文档介绍：THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
THE FORGED
COUPON And Other
Stories
BY LEO TOLSTOY
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
PART FIRST
I
FEDOR MIHAILOVICH SMOKOVNIKOV, the president of the local
e Tax Department, a man of unswerving honesty--and proud of it,
too-- a gloomy Liberal, a free-thinker, and an enemy to every
manifestation of religious feeling, which he thought a relic of superstition,
came home from his office feeling very much annoyed. The Governor of
the province had sent him an extraordinarily stupid minute, almost
assuming that his dealings had been dishonest.
Fedor Mihailovich felt embittered, and wrote at once a sharp answer.
On his return home everything seemed to go contrary to his wishes.
It was five minutes to five, and he expected the dinner to be served at
once, but he was told it was not ready. He banged the door and went to
his study. Somebody knocked at the door. "Who the devil is that?" he
thought; and shouted,--"Who is there?"
The door opened and a boy of fifteen came in, the son of Fedor
Mihailovich, a pupil of the fifth class of the local school.
"What do you want?"
"It is the first of the month to-day, father."
"Well! You want your money?"
It had been arranged that the father should pay his son a monthly
allowance of three roubles as pocket money. Fedor Mihailovich frowned,
took out of his pocket-book a coupon of two roubles fifty kopeks which he
found among the bank-notes, and added to it fifty kopeks in silver out of
the loose change in his purse. The boy kept silent, and did not take the
money his father proffered him.
"Father, please give me some more in advance."
"What?"
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THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
"I would not ask for it, but I have borrowed a small sum from a friend,
and promised upon my word of honour to pay it off. My honour is dear to
me, and that is why I want another three roubles. I don't like asking you;
but, please, father, give me another three roubles."