquered his heart the very first time he met her in the street；
with that thin； strongly…marked neck； and he heard her soft； lisping；
pathetic voice： 〃To destroy somebody's soul 。 。 。 and； worst of all； your
own。 。 。 。 How can you？ 。 。 。〃
After a while her voice would die away； and then black faces would
appear。 They would appear whether he had his eyes open or shut。 With
his closed eyes he saw them more distinctly。 When he opened his eyes
they vanished for a moment； melting away into the walls and the door； but
after a while they reappeared and surrounded him from three sides；
grinning at him and saying over and over： 〃Make an end！ Make an end！
Hang yourself！ Set yourself on fire！〃 Stepan s