Pagina 333 di 1294

It would all come to the same thing--he'd spend it on drink, so

the thing had better be with me. The further you hide it the

quicker you will find it, and if anything turns up, if I hear any

rumours, I'll take it to the police.' Of course, that's all

taradiddle; he lies like a horse, for I know this Dushkin, he is

a pawnbroker and a receiver of stolen goods, and he did not cheat

Nikolay out of a thirty-rouble trinket in order to give it to the

police. He was simply afraid. But no matter, to return to

Dushkin's story. 'I've known this peasant, Nikolay Dementyev,

from a child; he comes from the same province and district of

Zaraisk, we are both Ryazan men. And though Nikolay is not a

drunkard, he drinks, and I knew he had a job in that house,

painting work with Dmitri, who comes from the same village, too.

As soon as he got the rouble he changed it, had a couple of

glasses, took his change and went out. But I did not see Dmitri

with him then.