Interrupted Stories

But since everything temporal has an end, an end came to this stagnation, and a very abrupt one at that. Once after dinner, Lev Stepanovich,

having consumed quite a bit of pickle soup with giblets, fatty turkey, and all sorts of rich and puff-pastry pies, and having wetted it all down with sour cabbage soup, moved into the drawing room to finish his dinner with a watermelon and drink some cherry cordial. Refreshed by the watermelon and warmed by the cordial, he went into his study in the best of moods to take a nap. But, as if on purpose, he caught Nastka in the hall, talking at the door of the anteroom with the musician and barber Mitka, who is already known to us. Lev Stepanovich was extremely jealous in everything that concerned the maids. Something seemed not quite right to him in the expression of Mitka's face. He shouted in a terrible voice and grabbed a stick that was standing in the corner. Mitka, a hothead like all artists, bolted to run. Stolygin after him, with the entire burden of turkey, giblets, sour cabbage soup, and watermelon; Mitka from him, he after him; Mitka up to the attic by a narrow staircase; Stolygin tried to follow, but saw that fate had not created him to be a sailor. At the master's shout, all the servants ran up. Crimson with anger, tripping over words and letters, the master ordered them to catch Mitka wherever he might be and put him in the stocks until he decided his fate; having given the order, he retired to his study, tired and out of breath.

This incident spread terror and restlessness in the house, in the servant quarters, in the kitchen, and in the stables.