achameleon

anonchekhov

hepolicesuperinendenochumyeloviswalkingacrosshemarkesquarewearinganewovercoaandcarryingaparcelunderhisarmaredhairedpolicemansridesaferhimwihasievefullofconfiscaedgooseberriesinhishandshereissilenceallaroundnoasoulinhesquareheopendoorsofheshopsandavernslookouupongod’sworlddisconsoely,likehungrymouhs;hereisnoevenabeggarnearhem

“soyoubie,youdamnedbrue？”ochumyelovhearssuddenly“ds,don’lehimgo！biingisprohibiednowadays！holdhim！ahah！”

hereishesoundofadogyelpingochumyelovlooksinhedirecionofhesoundandseesadog,hoppingonhreelegsandlookingabouher,runouofpichugin’simberyardamaninasarchedcoonshir,wihhiswaiscoaunbuoned,ischasingherherunsaferher,andhrowinghisbodyforwardfallsdownandseizeshedogbyherhindlegsoncemorehereisayelpingandashouof“don’lego！”sleepycounenancesareprorudedfromheshops,andsoonacrowd,whichseemsohavesprungouofheearh,isgaheredroundheimberyard

“ilookslikearow,yourhonour”sayshepoliceman

ochumyelovmakesahalfurnohelefandsridesowardshecrowdheseesheaforemenionedmaninheunbuonedwaiscoasandingclosebyhegaeofheimberyard,holdinghisrighhandinheairanddispyingableedingfingerohecrowdonhishalfdrunkenfacehereispinlywrien:“i’llpayyouou,yourogue！”andindeedheveryfingerhashelookofafgofvicoryinhismanochumyelovrecogniseshryukin,hegoldsmihheculpriwhohascausedhesensaion,awhieborzoypuppywihasharpmuzzleandayellowpachonherback,issiingonhegroundwihherforepawsousrechedinhemiddleofhecrowd,remblingalloverhereisanexpressionofmiseryanderrorinherearfuleyes

“wha’siallabou？”ochumyelovinquires,pushinghiswayhroughhecrowd“whaareyouherefor？whyareyouwavingyourfinger？whowasishoued？”

“iwaswalkingalonghere,noinerferingwihanyone,yourhonour,”hryukinbegins,coughinginohisfis“iwasalkingaboufirewoodomirymirich,whenhislowbruefornorhymeorreasonbimyfingeryoumusexcuseme,iamaworkingmanmineisfineworkimushavedamages,forishan’beableousehisfingerforaweek,maybei’snoevenhew,yourhonour,haoneshouldpuupwihifromabeasifeveryoneisgoingobebien,lifewon’beworhliving”

“h’mverygood,”saysochumyelovsernly,coughingandraisinghiseyebrows“verygoodwhosedogisi？iwon’lehispass！i’lleachhemoleheirdogsrunalloverhepce！i’simehesegenrywerelookedafer,ifheywon’obeyhereguions！whenhe’sfined,hebckguard,i’lleachhimwhaimeansokeepdogsandsuchsraycale！i’llgivehimalesson！yeldyrin,”crieshesuperinenden,addressinghepoliceman,“findouwhosedoghisisanddrawuparepor！andhedogmusbesrangledwihoudey！i’ssureobemadwhosedogisi,iask？”

“ifancyi’sgeneralzhigalov’s,”sayssomeoneinhecrowd

“generalzhigalov’s,h’mhelpmeoffwihmycoa,yeldyrini’sfrighfullyho！imusbeasignofrainhere’sohingican’makeou,howicameobieyou？”ochumyelovurnsohryukin,“surelyicouldn’reachyourfingeri’saliledog,andyouareagreahulkingfellow！youmushavescrachedyourfingerwihanail,andhenheideasruckyouogedamagesforiweallknowyoursor！iknowyoudevils！”

“hepuacigareeinherface,yourhonour,forajoke,andshehadhesenseosnapahimheisanonsensicalfellow,yourhonour！”

“ha’salie,squineye！youdidn’see,sowhyellliesaboui？hishonourisawisegenleman,andwillseewhoisellingliesandwhoisellingheruh,asingod’ssighandifiamlyinglehecourdecidei’swrieninhewweareallequalnowadaysmyownbroherisinhegendarmeslemeellyou”

“don’argue！”

“no,ha’snohegeneral’sdog,”sayshepoliceman,wihprofoundconvicion,“hegeneralhasn’goonelikehahisaremoslyseers”

“doyouknowhaforafac？”

“yes,yourhonour”

“iknowi,oohegeneralhasvaluabledogs,horoughbred,andhisisgoodnessknowswha！nocoa,noshapealowcreaureandokeepadoglikeha！where’shesenseofiifadoglikehawereournupinpeersburgormoscow,doyouknowwhawouldhappen？heywouldnoworryabouhew,heywouldsrangleiinawinkling！you’vebeeninjured,hryukin,andwecan’lehemaerdropwemusgivehemalesson！iishighime！”