ontemptuous tones: "Do you think I will dare to
touch vodki when I shall have such a large sum of money in my care?"

"Akulina, have a clean shirt ready for the morning," were his parting
words for the night.

So Polikey and his wife went to sleep in a happy frame of mind and full
of bright dreams for the future.

CHAPTER IV.

Very early the next morning, almost before the stars had hidden
themselves from view, there was seen standing before Polikey's home a
low wagon, the same in which the superintendent himself used to ride;
and harnessed to it was a large-boned, dark-brown mare, called for some
unknown reason by the name of Baraban (drum). Aniutka, Polikey's
eldest daughter, in spite of the heavy rain and the cold wind which was
blowing, stood outside barefooted and held (not without some fear) the
reins in ore hand, while with the other she endeavored to keep her green
and yellow overcoat wound around her body, and also to hold Polikey's
sheepskin coat.

In the house there were the greatest noise and confusion. The morning
was still so dark that the little daylight there was failed to penetrate
through the broken panes of glass, the window being stuffed in many
places with rags and paper to exclude the cold air.

Akulina ceased from her cooking for a while and helped to get Polikey
ready for the journey. Most of the children were still in bed, very
likely as a protection against the cold, for Akulina had taken away the
big overcoat which usually covered them and had substituted a shawl of
her own. Polikey's shirt was all ready, nice and clean, but his shoes
badly needed repairing, and this fact caused his devoted wife much
anxiety. She took from her own feet the thick woollen stockings she was
wearing, and gave them to Polikey. She then began to repair his shoes,
patching up the holes so as to protect his feet from dampness.

While this was going on he was sitting on the side of the bed with his
feet dangling over the edge, and trying to turn the sash which confined
his coat at the waist. He was anxious to look as clean as possible, and
he declared his sash looked like a dirty rope.

One of his daughters, enveloped in a sheepskin coat, was sent to a
neighbor's house to borrow a hat.

Within Polikey's home the greatest confusion reigned, for the court
servants were constantly arriving with innumerable small orders which
they wished Polikey to execute for them in town. One wanted needles,
another tea, ano