The Schoolmaster

and went with it into his study. After taking off his outer garments and drinking some seltzer water, he settled himself comfortably on a couch and began reading the signatures in the lis

inary! Again! Again there is the signature of that

intances, relations and subordinates in the service, recalled his remote past but could recollect no name like Fedyukov. What was so strange was that this incognito, Fedyukov, had sig

lexity, as he paced about the study. "It's st

orter here!

eer! But I will f

porter as he entered, "that Fedyukov has

ur Exce

ed his name! So he must have b

n't, your E

signed his name w

n't t

in the hall. Try and remember, perhaps someo

rks have been, the baroness came to see her Excellency, the priest

le when he signed hi

no Fedyukov here. That I will swe

dicrous. A man has been signing his name here for thirteen years and you can't find out who

n examining Fedy

iting of the other signatures. It was next below the signature of Shtutchkin, the provincial secretary, a scar

e again!" said Navagin, going in to see his

ll phenomena in nature, comprehensible or incom

again: there is a great deal in the world that is supernatural, which our feeble intellect can never grasp. I am convinced t

se, non

l. All the evening he was imagining that the incognito Fedyukov was the spirit of some long-dead clerk, who had been discharged from the service by Navagin's ancestors

on, hair that stood up like a brush, and pewtery eyes; the clerk said something in a sepulchral vo

nd down and thinking. In the end he overcame his sceptical van

all up F

a sheet of cardboard and a saucer, made her husband

t keep them wai

u want?" as

answered t

re you o

ner. .

spered his wife, "and

icance. He was busy with the saucer for four hours, and fell asleep soothed and happy that he had become acquainted with a mysterious world that was new to him. After that he studied spiritualism e

ad books on spiritualism or devoted himself to the saucer, table-turning, and discussions of supernatural phenomena. At his instigation all his clerks took up spiritualism, too, and with such ardour

ething himself. For five months he sat composing, and in the end had written a huge monograph, entit

day the secretary who had made a fair copy of his article and the sacristan of the parish who had been sent for on business were in his study. Naya

to the sacristan, he said: "I have sent for you on business, my good man. I am putting my youngest so

said the sacristan, bowing. "V

me have it

ready! Will you send someone to the church tomorrow before evening servi

the general,

dyu

v?" asked Navagin, looking

so, Fe

signed your na

s, your Excellency, to grand gentlemen's houses I always sign my name. . . . I like doing it. . .

touched the curtain over the door, three times waved his hands like a jeune premier in a ballet

ticle at once, your Excell

ly at the secretary and the sacristan, remembered, and stamp

in peace, I tell you! What you

t of the study and reached the street w

t of me I don't understand. Lea-