Go to the next station, not to the city--hire the post horses."
"Why? I'm going to see her off!" said Stepan.
"You mustn't. In case anything happens and they ask you whether
she slept in your house--'She did.' 'When did she go?' 'I saw her
off.' 'Aha! You did? Please come to prison!' Do you understand?
And no one ought to be in a hurry to get into prison; everybody's
turn will come. 'Even the Czar will die,' as the saying goes. But
the other way: she simply spent the night in your house, hired
horses, and went away. And what of it? Somebody passing through the
village sleeps with somebody in the village. There's nothing in that."
"Where did you learn to be afraid, Pyotr?" Tatyana scoffed.
"A man must know everything, friend!" Pyotr exclaimed, striking his
knee--"know how to fear, know how to be brave. You remember how a
policeman lashed Vaganov for that newspaper? Now you'll not persuade
Vaganov for any amount of money to take a book in his hand. Yes;
you believe me, mother, I'm a sharp fellow for every sort of a trick
--everybody knows it. I'm going to scatter these books and papers
for you in the best shape and form, as much as you please.
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