chapter 3

 Yegor came back and reported that inside of half an hour he would have to have the horses harnessed, ready to drive his master to town. He lighted his pipe and took several turns in the room. Then he came to a halt in front of Gerasim.

 

“Listen, my boy,” he said, “if you want, I’ll ask my master to take you as a servant here.”

 

“Does he need a man?”

 

“We have one, but he’s not much good. He’s getting old, and it’s very hard for him to do the work. It’s lucky for us that the neighbourhood isn’t a lively one and the police don’t make a fuss¹ about things being kept just so, else the old man couldn’t manage to keep the place clean enough for them.”

 

“Oh, if you can, then please do say a word for me, Yegor Danilych. I’ll pray for you all my life. I can’t stand being without work any longer.”

 

“All right, I’ll speak for you. Come again to-morrow, and in the meantime take this ten-kopek piece. It may come in handy.”

 

“Thanks, Yegor Danilych. Then you will try for me? Please do me the favour.”

 

“All right. I’ll try for you.”

 

Gerasim left, and Yegor harnessed up his horses. Then he put on his coachman’s habit, and drove up to the front door. Mr. Sharov stepped out of the house, seated himself in the sleigh, and the horses galloped² off. He attended to his business in town and returned home. Yegor, observing that his master was in a good humour, said to him:

 

“Yegor Fiodorych, I have a favour to ask of you.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“There’s a young man from my village here, a good boy. He’s without a job.”

 

“Well?”

 

“Wouldn’t you take him?”

 

“What do I want him for?”

 

“Use him as man of all work round the place.”

 

“How about Polikarpych?”

 

“What good is he? It’s about time you dismissed him.”

 

“That wouldn’t be fair. He has been with me so many years. I can’t let him go just so, without any cause.”

 

“Supposing he has worked for you for years. He didn’t work for nothing. He got paid for it. He’s certainly saved up a few dollars for his old age.”

 

“Saved up! How could he? From what? He’s not alone in the world. He has a wife to support, and she has to eat and drink also.”

 

“His wife earns money, too, at day’s work as charwoman.”

 

“A lot she could have made! Enough for kvas.”

 

“Why should you care about Polikarpych and his wife? To tell you the truth, he’s a very poor servant. Why should you throw your money away on him? He never shovels³ the snow away on time, or does anything right. And when it comes his turn to be night watchman, he slips away at least ten times a night. It’s too cold for him. You’ll see, some day, because of him, you will have trouble with the police. The quarterly⁴ inspector⁵ will descend⁶ on us, and it won’t be so agreeable⁷ for you to be responsible for Polikarpych.”

 

“Still, it’s pretty rough. He’s been with me fifteen years. And to treat him that way in his old age—it would be a sin.”

 

“A sin! Why, what harm would you be doing him? He won’t starve. He’ll go to the almshouse. It will be better for him, too, to be quiet in his old age.”

 

Sharov reflected.

 

“All right,” he said finally. “Bring your friend here. I’ll see what I can do.”

 

“Do take him, sir. I’m so sorry for him. He’s a good boy, and he’s been without work for such a long time. I know he’ll do his work well and serve you faithfully. On account of having to report for military duty, he lost his last position. If it hadn’t been for that, his master would never have let him go.”

1 fuss   

n.过分关心，过分体贴，大惊小怪，小题大作

参考例句：

• My mother makes a fuss of me every time I come home.我每次回家，母亲总对我体贴备至。
• Stop all this fuss and do your homework.别大惊小怪了，去做你的家庭作业吧。

2 galloped   

（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事

参考例句：

• Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。
• The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

3 shovels   

n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份

参考例句：

• workmen with picks and shovels 手拿镐铲的工人
• In the spring, we plunge shovels into the garden plot, turn under the dark compost. 春天，我们用铁锨翻开园子里黑油油的沃土。 来自辞典例句

4 quarterly   

adj.季度的；adv.季度地

参考例句：

• The quarterly magazine is a periodical published every three months.季刊是每3个月出版一次的期刊。
• The payments were made quarterly.按季度付酬。

5 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

6 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

7 agreeable   

adj.符合的，一致的，欣然同意的，令人愉快的

参考例句：

• He was quite agreeable to accepting the plan.他乐意接受这项计划。
• I enjoyed an agreeable holiday this summer.今年夏天我度过了一个愉快的假期。