Oblomov - Ivan Goncharov [246]
He looked at her, listened and tried to grasp the meaning of her words. He alone, it seems, came near to guessing Agafya Matveyevna’s secret, and the look of disdain, almost contempt he had cast at her when speaking to her was involuntarily replaced by one of interest and even sympathy. In the pawning of the pearls and silver he vaguely read the secret of her sacrifices, but he could not make up his mind whether they were made as a result of pure devotion or in expectation of blessings to come. He did not know whether he should feel glad or sad for Ilya. It was quite clear that he owed her nothing, and that this debt was some fraudulent trick of her brother’s, but a great deal more had been revealed…. What was the meaning of the pawning of the pearls and silver?
‘So you have no claim on Mr Oblomov, have you?’ he asked.
‘You’d better talk it over with my brother,’ she replied monotonously. ‘He ought to be at home by now.’
‘You say Mr Oblomov does not owe you anything?’
‘Not a penny, I swear it’s the truth!’ she declared solemnly, looking at the icon and crossing herself.
‘Are you ready to confirm it before witnesses?’
‘Yes, before anyone. I’d say it at confession! As for my pawning the pearls and silver, it was for my own expenses.’
‘Very good,’ Stolz interrupted her. ‘I’ll be coming back tomorrow with two friends of mine. You will not refuse to say the same thing in their presence, will you?’
‘I think you’d better have a talk to my brother,’ she repeated. ‘You see, I’m not dressed decently – I’m always in the kitchen. It wouldn’t be nice for strangers to see me: they’ll think ill of me.’
‘Don’t worry about that, and I shall see your brother tomorrow after you’ve signed a paper.’
‘I’m afraid I’m quite unused to writing now.’
‘You won’t have to write much. Just two lines.’
‘No, sir, I’d rather you spared me that. Why not let Vanya write? He writes beautifully.’
‘No, you mustn’t refuse,’ he insisted. ‘If you don’t sign the paper it will mean that Mr Oblomov owes you ten thousand.’
‘No, he doesn’t owe me a penny,’ she repeated. ‘I swear he doesn’t.’
‘In that case you must sign the paper. Good-bye till-morrow.’
‘To-morrow you’d better go and see my brother,’ she said, seeing him off. ‘He lives just there, at the corner, across the street.’
‘No, and I’d ask you to say nothing to your brother till I come, or it will be very unpleasant for Mr Oblomov.’
‘Then I won’t say anything to him,’ she said obediently.
7
ON the following day Agafya Matveyevna gave Stolz a written statement to the effect that she had no claim of any kind on Oblomov. With this statement Stolz suddenly appeared before her brother. That was a real bombshell for Ivan Matveyevich. He took out the IOU and pointed with the shaking finger of his right hand, which he held with the nail downwards, to Oblomov’s signature and the attached notary’s signature.
‘It’s the law, sir,’ he said. ‘I’ve nothing to do with it. I’m merely watching over my sister’s interests. I have no idea what money Mr Oblomov had borrowed from her.’
‘You have not heard the last of it!’ Stolz threatened him as he drove off.
‘It’s perfectly legal,’ Ivan Matveyevich pleaded, hiding his hands in his sleeves, ‘and I’ve nothing to do with it!’
As soon as he came to his office on the following day, a messenger arrived from the General, who wanted to see him at once.
‘The General?’ all the clerks in the office repeated in horror. ‘Whatever for? Does he want some document? Which one? Quick, quick! File the papers, draw up the schedules! What is it?’
In the evening Ivan Matveyevich came to the tavern greatly disconcerted. Tarantyev had been waiting for him there for hours.
‘Well, what is it, old man?’ he asked impatiently.
‘What is it?’ Ivan Matveyevich said monotonously. ‘What do you think?’
‘You were told off?’
‘Told off!’ Ivan Matveyevich mimicked him. ‘I wish I’d been given a beating! And you’re a nice one, too!