shall be able to sell 7000 poods [The pood = 40 lbs.]at 45 copecks a
piece there should come in 3000. Consequently the sum-total that you
ought to have in hand soon is--how much?--12,000 roubles. Is that
right?'
'Precisely,' answered Jakoff. Yet by the extreme rapidity with which
his fingers were twitching I could see that he had an objection to make.
Papa went on:
'Well, of this money you will send 10,000 roubles to the Petrovskoe
local council. As for the money already at the office, you will remit it
to me, and enter it as spent on this present date.' Jakoff turned over
the tablet marked '12,000,' and put down '21,000'--seeming, by his
action, to imply that 12,000 roubles had been turned over in the
same fashion as he had turned the tablet. 'And this envelope with the
enclosed money,' concluded Papa, 'you will deliver for me to the person
to whom it is addressed.'
I was standing close to the table, and could see the address. It was 'To
Karl Ivanitch Mayer.' Perhaps Papa had an idea that I had read something
which I ought not, for he touched my shoulder with his hand and made me
aware, by a slight movement, that I must withdraw from the table. Not
sure whether the movement was meant for a caress or a command, I kissed
the large, sinewy hand which rested upon my shoulder.
'Very well,' said Jakoff. 'And what are your orders about the accounts
for the money from Chabarovska?' (Chabarovska was Mamma's village.)
'Only that they are to remain in my office, and not to be taken thence
without my express instructions.'
For a minute or two Jakoff was silent. Then his fingers began to twitch
with extraordinary rapidity, and, changing the expression of deferential
vacancy with which he had listened to his orders for one of shrewd
intelligence, he turned his tablets back and spoke.
'Will you allow me to inform you, Peter Alexandritch,' he said, with
frequent pauses between his words, 'that, however much you wish it, it
is out of the question to repay the local council now. You enumerated
some items, I think, as to what ought to come in from the mortgage, the
mill, and the hay (he jotted down each of these items on his tablets
again as he spoke). Yet I fear that we must have made a mistake
somewhere in the accounts.' Here he paused a while, and looked gravely
at Papa.
'How so?'
'Well, will you be good enough to look for yourself? There is the
account for the mill. The miller has been to me twice to ask for time,
and I am afraid that he has no money whatever in hand. He is here now.
Would you like to speak to him?'
'No. Tell me what he says,' replied Papa, showing by a movement of his
head that he had no desire to have speech with the miller.
'Well, it is easy enough to guess what he says. He declares that there
is no grinding to be got now, and that his last remaining money has gone
to pay for the dam. What good would it do for us to turn him out? As to
what you were pleased to say about the mortgage, you yourself are aware
that your money there is locked up and cannot be recovered at a moment's
notice. I was sending a load of flour to Ivan Afanovitch to-day, and
sent him a letter as well, to which he replies that he would have been
glad to oblige you, Peter Alexandritch, were it not that the matter is
out of his hands now, and that all the circumstances show that it would
take you at least two months to withdraw the money. From the hay I
understood you to estimate a return of 3000 roubles?' (Here Jakoff
jotted down '3000' on his tablets, and then looked for a moment from the
