The Precipice Part 14

"And be hurled out into the street again."

"There you are wrong. It is possible that I might be refused entrance, but once in, I remain."

"A siege, a row at night...."

"Ah, you are afraid of the police," laughed Mark. "You are thinking of what the Governor would decide on in such a serious case, what Niel Andreevich would say, how the company would take it. Now good-bye, I will go and storm my entrance alone."

"Wait, I have another, more delightful plan," said Raisky. "My Aunt cannot, you say, bear to hear your name; only the other day she declared she would in no circ.u.mstances give you hospitality."

"Well, what then?"

"Come home with me to supper, and stay the night with me."

"That's not a bad plan. Let us go."

They walked in silence, almost feeling their way through the darkness.

When they came to the fence of the Malinovka estate, which bounded the vegetable garden, Raisky proposed to climb it.

"It would be better," said Mark, "to go by way of the orchard or from the precipice. Here we shall wake the house and must make a circuit in addition. I always go the other way."

"You--come--here--into the garden? What to do?"

"To get apples."

"You have my permission, so long as Tatiana Markovna does not catch you."

"I shan't be caught so easily. Look, someone has just leaped over the fence, like us. Hi! Stop! Don't try to hide. Who's there? Halt! Raisky, come and help me!"

He ran forward a few paces, and seized someone.

Raisky hurried to the point from which voices were audible, remarking, "What cat's eyes you have!" The man who was held fast by Mark's strong arms twisted round to free himself, and in the end fell to the ground and made for the fence.

"Catch him, hold fast! There is another sneaking round in the vegetable garden," cried Raisky.

Raisky saw dimly a figure about to spring down from the fence, and demanded who it was.

"Sir, let me go, do not ruin me!" whispered a woman's voice.

"Is it you, Marina, what are you doing here?

"Gently, Sir. Don't call me by name. Savili will hear, and will beat me."

"Off with you! No, stop. I have found you at the right moment. Can you bring some supper to my room?"

"Anything, Sir. Only, for G.o.d's sake, don't betray me."

"I won't betray you. Tell me what there is in the kitchen."

"The whole supper is there. As you did not come, no one ate anything.

There is sturgeon in jelly, turkey, all on ice."

"Bring it, and what about wine?"

"There is a bottle in the sideboard, and the fruit liqueurs are in Marfa Va.s.silievna's room."

"Be careful not to wake her."

"She sleeps soundly. Let me go now, Sir, for my husband may hear us."

"Run, but take care you don't run into him."

"He dare not do anything if he does meet me now. I shall tell him that you have given me orders...."

Meanwhile, Mark had dragged his man from hiding. "Savili Ilivich," the unknown murmured, "don't strike me."

"I ought to know the voice," said Raisky.

"Ah! You are not Savili Ilivich, thank G.o.d. I Sir, I am the gardener from over there."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came on a real errand, Sir. Our clock has stopped, and I came here to wait for the church-clock to strike."

"Devil take you," cried Mark, and gave the man a push that sent him reeling.

The man sprang over the ditch, and vanished in the darkness.

Raisky, meantime, returned to the main entrance. He tried to open the door, not wis.h.i.+ng to knock for fear of awaking his aunt. "Marina," he called in a low voice, "Marina, open!"

The bolt was pushed back. Raisky pushed open the door with his foot.

Before him stood--he recognised the voice--Savili, who flung himself upon him and held him.

"Wait, my little dove, I will make my reckoning with you, not with Marina."

"Take your hands off, Savili, it is I."

"Who, not the Master?" exclaimed Savili, loosening his prisoner. "You were so good as to call Marina? But," after a pause, "have you not seen her."

"I had already asked her to leave some supper for me and to open the door," he said untruthfully, by way of protecting the unfaithful wife.

"She had already heard that I am here. Now let my guest pa.s.s, shut the door, and go to bed."

"Yes, Sir," said Savili, and went slowly to his quarters, meeting Marina on the way.

"Why aren't you in bed, you demon?" she cried, das.h.i.+ng past him. "You sneak around at night, you might be twisting the manes of the horses like a goblin, and put me to shame before the gentry."

Marina sped past light-footed as a sylph, skilfully balancing dishes and plates in her hands, and vanished into the dark night. Savili's answer was a threatening gesture with his whip.

Mark was indeed hungry, and as Raisky showed no hesitation either, the sturgeon soon disappeared, and when Marina came to clear away there was not much to take.