see that the money was
safe. Once he said to himself, "I think that perhaps it would be better
if I should put it in my bosom." This would necessitate the untying of
his sash, so he decided to keep it still in his hat, or until he should
have made half the journey, when he would be compelled to stop to feed
his horse and to rest.

He said to himself: "The lining is not sewn in very strongly and the
envelope might fall out, so I think I had better not take off my hat
until I reach home."

The money was safe--at least, so it seemed to him--and he began to
think how grateful his mistress would be to him, and in his excited
imagination he saw the five rubles he was so sure of receiving.

Once more he examined the hat to see that the money was safe, and
finding everything all right he put on his hat and pulled it well down
over his ears, smiling all the while at his own thoughts.

Akulina had carefully sewed all the holes in the hat, but it burst out
in other places owing to Polikey's removing it so often.

In the darkness he did not notice the new rents, and tried to push the
envelope further under the lining, and in doing so pushed one corner of
it through the plush.

The sun was getting high in the heavens, and Polikey having slept but
little the previous night and feeling its warm rays fell fast asleep,
after first pressing his hat more firmly on his head. By this action
he forced the envelope still further through the plush, and as he rode
along his head bobbed up and down.

Polikey did not awake till he arrived near his own house, and his first
act was to put his hand to his head to learn if his hat was all right.
Finding that it was in its place, he did not think it necessary to
examine it and see that the money was safe. Touching the mare gently
with the whip she started into a trot, and as he rode along he arranged
in his own mind how much he was to receive. With the air of a man
already holding a high position at the court, he looked around him with
an expression of lofty scorn on his face.

As he neared his house he could see before him the one room which
constituted their humble home, and the joiner's wife next door carrying
her rolls of linen. He saw also the office of the court and his
mistress's house, where he hoped he would be able presently to prove
that he was an honest, trustworthy man.

He reasoned with himself that any person can be abused by lying tongues,
but when his mistress would see hi