‘What’s the meaning of this?’ I
asked with involuntary astonishment.
’This? This is my company, my army—all
beggars, God’s people, friends of my heart.
Every one of them, thanks to you, has had a glass;
and now we are all rejoicing and making merry! ...
Uncle! Do you know it’s only with beggars,
God’s people, that one can live in the world
... by God, it is!’
I made him no answer ... but at that moment he struck
me as such a kind good creature, his face expressed
such childlike simple-heartedness.... A light
seemed suddenly as it were to dawn upon me, and I
felt a pang in my heart.... ‘Get into the
carriage,’ I said to him. He was taken
aback....
‘What? Into the carriage?’
‘Yes, get in, get in,’ I repeated; ’I
want to make you a suggestion. Sit down....
Come along with me.’
‘Well, as you will.’ He sat down.
’Well, and you, my honoured friends, my dear
comrades,’ he added, addressing the beggars,
’fare-well, till we meet again.’
Misha took off his high cap, and bowed low. The
beggars all seemed overawed.... I told the coachman
to whip up the horses, and the carriage rolled off.
The suggestion I wanted to make Misha was this:
the idea suddenly occurred to me to take him with
me to my home in the country, about five-and-twenty
miles from that station, to rescue him, or at least
to make an effort to rescue him. ‘Listen,
Misha,’ I said; ’will you come along and
live with me? ... You shall have everything provided
you; you shall have clothes and linen made you; you
shall be properly fitted out, and you shall have money
to spend on tobacco, and so on, only on one condition,
that you give up drink.... Do you agree?’
Misha was positively aghast with delight; he opened
his eyes wide, flushed crimson, and suddenly falling
on my shoulder, began kissing me, and repeating in
a broken voice, ’Uncle ... benefactor ...
God reward you.’ ... He burst into tears
at last, and taking off his cap fell to wiping his
eyes, his nose, his lips with it.
‘Mind,’ I observed; ‘remember the
condition, not to touch strong drink.’
‘Damnation to it!’ he cried, with a wave
of both arms, and with this impetuous movement, I
was more than ever conscious of the strong smell of
spirits with which he seemed always saturated....
’Uncle, if you knew what my life has been....
If it hadn’t been for sorrow, a cruel fate....
But now I swear, I swear, I will mend my ways, I will
show you.... Uncle, I’ve never told a lie—you
can ask whom you like.... I’m honest, but
I’m an unlucky fellow, uncle; I’ve known
no kindness from any one....’
Here he broke down finally into sobs. I tried
to soothe him, and succeeded so far that when we reached
home Misha had long been lost in a heavy sleep, with
his head on my knees.
