The Created Legend by Feodor Sologub
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Feodor Sologub >> The Created Legend
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The calumnies of Ostrov and of his friends in the Black Hundred
disturbed Doulebov. To avoid unpleasantness Doulebov decided to take
advantage of the first opportunity to close Trirodov's school.
The Headmaster of the National Schools, Actual State Councillor,
Grigory Vladimirovitch Doulebov, had his eye on a higher position in
the educational department. That was why he tried to gain favour by
showing a meticulous attentiveness to his duties. His perseverance was
astonishing. He never gave an impression of haste. His reception of
subordinates and petitioners, announced on a placard on his door to
take place on Thursdays between one and three, actually began at
eleven in the morning, and continued until late in the evening.
Doulebov spoke with each visitor slowly and showed his interest in the
slightest detail.
But Doulebov, of course, knew very well that however great was his
attentiveness to his duties, that in itself would not take him very
far. It was indispensable to cultivate the proper personages. Doulebov
had no influential aunts and grandmothers, and he had to make efforts
on his own behalf. And in the whole course of his twenty-five years'
service, beginning as a gymnasia instructor, Doulebov uninterruptedly
and skilfully concerned himself with establishing improved relations
with all who were higher in rank than he or equal with him. He even
made an effort to keep on good terms with the younger set--that was
for an emergency; for--who can tell?--the younger sometimes go ahead
of the old, and, being young, they might do one an injury--or a good
service--when the opportunity offered.
Never to commit an untactful action--in that consisted the chief
precept of Doubelov's life. He knew very well that this or that action
was not good in itself, and that the chief thing was "how they would
look upon it"--they, that is, the authorities. The authorities were
favourably inclined towards Doulebov. He had already been almost
promised an assistantship to the head of the Educational District.
Doulebov adopted an attitude towards his subordinates consistent with
this personal attitude. To those who acted respectfully towards him
and his wife he gave his patronage and made efforts to improve their
position. He defended them in unpleasant situations, though very
cautiously, in order not to hurt his own position. He was not very
fond of those who were disrespectful and independent, and he hindered
them all he could.
Recognizing a rising luminary in the newly appointed Vice-Governor,
who lately had been a Councillor in the District Government, Doulebov
tried to come into agreeable relations with him also. But he conducted
himself towards him very cautiously, so that he might not be suspected
of too intimate relations with this evil, morose, badly trained man
and his vulgar wife.
Doulebov had pleasant manners, a youngish face, and a slender voice
which resembled the squeal of a young pig. He was light and agile in
his movements. No one had ever seen him drunk, and as a visitor he
either did not drink at all or limited himself to a glass of Madeira.
He was always accompanied by his wife. It was said that she managed
all his affairs, and that Doulebov obeyed her implicitly in
everything.
The wife of the Headmaster, Zinaida Grigorievna, was a plump,
energetic, and shrewish woman. Her short hair was beginning to get
grey. She was very jealous of her influence and maintained it with
great energy.
At Doulebov's invitation the Vice-Governor visited the town school. In
inviting the Vice-Governor Doulebov had especially in view the idea of
taking him to the Trirodov school. In the event of the school being
closed, he wanted to say that it was done at the instigation of the
governmental authorities. But Doulebov did not wish to invite the
Vice-Governor direct to Trirodov's school, so as to give no one any
reason for saying that he did it on purpose. That was why he persuaded
the Vice-Governor to come to the examination at the town school on the
eve of the day appointed for the examinations at the Trirodov school.
The town school was situated in one of the dirty side streets. Its
exterior was highly unattractive. The dirty, dilapidated wooden
structure seemed as if it were built for a tavern rather than for a
school. This did not prevent Doulebov from saying to the inspector of
the school:
"The new Vice-Governor will visit you to-day. I invited him to you
because you have such a fine school."
Inspector Poterin, fawning before Doulebov and his wife, said in a
flustered way:
"Our building is anything but showy."
Doulebov smiled amiably and replied encouragingly:
"The building is not the important thing. The school itself is good.
The instruction is to be valued and not the walls."
The Vice-Governor arrived rather late, at eleven, together with
Zherbenev, who was an honorary overseer of the school.
There was a very tense feeling in the school. The instructors and the
students alike trembled before the authorities. Stupid and vulgar
scenes with the Headmaster in the town school were common with
Doulebov and did not embarrass him. As for Doulebov and his wife, they
were fully alive to their importance. They had received only two or
three days before definite news of the appointment of Doulebov as
assistant to the head of the Educational Department.
Inspector Shabalov arrived at the school very early that day. He
occupied himself with attentions to Zinaida Grigorievna Doulebova, to
whom he showed various services with an unexpected and rather vulgar
amiableness.
The instructor-inspector, Mikhail Prokopievitch Poterin, conducted
himself like a lackey. It was even evident at times that he trembled
before the Doulebovs. What reason had he to be afraid? He was a great
patriot--a member of the Black Hundred. He accepted bribes, beat his
pupils, drank considerably--and he always got off easily.
Zinaida Grigorievna Doulebova examined the graduating classes in
French and English. These studies were optional. Inspector Poterin's
wife gave instruction in French. She had not yet fully mastered the
Berlitz method, and looked at the Doulebovs cringingly. But at heart
she was bitter--at her poverty, abjectness, and dependence.
Poterin knew no languages; but he was also present here, and hissed
malignantly at those who answered awkwardly or did not answer at all:
"Blockhead! Numskull!"
Doulebova sat motionless and made no sign that she heard this zealous
hissing and these coarse words. She would give freedom to her tongue
later, at luncheon.
A luncheon had been prepared for the visitors and the instructors. It
cost Poterin's wife much trouble and anxiety. The table was set in the
large room, where on ordinary days the small boys made lively and
wrangled in recess-time. They were excluded on this day, and raised a
racket outside.
Doulebova sat at the head of the table, between the Vice-Governor and
Zherbenev; Doulebov sat next to the Vice-Governor. A pie was brought
in; then tea. Zinaida Grigorievna abused the instructors' wives and
the instructresses. She loved gossip--indeed, who does not? The
instructors' wives gossiped to her.
During the luncheon the small boys, having resumed their places in the
neighbouring class, sang:
_What songs, what songs,
Our Russia does sing.
Do what you like--though you burst,
Frenchman, you'll never sing like that_.
And other songs in the same spirit.
Doulebov wiped his face with his right hand--like a cat licking its
paw--and piped out:
"I hear that the Marquis Teliatnikov is to pay us a visit soon."
"We are not within his jurisdiction," said Poterin.
But his whole face became distorted with apprehension.
"All the same," said Doulebov in his thin voice, "he possesses great
powers. He can do what he likes."
The Vice-Governor looked gloomily at Poterin and said morosely:
"He's going to pull you all up."
Poterin grew deathly pale and broke out into perspiration. The
conversation about the Marquis Teliatnikov continued, and the local
revolutionary ferment was mentioned in the course of it.
Revolutionary proclamations had appeared in all the woods of the
neighbourhood. Large pieces of bark were cut off the trees and
proclamations pasted on. It was impossible to remove these bills,
which were overrun by a thin, transparent coating of resin. The
zealous preservers of order had either to chop out or to scrape off
the obnoxious places with a knife.
"I think," said Doulebova, "that it must be an idea of our chemist,
Mr. Trirodov."
"Of course." She was confirmed in her suggestion by the cringing,
dry-looking instructress of German.
Zinaida Grigorievna turned towards Poterina in order to show favour to
her hostess by her conversation, and asked her with an amused smile:
"How do you like our celebrated Decadent?"
The instructress tried to understand. An expression of fear showed on
her flat, dull face. She asked timidly:
"Whom do you mean, Zinaida Grigorievna?"
"Whom else could I mean but Mr. Trirodov," replied Doulebova
malignantly.
The malice was all on Trirodov's account, but nevertheless Poterina
trembled with fear.
"Ah, yes, Trirodov; how then, how then...." she repeated in a worried,
flustered way, and was at a loss what to say.
Doulebova said bitingly:
"Well, I don't think he laughs very often. He ought to be to your
taste."
"To my taste!" exclaimed Poterina with a flushed face. "What are you
saying, Zinaida Grigorievna! As the old saying goes: 'The Tsar's
servant has been bent into a harness arch!'"
"Yes, he always looks askance at you and talks to no one," said the
wife of the instructor Krolikov; "but he is a very kind man."
Doulebova turned her malignant glance upon her. Krolikova grew pale
with fear, and guessed that she had not said the right thing. She
corrected herself:
"He is a kind man in his words."
Doulebova smiled at her benevolently.
"Do you know what I think?" said Zherbenev, addressing himself to
Doulebova. "I have seen many men in my time, I may say without
boasting; and in my opinion, it is a very bad sign that he looks
askance at you."
"Of course!" agreed Poterina. "That is the honest truth!"
"Let a man look me straight in my face," went on Zherbenev. "But the
quiet ones...."
Zherbenev did not finish his sentence. Doulebova said:
"Frankly, I don't like your poet. I can't understand him. There is
something strange about him--something disagreeable."
"He's altogether suspicious," said Zherbenev with the look of a person
who knew a great deal.
It was asserted that Trirodov and others were collecting money for an
armed revolt. At this they looked significantly at Voronok. Voronok
retorted, but he was not heard. There was an outburst of malignant
remarks against Trirodov. It was said that there was a secret
underground printing establishment in Trirodov's house, and that not
only the instructresses worked there but also Trirodov's young wards.
The women exclaimed in horror:
"They are mere tots!"
"What do you think of your tots now?"
"There are no children nowadays."
"I've just heard," said Voronok, "that a nine-year-old boy is kept in
confinement by the police."
"The young rebel!" said the Vice-Governor savagely.
"Yes, and I've also heard," said Poterin, "that a thirteen-year-old
boy has been arrested. Such a little beggar, and already in revolt."
The Vice-Governor said morosely:
"He's going with his grandfather to Siberia."
"Why?" asked Voronok with a flushed face.
"He laughed," growled the Vice-Governor morosely.
Doulebov turned to Poterin and asked in a loud voice:
"And I hope you have no rebels in your school."
"No, thank God, I have nothing of that kind," replied Poterin. "But,
to tell the truth, the children are very loose nowadays."
Doulebov, with a patronizing amiableness, said again to him:
"You have a good school. Everything is in exemplary order."
Poterin grew radiant and boasted:
"Yes, I know how to pull them up. I treat them sternly."
"A salutary sternness," said Doulebov.
Encouraged by these words, the instructor-inspector asked:
"Do you think one might also beat them?"
Doulebov avoided a direct answer. He wiped his face with his
hand--like a cat using its paw--and changed the subject.
They began touching recollections about the good old times. They began
to relate how, where, and whom they birched.
"They birch even now," said Shabalov with a quiet joy.
CHAPTER XXXI
After luncheon they went into the assembly room. Some of them began to
smoke. Instructor Mouralov's wife took advantage of an opportune
moment to speak to Doulebova. She cautiously stole up to her when she
saw her standing aside and told her that Poterin took bribes. Separate
phrases and words were distinguished from the rest of the
conversation.
"Have you noticed, Zinaida Grigorievna?"
"What's that?"
"Our inspector is parading in gloves."
"Yes?"
"Gloves! Yellow ones!"
"What of that?"
"Out of bribes."
Zinaida Grigorievna was overjoyed, and grew animated. For a long time
the whispers of the malicious women were audible, and between their
whispers their hissing, snake-like laughter.
Then the women, together with Shabalov and Voronok, went off to finish
the examination. Doulebov and the Vice-Governor went in to look at the
library. Poterin accompanied them. Everything was in order. The thick
volumes of Katkov[32] quietly slumbered; the dust had been wiped from
them on the eve of the Vice-Governor's visit.
[Footnote 32: Mikhail Katkov (1820-1887), a celebrated reactionary and
Slavophil.]
Poterin made use of an opportunity to make insinuations against the
instructors. He reported that Voronok did not go to church, and that
he collected schoolboys at his own house in order to read something or
other to them.
"I shall have to have a talk with him," said Doulebov. "Ask him into
your study and I will talk to him. In the meantime, show Ardalyon
Borisovitch the laboratory."
Doulebov and Voronok spoke for a long time in Poterin's study.
"I don't question your convictions," said the Headmaster, "but I must
make it clear to you that it is impossible to introduce politics into
schools. Children cannot discuss such questions; it does them harm."
"Agents' reports are not always to be believed," said Voronok
restrainedly.
Doulebov flushed slightly and said in an annoyed manner.
"We don't maintain agents, but we have many acquaintances. We have
lived here a long time. It is impossible not to hear what is told us."
The honorary overseer, Zherbenev, invited all who attended the
examination to his house to dinner. Only Voronok refused the
invitation. But Zherbenev invited others to the dinner--the general's
widow, Glafira Pavlovna, and Kerbakh among them. It was a long and
lavish dinner. The guests drank much during and after the meal. Every
one got tipsy. Doulebov alone remained sober. The liqueurs only made
him look slightly ruddier--he was very fond of them.
The members of the Black Hundred took advantage of the occasion to say
something malicious about Trirodov to Doulebov and the Vice-Governor.
The Trirodov school began to be discussed rather vulgarly.
"He's taken up photography; quite keen on it."
"He calls in children, makes them take everything off, and photographs
them."
"Yes, and he's got naked children running about in the woods."
"Children? The instructresses too!"
"They may not be exactly naked, but they are always running about
barefoot."
"Just like peasant women," said Zherbenev.
"Yes," said the Vice-Governor. "It is very immoral for women to go
about barefoot. It must be stopped."
"They are poor people," said some one.
"It is pornography!" said the Vice-Governor savagely.
And every one suddenly believed him. The Vice-Governor said morosely:
"He's lodged a complaint against us for whipping his instructress. But
he is lying; he's whipped her himself. We have no need of whipping
girls--but he does it because he's a corrupt man."
Some one made the observation that Trirodov was friends with dangerous
sects, at which Kerbakh remarked:
"He now has horses and carriages, but I know a man who knew him when
he had only his shirt. It is rather suspicious as to where he got his
money."
Glafira Pavlovna looked at Shabalov and whispered to Doulebov:
"I know he is a patriot, but he has terrible manners."
Doulebov said:
"I know he is very stupid and undeveloped, but zealous. If directed
properly he can be very useful."
* * * * *
Next morning the Headmaster of the National Schools, accompanied by
the Vice-Governor and Shabalov, started in their carriages from the
Headmaster's offices and drove off to Trirodov's school in the
Prosianiya Meadows. They had not yet fully recovered from the previous
day's carouse. They carried on their indecent, half-tipsy
conversations in the midst of nature's loveliness. They looked like a
lot of picnickers.
Zinaida Grigorievna and Kerbakh, who were in one carriage, were
engaged in a malicious conversation. They tore their acquaintances to
shreds. She began with Poterin's gloves. Then she related about the
suicide of another inspector's mistress; she drowned herself because
she was about to have a child. Then she told about a third inspector
who got drunk in a bath-house and got into a tussle there with the
mayor of the town.
Shabalov was riding in a trap with Zherbenev.
"It would be good to have a tasty snack," he said.
"We are sure to get something there," replied Zherbenev confidently.
The visitors were all confident that they were being awaited. Zinaida
Grigorievna said:
"The most interesting part of it will be hidden of course."
"Yes, but we'll investigate."
It was a fresh, early morning. The road went through the wood. They
had now driven for a long time. It seemed as if the same meadows and
woods, copses, streams, and bridges repeated themselves again and
again. They began to ask the drivers:
"Are you sure you're going the right way?"
"Perhaps you've lost your way."
"I think it's in that direction."
The two towers of Trirodov's house soon became visible. They appeared
to the right, and yet it was impossible to find the way to them. For a
long time they blundered. The roads spread and branched out at this
point. At last the driver of the first carriage stopped his horses,
and behind it the other carriages came to a standstill.
"I'll have to ask some one," said the driver. "There's some sort of a
boy coming this way."
A ten-year-old, barefoot boy could be seen coming down the road from
the wood. Shabalov shouted savagely at him:
"Stop!"
The boy glanced at the carriages and calmly walked on. Shabalov cried
more furiously this time:
"Stop, you young brat! Off with your cap! Don't you see that gentlemen
are coming--why don't you bow to them?"
The boy paused. He looked in astonishment at the variety of carriages
and did not take his cap off. Doulebova decided:
"He's simply an idiot!"
"Well, we shall make him talk," said Kerbakh.
He left his carriage and, going up to the boy, asked him:
"Do you know where Trirodov's school is?"
The boy silently pointed to one of the roads with his hand. Then he
ran off quickly, and disappeared somewhere among the bushes.
At last the road went along a fence. Everything all around seemed
deserted and quiet. Evidently no one awaited the visitors or had
arranged to meet them.
Finally they reached the gates of the enclosure. They looked around.
It was very quiet. No one was visible anywhere. Shabalov jumped out of
his trap and began to look for the bell. Madame Doulebova said in
great irritation:
"What do you think of that?"
They tried to open the small gate by themselves but were unable.
Shabalov cried out:
"Open the gate! You devils, demons, sinners!"
Madame Doulebova tried to soothe Shabalov, who justified himself:
"Forgive me, Zinaida Grigorievna. It is most annoying. If I had come
myself I shouldn't have minded waiting, though even then it would have
been discourteous--being, after all, an official. And here the higher
authorities have announced their coming, and these people pay
absolutely no attention to it."
At last the small gate opened, suddenly and noiselessly. A boy,
sunburnt and barefoot, in a white shirt and short white breeches,
stood on the threshold. The angry Doulebov said in his thin, shrill
voice:
"Is this Trirodov's school?"
"Yes," said the boy.
The visitors entered and found themselves in a small glade. Three
barefoot girls slowly came to meet them. These were instructresses.
Nadezhda Vestchezerova looked with her large dark eyes at Madame
Doulebova, who whispered to the Vice-Governor:
"Have a look at her. This girl had a scandal in her life, but he's
taken her on."
Doulebova knew every one in town, and she knew especially well those
who have had an unpleasant experience of some sort.
Presently Trirodov appeared in a white summer suit. He looked with an
ironic smile at the gaily dressed party of visitors.
The visitors were met with courtesy; but the Headmaster was displeased
because no honour was shown them and no special preparations were
evident. The instructresses were dressed as simply as always. Doulebov
was especially displeased because both the instructresses and their
pupils walked about barefoot. The naοvetι of the children irritated
the visitors. The children looked at the party indifferently. Some of
them nodded a greeting, others did not.
"Take off your cap!" shouted Shabalov.
The boy pulled his cap off and reached it out to Shabalov with the
remark:
"Here!"
Shabalov growled savagely:
"Idiot!"
Then he turned away. The boy looked at him in astonishment.
Doulebov, and even more his wife, were terribly annoyed because they
had not put on more clothes for their visitors, not even shoes. The
Vice-Governor looked dully and savagely. Everything displeased him at
once. Doulebov asked with a frown:
"Surely they are not always like that?"
"Always, Vladimir Grigorievitch," replied Trirodov. "They have got
used to it."
"But it is indecent!" said Madame Doulebova.
"It is the one thing that is decent," retorted Trirodov.
CHAPTER XXXII
The windows of the house in the small glade were wide open. The
twitter of birds was audible and the fresh, delicious aroma of flowers
entered in. It was here the children gathered, and the miserable farce
of the examination began. Doulebov stood up before an ikon on one side
of the room, assumed a stately air, and exclaimed:
"Children, rise to prayer."
The children rose. Doulebov thrust a finger forward towards a
dark-eyed boy's breast and shouted:
"Read, boy!"
The thin, shrill outcry and the movement of the finger towards the
child's breast were so unexpected by the boy that he trembled and gave
a choking sound. Some one behind him laughed, another gave an amused
chuckle. Doulebova exchanged glances with Kerbakh and shrugged her
shoulders; her face expressed horror.
The boy quickly recovered himself and read the prayer.
"Sit down, children," ordered Doulebov.
The children resumed their places, while the elders seated themselves
at a table in the order of their rank--the Vice-Governor and Doulebov
in the middle, with the others to their right and left. Doulebova
looked round with an anxious, angry expression. At last she said in a
bass voice, extraordinarily coarse for a woman:
"Shut the windows. The birds are making a noise, and the wind too; it
is impossible to do anything."
Trirodov looked at her in astonishment. He said quietly to Nadezhda:
"Close the windows. Our guests can't stand fresh air."
The windows were shut. The children looked with melancholy tedium at
the depressing window-panes.
Writing exercises were given. A little tale was read aloud from a
reader brought by Shabalov. Doulebov asked the class to compose it in
their own words.
The boys and girls were about to pick up their pens, but Doulebov
stopped them and delivered a long and tedious dissertation on how to
write the given composition. Then he said:
"Now you can write it."
The children wrote. It was quiet. The writers handed in their papers
to their instructresses. Doulebov and Shabalov looked them over there
and then. They tried to find mistakes, but there were few. Then
dictation was given.
Doulebova looked morosely the whole while and blinked often. Trirodov
tried to enter into conversation with her, but the angry dame answered
so haughtily that it was with great difficulty he refrained from
smiling, and finally he left the malicious woman to herself.
After the written exercises Trirodov asked the uninvited guests to
luncheon.
"It was such a long journey here," said Doulebov as if he were
explaining why he did not refuse the invitation to eat.
The children scattered a short way into the wood, while the elders
went into a neighbouring house, where the luncheon was ready. The
conversation during luncheon was constrained and captious. The
Doulebovs tried all sorts of pinpricks and coarse insinuations; their
companions followed suit. Every one tried to outdo the other in saying
caustic, spiteful things.
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