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repay the money he had borrowed from him。
IV
AN hour after the boys were gone Eugene Mihailovich； the owner of
the shop； came home； and began to count his receipts。
〃Oh； you clumsy fool！ Idiot that you are！〃 he shouted； addressing his
wife； after having seen the coupon and noticed the forgery。
〃But I have often seen you； Eugene； accepting coupons in payment；
and precisely twelve rouble ones；〃 retorted his wife； very humiliated；
grieved； and all but bursting into tears。 〃I really don't know how they
contrived to cheat me；〃 she went on。 〃They were pupils of the school； in
uniform。 One of them was quite a handsome boy； and looked so comme il
faut。〃
〃A comme il faut fool； that is what you are！〃 The husband went on
scolding her； while he counted the cash。 。 。 。 When I accept coupons； I see
what is written on them。 And you probably looked only at the boys' pretty
faces。 〃You had better behave yourself in your old age。〃
His wife could not stand this； and got into a fury。
〃That is just like you men！ Blaming everybody around you。 But
when it is you who lose fifty…four roubles at cards that is of no
consequence in your eyes。〃
〃That is a different matter
〃I don't want to talk to you；〃 said his wife； and went to her room。
There she began to remind herself that her family was opposed to her
marriage； thinking her present husband far below her in social rank； and
that it was she who insisted on marrying him。 Then she went on thinking
of the child she had lost； and how indifferent her husband had been to their
loss。 She hated him so intensely at that moment that she wished for his
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death。 Her wish frightened her； however； and she hurriedly began to
dress and left the house。 When her husband came from the shop to the
inner rooms of their flat she was gone。 Without waiting for him she had
dressed and gone off to friends a teacher of French in the school； a
Russified Pole； and his wife who had invited her and her husband to a
party in their house that evening。
V
THE guests at the party had tea and cakes offered to them； and sat
down after that to play whist at a number of card…tables。
The partners of Eugene Mihailovich's wife were the host himself； an
officer； and an old and very stupid lady in a wig； a widow who owned a
music…shop； she loved playing cards and played remarkably well。 But it
was Eugene Mihailovich's wife who was the winner all the time。 The best
cards were continually in her hands。 At her side she had a plate with
grapes and a pear and was in the best of spirits。
〃And Eugene Mihailovich？ Why is he so late？〃 asked the hostess；
who played at another table。
〃Probably busy settling accounts；〃 said Eugene Mihailovich's wife。
〃He has to pay off the tradesmen； to get in firewood。〃 The quarrel she
had with her husband revived in her memory； she frowned； and her hands；
from which she had not taken off the mittens； shook with fury against him。
〃Oh； there he is。We have just been speaking of you；〃 said the hostess
to Eugene Mihailovich； who came in at that very moment。 〃Why are you
so late？〃
〃I was busy；〃 answered Eugene Mihailovich； in a gay voice； rubbing
his hands。 And to his wife's surprise he came to her side and said；〃You
know； I managed to get rid of the coupon。〃
〃No！ You don't say so！〃
〃Yes； I used it to pay for a cartload of firewood I bought from a
peasant。〃
And Eugene Mihailovich related with great indignation to the
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
company present his wife adding more details to his narrativehow his
wife had been cheated by two unscrupulous schoolboys。
〃Well； and now let us sit down to work；〃 he said； taking his place at
one of the whist…tables when his turn came； and beginning to shuffle the
cards。
VI
EUGENE MIHAILOVICH had actually used the coupon to buy
firewood from the peasant Ivan Mironov； who had thought of setting up in
business on the seventeen roubles he possessed。 He hoped in this way to
earn another eight roubles； and with the twenty…five roubles thus amassed
he intended to buy a good strong horse； which he would want in the spring
for work in the fields and for driving on the roads； as his old horse was
almost played out。
Ivan Mironov's commercial method consisted in buying from the
stores a cord of wood and dividing it into five cartloads； and then driving
about the town； selling each of these at the price the stores charged for a
quarter of a cord。 That unfortunate day Ivan Mironov drove out very early
with half a cartload； which he soon sold。 He loaded up again with
another cartload which he hoped to sell； but he looked in vain for a
customer； no one would buy it。 It was his bad luck all that day to come
across experienced towns…people； who knew all the tricks of the peasants
in selling firewood； and would not believe that he had actually brought the
wood from the country as he assured them。 He got hungry； and felt cold in
his ragged woollen coat。 It was nearly below zero when evening came on；
his horse which he had treated without mercy； hoping soon to sell it to the
knacker's yard； refused to move a step。 So Ivan Mironov was quite ready
to sell his firewood at a loss when he met Eugene Mihailovich； who was
on his way home from the tobacconist。
〃Buy my cartload of firewood； sir。 I will give it to you cheap。 My
poor horse is tired； and can't go any farther。〃
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〃Where do you come from？〃
〃From the country； sir。 This firewood is from our place。 Good dry
wood； I can assure you。〃
〃Good wood indeed！ I know your tricks。 Well； what is your price？〃
Ivan Mironov began by asking a high price； but reduced it once； and
finished by selling the cartload for just