The Daughter of the Commandant | Page 4

great ardour I began
taking my lesson. Zourine encouraged me loudly; he was surprised at
my rapid progress, and after a few lessons he proposed that we should
play for money, were it only for a "groch" (two kopeks),[12] not for the
profit, but that we might not play for nothing, which, according to him,
was a very bad habit.

I agreed to this, and Zourine called for punch; then he advised me to
taste it, always repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
"And what," said he, "would the service be without punch?"
I followed his advice. We continued playing, and the more I sipped my
glass, the bolder I became. My balls flew beyond the cushions. I got
angry; I was impertinent to the marker who scored for us. I raised the
stake; in short, I behaved like a little boy just set free from school. Thus
the time passed very quickly. At last Zourine glanced at the clock, put
down his cue, and told me I had lost a hundred roubles.[13] This
disconcerted me very much; my money was in the hands of Savéliitch.
I was beginning to mumble excuses, when Zourine said--
"But don't trouble yourself; I can wait, and now let us go to
Arinúshka's."
What could you expect? I finished my day as foolishly as I had begun it.
We supped with this Arinúshka. Zourine always filled up my glass,
repeating that I must get accustomed to the service.
Upon leaving the table I could scarcely stand. At midnight Zourine
took me back to the inn.
Savéliitch came to meet us at the door.
"What has befallen you?" he said to me in a melancholy voice, when he
saw the undoubted signs of my zeal for the service. "Where did you
thus swill yourself? Oh! good heavens! such a misfortune never
happened before."
"Hold your tongue, old owl," I replied, stammering; "I am sure you are
drunk. Go to bed, ... but first help me to bed."
The next day I awoke with a bad headache. I only remembered
confusedly the occurrences of the past evening. My meditations were
broken by Savéliitch, who came into my room with a cup of tea.

"You begin early making free, Petr' Andréjïtch," he said to me, shaking
his head. "Well, where do you get it from? It seems to me that neither
your father nor your grandfather were drunkards. We needn't talk of
your mother; she has never touched a drop of anything since she was
born, except 'kvass.'[14] So whose fault is it? Whose but the
confounded 'moussié;' he taught you fine things, that son of a dog, and
well worth the trouble of taking a Pagan for your servant, as if our
master had not had enough servants of his own!"
I was ashamed. I turned round and said to him--
"Go away, Savéliitch; I don't want any tea."
But it was impossible to quiet Savéliitch when once he had begun to
sermonize.
"Do you see now, Petr' Andréjïtch," said he, "what it is to commit
follies? You have a headache; you won't take anything. A man who
gets drunk is good for nothing. Do take a little pickled cucumber with
honey or half a glass of brandy to sober you. What do you think?"
At this moment a little boy came in, who brought me a note from
Zourine. I unfolded it and read as follows:--
"DEAR PETR' ANDRÉJÏTCH,
"Oblige me by sending by bearer the hundred roubles you lost to me
yesterday. I want money dreadfully.
"Your devoted
"IVÁN ZOURINE."
There was nothing for it. I assumed a look of indifference, and,
addressing myself to Savéliitch, I bid him hand over a hundred roubles
to the little boy.
"What--why?" he asked me in great surprise.

"I owe them to him," I answered as coldly as possible.
"You owe them to him!" retorted Savéliitch, whose surprise became
greater. "When had you the time to run up such a debt? It is impossible.
Do what you please, excellency, but I will not give this money."
I then considered that, if in this decisive moment I did not oblige this
obstinate old man to obey me, it would be difficult for me in future to
free myself from his tutelage. Glancing at him haughtily, I said to him--
"I am your master; you are my servant. The money is mine; I lost it
because I chose to lose it. I advise you not to be headstrong, and to
obey your orders."
My words made such an impression on Savéliitch that he clasped his
hands and remained dumb and motionless.
"What are you standing there for like a stock?" I exclaimed, angrily.
Savéliitch began to weep.
"Oh! my father, Petr' Andréjïtch," sobbed he, in a trembling voice; "do