The Little Demon - Fyodor Sologub (reading the story of the TXT) 📗

The lieutenant said for the sake of variety⁠—the boy in any case was a stranger:

“He’s a little frail⁠—he gets tired quickly.”

But the Headmaster seemed not to listen to him and he left the hall.

The outdoor air rather refreshed Khripatch. He returned in half an hour and again standing in the door looked on at the exercises. The boys were using various gymnastic appliances. Two or three idle students who did not notice the Headmaster were leaning against the wall, taking advantage of the fact that the lieutenant was not looking at them. Khripatch walked up to them.

“But Pilnikov,” he said, “why are you leaning against the wall?”

Sasha flushed violently, straightened himself and said nothing.

“If you get tired so quickly then perhaps the exercises are injurious to you,” said Khripatch sternly.

“It’s my fault, I’m not tired,” said Sasha timidly.

“You must choose between two things,” said Khripatch, “either not to attend the gymnastic exercises or⁠ ⁠… In any case come in and see me after the exercises.”

He went away hurriedly and left Sasha standing confused and frightened.

“You’re in for it,” said the other boys to him. “He’ll lecture you till evening.”

Khripatch loved to deliver lengthy reprimands and the students dreaded his invitations above everything.

After the exercises Sasha timidly went to the Headmaster. Khripatch received him promptly. He went close to Sasha, looked intently into his eyes and asked:

“Tell me, Pilnikov, do the gymnastic exercises really tire you? You look quite a healthy youngster but ‘appearances are deceptive.’ Are you sure you haven’t some illness? Perhaps it’s injurious for you to do these exercises.”

“No, Nikolai Vlasyevitch, I’m quite well,” answered Sasha, red with confusion.

“However,” said Khripatch, “Aleksey Alekseyevitch was complaining about your languidness and that you get tired soon. And I myself noticed today that you had a tired look. Or perhaps I was mistaken?”

Sasha did not know how to shield his eyes from Khripatch’s penetrating look. He muttered in a confused way:

“I’m very sorry⁠—I won’t do it again⁠—I was just a little lazy⁠—really I’m quite well. I will work hard at the exercises.”

Suddenly, quite unexpectedly to himself, he burst into tears.

“You see,” said Khripatch, “it’s obvious that you’re tired: you cry as if I had given you a severe scolding. Now, quiet yourself.”

He laid his hand on Sasha’s shoulder and said:

“I called you in not to lecture you but to make things clear.⁠ ⁠… Sit down, Pilnikov, I can see you’re tired.”

Sasha quickly dried his wet eyes with his handkerchief and said:

“I’m not a bit tired.”

“Sit down, sit down,” said Khripatch, not unkindly, and pushed a chair over to Sasha.

“Really I’m not tired, Nikolai Vlasyevitch,” Sasha assured him.

Khripatch took him by the shoulders and made him sit down, sat down himself opposite the boy and said:

“Let’s talk the matter over quietly, Pilnikov. You yourself cannot tell the actual condition of your health. You’re very good and conscientious in all respects. That is why I can understand your wanting to be relieved from the gymnastic exercises. By the way, I’ve asked Evgeny Ivanovitch to come here today as I don’t feel quite myself; he might incidentally look at you. I hope you have nothing against that?”

Khripatch looked at his watch and without waiting for an answer began to talk with Sasha as to how he had spent the summer.

Evgeny Ivanovitch Sourovtsev, the school physician, a little dark alert man, soon appeared; he delighted in conversations on politics and news generally. His knowledge was not great but he attended his patients conscientiously, and as he preferred diet and hygiene to medicines he was generally successful in his cases.

Sasha was asked to undress. Sourovtsev examined him attentively but found nothing wrong with him. As for Khripatch he was now convinced that Sasha was not a girl. Though he was convinced of this even before, still he considered it proper that in the event of any possible inquiries from the district, the school physician could certify to the facts without further investigation.

As Khripatch let Sasha go he said to him kindly:

“Now, we know that you’re well, and I will tell Aleksey Alekseyevitch that he’s not to let you off!”

Peredonov had no doubt that the discovery of a girl among the students would turn the attention of the authorities to himself, and that, aside from promotion, he would be given a decoration. This encouraged him to look vigilantly after the conduct of the students. As the weather for some days now had been bleak and cold, there were few people in the billiard-room, so there was nothing for him to do but to walk about town and visit students’ lodgings, and even those students who lived with their parents.

Peredonov chose the parents who were simple folk; he would come, he would complain about the boy, the boy would be whipped⁠—and Peredonov would be satisfied. In this way he first of all complained to Yosif Kramarenko’s father, who kept a brewery in the town⁠—he told him that Yosif misbehaved in church. The father believed him and punished his son. The same fate befell several others. Peredonov did not go to those who, he thought, would defend their sons⁠—they might complain to the authorities.

Every day he visited at least one student’s lodgings. He conducted himself then like an official, he reprimanded, gave orders and threatened. Still the students felt themselves more independent in their own lodgings than at school, and at times they were rebellious. Aside from this there was Flavitskaya, a tall, loud-voiced, energetic woman, who, acting on Peredonov’s suggestion, beat severely her young lodger, Vladimir Boultyakov.

On the following day Peredonov would relate his exploits to his class.

He did not name his victims but they usually gave themselves away by their embarrassment.

Rumours that Pilnikov was a disguised girl soon spread about the town. Among the first to hear of it were the Routilovs. The inquisitive Liudmilla always tried to see everything new with her own eyes. She had a burning curiosity about Pilnikov. Of course, she would have to see the masquerading