Chapter 606: The ‘Cold’ Military Police Colonel

If there is no evidence, create evidence. Everything is for the country, and the country is for power. Let the lie become the truth and make the truth unworthy of mention.

——Artur Agaresovich Hestingoff, "The Novels of Hestingoff: Monologues of a Petersburg Gendarmerie in the Dark"

Mayor Bakarkin hurriedly pushed open the heavy oak door. What greeted him was not the greeting he expected, but a sharp scolding.

"Can't you just open the door slightly? This carpet has just been cleaned!"

The mayor's wife stood at the door of the living room, her hands on her waist, her face filled with unmistakable anger.

She was wearing an elegant house dress with a tight neckline that seemed to contain her anger.

Bakalkin stopped helplessly, slowly pulled back his half-taken gloves, and muttered: "Don't make any noise! ​​I just came back from the city hall. I have official duties today. I will change clothes and go out soon." …”

"Something important?!" Madam interrupted him, with a hint of mockery in her voice: "Someone is here to complain about that damn street that was half-renovated and then stopped?"

"No!" Bakalkin waved his hand impatiently: "This is a big event - the imperial envoy sent from Petersburg has arrived, and I have to rush to greet him!"

The lady was stunned for a moment, but her expression quickly changed from surprise to anger: "Welcome? Look at you like this, your shoes are full of mud. Your so-called 'welcome' is to let others see you in such a mess. What does it look like?”

Before she finished speaking, the madam's face full of anger suddenly froze again. Her brows furrowed tightly and her eyes rolled, as if she was pondering the weight of this sentence. The next second, the anger on her face turned into a rare anxiety and panic.

"Imperial minister?" She almost shouted, with uneasiness and shock in her tone: "Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me earlier! This is related to the reputation of the whole family!"

Before Bakkalkin had time to answer, the lady had already spun around the room like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, grabbing the hem of her skirt with both hands, and her voice rose an octave: "Varvara! Varvara! Come here quickly. ! And Peter! Bring me the best suit right now—no, not the old one, but the new one, and the gold-buttoned coat, right now!”

The servant Varvara hurried out of the kitchen with a confused look on her face: "Madam, which dress?"

"That's the one that was sent from Moscow last month and I haven't even had time to put it on yet! Oh my God, Peter, please hurry up and stop dragging your feet! And the shoes, he needs to be polished so that they can reflect the figure." Boots. God, why don’t you move quickly!”

Bakalkin looked at his coat a little helplessly. Although it was not dirty, it was indeed far from the "etiquette" expected by his wife. He waved his hands and tried to explain: "Didn't I just go home and change my clothes? I've already had my formal clothes ironed, and that dress..."

"The dress?" Madam suddenly raised her voice, "You mean the dress that was worn out during the New Year last year? Don't tell me, you pighead! You still want to wear that dress to see the imperial envoy!"

Servant Peter poked his head out of the storage room, holding a pile of messy clothes in his hands, obviously not knowing which item to look for. He asked timidly: "Madam, is it the patterned coat you mentioned, or..."

"Shut up! What I want is the black one with silver thread!" Madam almost screamed: "Do you want the imperial envoy to think that our family doesn't even have decent clothes? Go quickly!"

Bakalkin stood at the door and watched Madame roaring like a storm in the house, while Varvara and Peter hurriedly looked around for clothes and shoes. He looked down at his muddy shoes, raised his head again, and tried to interject: "Madam, actually the Imperial Envoy..."

"Shut up!" The lady turned around, pointed at his nose and shouted: "The only thing you have to do now is to stand there and don't move, don't stain the carpet! When you find the clothes, wash up immediately, and also clean up your hair. Keep your hair neatly combed. When the imperial envoy comes, seeing your slovenly appearance, the Bakalkin family will lose all face!"

She paused breathlessly for a while, and then shouted to Varvara: "Remember to match him with the black-striped tie, the Imperial Envoy is not a casual person!"

Varvara ran upstairs in response. The lady looked around while muttering, and suddenly remembered something: "Table! Peter, go clean the table quickly! By the way, replace the candlesticks in the living room with new ones, all of which were brought from Petersburg last time." Come back with the silver plate!"

Bakalkin listened to his wife's endless instructions, his head gradually lowered, as if he wanted to disappear on the floor. However, he obviously failed to do so, and the lady's eyes turned to him again.

This scene is like a canary being stared at by a falcon, except that the petite mayor's wife plays the role of the falcon, while the big and round Bakkarkin becomes the canary.

"That's right!" The mayor's wife suddenly raised her voice: "Alexei! Don't be stupid this time! When you see the imperial envoy, be sure to invite him home for dinner! Such a noble person comes to a small place like ours , it’s a blessing from God to be able to like you as a mayor! Please come home for dinner, understand?”

Bakalkin nodded subconsciously and whispered: "Madam, I know, that's what I originally planned, but -"

"No buts!" Madam interrupted mercilessly: "This kind of occasion is not only for your personal face, but also for the glory of our whole family! If the Imperial Envoy is willing to sit at our dining table, the whole of Druisk, No, it’s the entire Vitebsk officialdom. Your greedy bosses in the province will look at us differently, do you understand?”

Bakalkin let out a long sigh: "Then... I think so too, but the mountains have been snowed in for the past few days, and I can't get any high-end ingredients at home. I don't know if the dishes made by our own chef will suit his taste." ”

"Food? Do you still worry about food?"

The lady rolled her eyes: "Hurry up and send someone with the cook to the market to search door to door. Even if you turn the market upside down, you still have to get a table of the freshest ingredients. By the way, there are also the ones I brought back from Moscow last year. That's when "The Noble Cookbook" comes in handy. I bought that book before, but you still glared at me and blamed me. Spending money indiscriminately, but you don’t know, I bought it just to be useful in times like this! You can just have fun marrying a virtuous wife like me. I will be so angry when I see you. Come on, put on that ragged coat. From a distance, it looks like a brown bear in the mountains. If you leave me for three days, you will definitely go back to the cave to live..."

Bakalkin was upset by his wife's constant scolding. After all, he was also a prominent figure in Druisk. Even if his wife's family was a wealthy family in the provincial capital, he could not allow her to bully him like this.

Bakalkin raised his eyebrows: "Anna! Don't go too far!"

The mayor's wife stared with almond-shaped eyes: "What's wrong?"

Bakalkin was so frightened by the Madam's sight that he lost half of his life. He leaned back and said, "How can we entertain the imperial envoy with only food and no wine? You have to send a few people to the Merchant Department." Erqiujin, ask him to take out the good wine from the bottom of the box. I remember he has a few unopened bottles of Bordeaux."

"Finally you've grown a little bit."

The mayor's wife began to pace as she spoke, obviously having every detail of a feast in her mind.

Suddenly, she stopped abruptly and turned back to stare at Bakarkin, who was changing shoes and clothes under the service of a servant, with deep curiosity in her eyes.

"Alexey, what's the name of that imperial envoy? How old is he? What does he look like? How tall? Is he a very dignified man? And, is he a colonel? Don't say you don't even know this! "

Bakalkin was stunned by this barrage of questions. He quickly scratched his head and replied cautiously: "Madam, his surname is Hestingov, and his full name is... er, Artur Agaray. Sauvage Hestingov, it is said He is an official of the Third Bureau, a genuine cavalry colonel, and a sixth-grade army counselor. As for his appearance... I remember Zakharov said that he was not short, with a well-proportioned figure, and his face... was a bit bookish, which is probably what he felt like. Bar."

The lady frowned, obviously dissatisfied with the evaluation of "bookish": "Bookish? Are you sure? The Imperial Envoy is not a university professor! Oh, my God, if he looks thin and boring, how can I please him? ? We must entertain him well and leave the deepest impression on him, so that he can praise you like a saint when he returns to St. Petersburg."

As she spoke, she turned to Varvara and shouted: "Remember to put the best porcelain on the dining table, the set with gold edges! Also, the curtains must be ironed again!"

The corners of Bakalkin's mouth twitched. When he thought of Zakharov's previous words, he couldn't help but murmured in a low voice: "Madam, I hope he doesn't remember me too deeply, so that I can sleep more peacefully..."

The lady immediately glared at him and said coldly: "Stop talking nonsense, Alexei! You're a loser. This opportunity is rare. Just follow my instructions and don't screw it up!"

A sound of brisk footsteps came from upstairs, and the mayor's daughter Marina came down dragging her skirt. She was arranging her fluffy curly hair while going downstairs. She had obviously just woken up.

"Mom, I heard from Varvara that the imperial envoy will be entertained at home, right?"

The mayor's wife immediately turned around, and a loving smile instantly appeared on her originally slightly sulky face: "That's right, Marina, you have to take the time to prepare well and pick the most appropriate clothes to meet the guests."

Malina's eyes lit up and she asked slightly excitedly: "Can I wear that blue silk skirt? It's the one I brought back from Moscow last year. I think it's particularly suitable for such an occasion!"

Upon hearing this, the lady's smile suddenly froze slightly. The blue silk dress was indeed dazzling, but it was what she planned to wear herself, in order to show her elegance as the First Lady of Druisk in front of the Imperial Envoy.

She rolled her eyes and immediately changed to a gentle and persuasive tone: "Oh, Marina, of course that dress is very beautiful, but you know, the blue color is too cold and does not match your age. . The imperial envoy is the emperor’s special envoy. What he pays most attention to is the first impression. Wouldn’t it look better if you wore that bright yellow skirt? It perfectly matches your temperament!

"But I don't like yellow, that skirt is too plain!" Marina frowned, obviously not wanting to compromise easily.

"Oh, you kid, you don't know how to pay attention to social situations!" Madam smiled and put her arms around Marlena's shoulders, but there was a hint of toughness in her tone: "Listen to mom, only yellow can bring out your fair skin. Looks well-educated. Blue is too picky. If you don’t wear it well, it will look tacky. How can you make a good impression on the imperial envoy?”

"But -" Marina still wanted to argue, but the lady didn't give her a chance and continued: "Be obedient, mom is doing this for your own good! Besides, the waistline of the blue silk skirt is too high, not suitable for you. A yellow skirt is perfect for a petite figure!”

Marlena hesitated, looked down at her fingers, and mumbled, "Okay... but I really like the blue one."

The mayor's wife immediately smiled with satisfaction and clapped her hand quickly: "Mom knows you are obedient! Varvara, iron that yellow skirt quickly and send it to the lady!"

The fight between mother and daughter had just subsided, but Bakalkin, who was standing aside, was already impatient.

He took the sword from the servant's hand, put on his calfskin riding boots and was about to go out: "If there's anything else, we'll talk about it later. The Baojias from all the villages below should be here by now, and I have to lead them to see the Imperial Envoy."

"Go quickly! Remember to be careful what you say. If the Imperial Envoy needs anything, send someone back to inform me as soon as possible."

Bakalkin ran out as if fleeing, shouting the name of the groom: "Alsip! Where is my new custom-made carriage? Pull it out quickly! This carriage is the face of the whole Druisk, sir, I can You must not let the imperial envoy look down on you!"

The groom Alsip was busy feeding the horses water. When he heard the mayor's call, he immediately responded and hurriedly put down the tools in his hands and ran to the garage.

Bakalkin was so anxious that he followed quickly.

"Hurry up, Alsip, don't wait any longer! The imperial envoy waits for no one!"

Bakalkin urged, his brows furrowed, obviously losing his temper in anxiety.

Not long after, the groom rushed out driving a surprisingly large four-wheeled carriage. Alsip waved his whip and said in a showy way: "Don't worry, sir. Look at this beautiful and magnificent new carriage. It's just made of iron." The ingredients only cost fifteen poods, and even the Orthodox would be stunned to see this car, and even the Germans would be pissed off.”

Bakalkin jumped forward eagerly, but because of his belly, he couldn't climb up immediately. Every time I tried to lift my legs, my stomach would be pressed tightly and my movements would become more and more clumsy.

Seeing how hard it was for the master to climb, the groom immediately jumped out of the car and asked, "Shall I get you a stool?"

"No need!"

Bakalkin panted, with an impatient look on his face. He held on to the car while trying to get himself into the car.

With a slight creaking sound, he finally climbed into the carriage with difficulty and fell down on the seat, panting.

Alsip was still busy swinging his riding crop beside him, muttering in a low voice: "You are so old, you are really——"

"Shut up! Don't talk too much!" Bakalkin shouted angrily, interrupting the groom's gossip, "Your words are getting more and more unpleasant!"

He was furious, but when he saw the imperial envoy coming, he suppressed his anger and forcibly adjusted his sitting posture.

"Drive quickly! Don't wait!" Bakalkin shouted urgently in the car, holding on to the frame of the car with both hands, as if he was ready to fall off the seat at any time.

Alsip paused for a moment, looked at Bakalkin's condition, and obviously did not dare to say anything more. He responded in a low voice: "Yes, sir, let's go right away!"

…

However, when the mayor rushed to the inn in a hurry.

There was already someone on the other side of the Imperial Envoy who made him fearful and frightened.

The police chief, Mr. Ivan Mikhailovich Skolnikov, who despite all the efforts of the city officials could not be found, was standing respectfully beside Arthur.

After his cheap father-in-law, retired eighth-grade civil servant, and old country squire Grigory Nikiforovich Zakharov concluded that Arthur was the imperial envoy, he actually did not rush to the city hall immediately. , but strolled all the way to the police station, grabbing the hungover son-in-law by his ears to wake him up.

As for what he said to his son-in-law, it was naturally as high-spirited as in the city hall, and even more serious and urgent.

After many years of ups and downs in the officialdom, the old country squire knew the importance of arriving early and sending warmth.

He was able to become an eighth-grade civil servant and help his son-in-law get the position of Druisk Police Chief. Isn't it because he had a close relationship with an old friend who is now the secretary to the Vitebsk Police Chief when he was serving in the Caucasus? Friendship?

On the one hand, the old squire went to the city hall to drag down the gang of thugs whom he looked down upon. On the other hand, he sent his son-in-law to go home quickly to freshen up and get rid of the alcohol smell, and change into the most iconic clothes to meet Hestinger. Husband colonel.

"Colonel Hestingov, you have worked hard on your journey." The police chief said in an almost flattering tone, with a bit of humility and respect in his brows, as if he had forgotten that he was the police chief, and now he , more like those small traders who usually flatter him: "The environment of our small hotel in Druisk is simple, but if there is any inconvenience, just let us know and I will try my best to make arrangements for you."

Arthur did not respond immediately, but after a moment of silence he whispered: "Inconvenience? What's the inconvenience! I've been living here for five days."

When the police chief heard this, a layer of sweat immediately fell from his body, and a layer of sweat beads quickly appeared on his forehead.

"You...Colonel, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you had lived here for so long..."

He paused, as if searching for words that could save the situation: "I thought you had just arrived. After all, our conditions here are really limited. If there is anything wrong, just give us your instructions and I will make arrangements immediately."

Arthur slowly raised his head and raised the corners of his mouth slightly: "Isn't it appropriate?"

His words seemed to be colder than the north wind on a snowy day: "Although this place is simple, it is quiet, but I am a little curious. As the police chief, you don't even know that I have lived here for a long time? Is it me? The travel document didn’t clearly state my name, or do you not recognize the words travel destination St. Petersburg and professional state civil servant?”

The police chief's face instantly turned paler, and he suddenly remembered his father-in-law's warning to him - Lord Hestingoff was not easy to deal with.

The police chief smiled reluctantly and said, "Colonel, Druisk is not big, but there are still many things to deal with, and my attention has been distracted a little. You know, there are many responsibilities in the local area, and occasionally negligence is inevitable."

"You are indeed busy with a lot of things, Mr. Director." Arthur turned to the shopkeeper and shouted: "I heard that your smoked salmon is harmful to liberal ideas? Handcuff them one by one. I will definitely do it today. Find out who is the leader among them!"

The shopkeeper was obviously frightened by these words. His eyes widened with a bitter look on his face, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Others in the store also stopped what they were doing, and there was a tense atmosphere in the air.

The police chief stood there at a loss, not even knowing where to put his hands.

"Look, Mr. Director." Arthur turned around slowly, his tone still a little cold: "I didn't ask to interrogate you, but looking at your expression, it seems that you are hiding something. Speaking of which, you seem to be a little bit a bit confused today. Not quite sober, looking drunk. Did you encounter any 'problems' during the 'investigation'?"

"Colonel..." Skolnikov swallowed, his voice trembling a little: "I... I was really trapped by work, last night... last night..."

Arthur raised his eyebrows slightly and interrupted: "Last night, you drank too much and you don't remember what you did, do you?"

The director's face froze. He obviously didn't expect Arthur to point out the problem so directly.

At this time, he was completely in trouble, and no explanation seemed to be weak.

At this moment, Arthur's cold eyes fell on him again.

"However, since you are so 'busy', I don't want to embarrass you anymore." Arthur suddenly changed his tone and showed a faint smile: "I just want to know, what can the police chief of Druisk do? What kind of help can you provide? For example, can you ensure order here? If I want to investigate the situation in some places, will you do anything behind my back? "

Skolnikov felt that Arthur's eyes were like a needle piercing his heart. As a person who has been in officialdom for many years, he knew that the imperial minister in front of him meant much more than the literal meaning.

He forced himself to calm down and tried his best to put on a respectful posture: "Colonel, you can rest assured that I, Skolnikov, will fully cooperate with your work. The order in Druisk, I assure you, will not There will be no problems.”

"very good!"

Arthur slapped the police chief on the shoulder. It was obviously not very strong, but it made the tall and thick man shake.

Arthur smiled and turned to the table next to him: "Then, I will believe you for the time being."

He turned to the shopkeeper and said: "You'd better provide some other 'useful' information here. For example, is there any place nearby where a military police colonel can enjoy his addiction to 'interrogation' and 'inspection'?"

The shop owner did not dare to hesitate, and immediately lowered his head and whispered: "Colonel, there are several shops nearby that are worth visiting. If you want to relax, I can guide you. As for the liberal smoked salmon..."

He paused and his eyes flickered. In front of the police chief, he did not dare to make it clear: "That's just a small feature of ours. There is no other intention."

Arthur chuckled lightly, as if he didn't mind these little episodes, and looked at Skolnikov: "Look, Mr. Director, even the shop owner knows how to express himself 'correctly'. What can you provide me?" What about ‘features’?”

When the police chief heard this, he finally understood.

His thumping heart finally slowed down, and he just wanted to slap himself. He had misunderstood Colonel Hestingov's meaning from the beginning.

He also thought that the colonel was a ruthless and ruthless character.

Unexpectedly...

The colonel is actually quite easy to get along with!