"
"What is all this nonsense?
"What is all this nonsense?
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
I could not think what
it all meant.
"What is it? " asked Pugatchef, with dignity.
"Deign to read it, and you will see," replied Saveliitch.
Pugatchef took the paper and looked at it a long time with an air of
importance. At last he said--
"You write very illegibly; our lucid[60] eyes cannot make out anything.
Where is our Chief Secretary? "
A youth in a corporal's uniform ran up to Pugatchef.
"Read it aloud," the usurper said to him, handing him the paper.
I was extremely curious to know on what account my retainer had thought
of writing to Pugatchef. The Chief Secretary began in a loud voice,
spelling out what follows--
"Two dressing gowns, one cotton, the other striped silk, six roubles. "
"What does that mean? " interrupted Pugatchef, frowning.
"Tell him to read further," rejoined Saveliitch, quite unmoved.
The Chief Secretary continued to read--
"One uniform of fine green cloth, seven roubles; one pair trousers,
white cloth, five roubles; twelve shirts of Holland shirting, with
cuffs, ten roubles; one box with tea service, two-and-a-half roubles.
"
"What is all this nonsense? " cried Pugatchef. "What do these tea-boxes
and breeches with cuffs matter to me? "
Saveliitch cleared his throat with a cough, and set to work to explain
matters.
"Let my father condescend to understand that that is the bill of my
master's goods which have been taken away by the rascals. "
"What rascals? " quoth Pugatchef, in a fierce and terrible manner.
"Beg pardon, my tongue played me false," replied Saveliitch. "Rascals,
no they are not rascals; but still your fellows have well harried and
well robbed, you must agree. Do not get angry; the horse has four legs,
and yet he stumbles. Bid him read to the end. "
"Well, let us see, read on," said Pugatchef.
The Secretary continued--
"One chintz rug, another of wadded silk, four roubles; one pelisse fox
skin lined with red ratteen, forty roubles; and lastly, a small hareskin
'_touloup_,' which was left in the hands of your lordship in the wayside
house on the steppe, fifteen roubles. "
"What's that? " cried Pugatchef, whose eyes suddenly sparkled.
I confess I was in fear for my poor follower.
it all meant.
"What is it? " asked Pugatchef, with dignity.
"Deign to read it, and you will see," replied Saveliitch.
Pugatchef took the paper and looked at it a long time with an air of
importance. At last he said--
"You write very illegibly; our lucid[60] eyes cannot make out anything.
Where is our Chief Secretary? "
A youth in a corporal's uniform ran up to Pugatchef.
"Read it aloud," the usurper said to him, handing him the paper.
I was extremely curious to know on what account my retainer had thought
of writing to Pugatchef. The Chief Secretary began in a loud voice,
spelling out what follows--
"Two dressing gowns, one cotton, the other striped silk, six roubles. "
"What does that mean? " interrupted Pugatchef, frowning.
"Tell him to read further," rejoined Saveliitch, quite unmoved.
The Chief Secretary continued to read--
"One uniform of fine green cloth, seven roubles; one pair trousers,
white cloth, five roubles; twelve shirts of Holland shirting, with
cuffs, ten roubles; one box with tea service, two-and-a-half roubles.
"
"What is all this nonsense? " cried Pugatchef. "What do these tea-boxes
and breeches with cuffs matter to me? "
Saveliitch cleared his throat with a cough, and set to work to explain
matters.
"Let my father condescend to understand that that is the bill of my
master's goods which have been taken away by the rascals. "
"What rascals? " quoth Pugatchef, in a fierce and terrible manner.
"Beg pardon, my tongue played me false," replied Saveliitch. "Rascals,
no they are not rascals; but still your fellows have well harried and
well robbed, you must agree. Do not get angry; the horse has four legs,
and yet he stumbles. Bid him read to the end. "
"Well, let us see, read on," said Pugatchef.
The Secretary continued--
"One chintz rug, another of wadded silk, four roubles; one pelisse fox
skin lined with red ratteen, forty roubles; and lastly, a small hareskin
'_touloup_,' which was left in the hands of your lordship in the wayside
house on the steppe, fifteen roubles. "
"What's that? " cried Pugatchef, whose eyes suddenly sparkled.
I confess I was in fear for my poor follower.
