Page:Diamonds To Sit On.pdf/87

 ALPHABET OF ‘ THE MIRROR OF LIFE ’ 75

Korobeynikov scarcely had time to realize he had left the front door open when he heard a voice in the haU. ‘ May I come in ? ’ Korobeynikov went out into the hall, felt some one’s coat, tugged at it, and pulled the person into his dining-room. ‘ Pray, excuse me,’ said Father Theodore. After a series of hints and suggestions which lasted about ten minutes, Korobeynikov understood that he was supposed to have some information about Vorobianinov’s furniture and that Father Theodore was willing to pay for this information. Also, to Koro­ beynikov’s amazement, it turned out that Father Theodore was the brother of the former marshal of nobility, that he was ardently longing to preserve his brother’s memory and to find his brother’s walnut suite. The warmest memories of his youth were associated with this furniture. Korobeynikov asked for a hundred roubles. The visitor valued his brother’s memory at a lower figure and said he was only willing to pay thirty. In the end they agreed to fifty roubles. ‘ I must ask for the money to be paid in advance,’ said the archivist. ‘ That is my customary practice.’ ‘ Certainly. Certainly,’ replied Father Theodore. ‘ Will it be all right if I pay you in gold ? ’ He was in such a hurry to get the money out of his pocket that he tore the fining. He shook five yellow coins out of a little bundle, added two and a half roubles in silver to it, and pushed the pile of money over the table towards the archivist. Korobeynikov counted the money twice, shovelled it into his hand, asked his visitor to wait a minute, and then went to fetch the orders. He did not waste any time in his private office. He went straight to ‘ The Mirror of Life ’, opened it at the letter P, found the necessary number, took out the packet referring to the furniture belonging to General Popov’s wife, took out an order given to Comrade Bruns, Number