Tarelkin didn’t get a penny from his boss Varravin - not only for the Murom case, but also for many subsequent cases. However, he continued to live in a big way.
And now his situation is no longer disastrous, but catastrophic. Countless lenders charge by the throat. He can not escape the dismissal from service and debt prison.
And this is at a time when he can take a huge jackpot from Varravin! He has in his hands "all of Varravinsky intimate correspondence," that is, papers exposing Varravin to bribery and other official crimes, Tarelkin stole from the head.
But after all, Varravin, whom Tarelkin had already hinted about the papers, would erase him into powder. In any case, it will help creditors immediately put him in the Siberian branch. How to be? And here's how - to imitate your own death! You can't take dead money. But with Varravin, Tarelkin "money is sweet, ruble by ruble, jackpot will pull", will wait a year or two, and then, "placed in a safe place", he will begin to evil and defiantly blackmail His Excellency!
In addition, the case for "death" is the most suitable. Tarelkin has just - from the cemetery. He “buried the bones” of his flatmate, an outlaw adviser to the Force Silich Kopylov. And he, darling, as prescribed in his form (passport), “is single. There are no relatives, no children; has no family. ” Therefore, no one will worry about him, even creditors - there are no debts either! And his formulary - here he is! Tarelkin! Other documents and little things of the late Silycha Force are here in the apartment. Fine! Tarelkin will now be "deceased", and Kopylov will be "alive"!
Tarelkin is made up under Kopylov, a sixty-year-old man. Dressed in his clothes. Parting with his wig, which he wore constantly, hiding bald patches. Takes out false teeth, humps. Glues the whiskers ... Neither give nor take - Kopylov!
Yes, but now we need to bury Tarelkin - "arrange an official undoubted death." For this, the police have already been notified of his death. Colleagues are invited to the apartment of the deceased. There is a deceased. In a coffin in the middle of a mournfully darkened room lies a cotton doll in Tarelkin’s uniform. So that they didn’t come close to her and didn’t particularly look at her, Tarelkin orders the maidservant of Mavrushe to buy rotten fish and put it in the coffin, and when colleagues come to vote and lament: therefore, they say, Tarelkin smelled so long that there was no money to bury. Let them, scoundrels, bury a friend at their own expense!
The apartment, filled with an unbearable stink, are officials led by Varravin. Mavrusha plays the show perfectly. The stench also plays a role, prompting colleagues to give Mavrushe money for the funeral as soon as possible and get out of the storied apartment. Everyone leaves her in relief.
Only Varravin is terribly concerned: Mavrusha (at the instigation of Tarelkin) let him know that the deceased was hiding some secret papers, but where? God knows him, the police will come to describe the property - he will search. For Varravin, this is death! He must find these papers before they fall into the hands of the authorities. And so he again returns to Tarelkin’s apartment.
Varravin threateningly orders Mavrushe to show these papers of the deceased. But he, of course, cannot find his letters among them. They are behind Tarelkin’s bosom, which, laughing, is hiding here, in the apartment, on the Kopylov’s half, separated by a screen.
Finally, the police, the quarterly warden Rasplyuy, are also declared. Yes, the same Rasplyuyev, a fraudster and a cheater! Now he is in office. Varravin immediately notices all the properties of the quarterly overseer - and stupid helpfulness, and stupidity, and aggressiveness. They are on his hand. He orders Rasplyuev to “question” Mavrush for some missing papers of the deceased. Rasplyuev “interrogates” the maid by poking her nose with her fist. But there is no result.
Varravine in despair. For Tarelkin, on the contrary, everything is going well. He is already openly walking around the apartment under the guise of Kopylov. Already carry and the coffin with his "body". And Tarelkin even makes a memorial speech on the "deceased" in the presence of Varravin and other officials. The gloomy comic extravaganza is in full swing!
Tarelkin is packing his bags - he will travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow and there he will wait in the wings. Rasplyuyev catches him at the camp and returns to his apartment from the funeral. Creditors are also crowded here, eager to borrow the debtor. Tarelkin with pleasure delivers them - the debtor rested, and the property is described!
But here's another lender - some kind of captain Polutatarinov ... Strange! - Tarelkin didn’t have such a creditor ... And what is he, a scoundrel, weaving ?! He allegedly lent the deceased a gold watch. And now he needs to look for them - everywhere! even in the papers ... Tarelkin still does not realize that the creditor is his cunning boss, dressed in a worn military overcoat, glued a thick mustache, pulled on a wig and green glasses.
However, Varravin will not recognize Tarelkin. Talking his teeth to Rasplyuyev and assuring the imaginary Kopylov that the deceased was a notorious scoundrel and a swindler, he rummages through cupboards and dressers - looking for his letters. Tarelkin, forgetting about resentment and anger, protects the "deceased" with excessive heat. Word for word, the conversation turns into a scandal. Captain Polutatarinov, aka Varravin, suddenly remarks that Kopylov is very much like Tarelkin - only hair and teeth are missing. And then a wig and Tarelkin’s teeth are found in the dresser !!
With the help of Rasplyuev, who tied the “dead man” with a towel, the “Polutatarinov” forcefully puts a wig on Kopylov’s head, inserts his teeth ... But this is Tarelkin! Undoubtedly! "Polutatarinov" knew him well! Rasplyuev believes that there is an accidental similarity - after all, he personally buried Tarelkin. However, Varravin, remaining captain Polutatarinov for Rasplyuev (Tarelkin had already recognized his boss), advises the quarterly overseer "not to release this person and arrest him." Rasplyuev is studying Kopylov’s passport - he seems to be in order.
At this moment, from the police unit, Rashlyuyev’s subordinate was the Kachala muskater with papers, from which it was clear that the court adviser Strength Silych Kopylov had died. Bah! Spread out now in complete confusion, no - in horror! Kopylov died ... Tarelkin died ... And then who is this fantastic gentleman, who is on Kopylov’s passport, but in appearance Tarelkin ?!
And here Varravin, continuing to play the role of a kind-hearted captain, takes the situation into his own hands. He inspires Rasplyuev that he is a ghoul, a werewolf! It must be twisted with ropes, dragged to the police station and put in a "secret", that is, in a punishment cell.
Now for Varravin, everything is going smoothly. Bound Tarelkin is in "secret." Raslyuev enthusiastically reports to the private bailiff Okh that “he took the werewolf in the apartment of the deceased Tarelkin and the deceased Kopylov”. This is a serious matter. The bailiff is trying to report about it to the authorities. Suddenly Varravin appears - already in his own form. Having “delved” into the matter, he announces that it is arch-serious - “supernatural”. For his investigation, orders and orders will certainly be given! And if you report to the authorities, it will let down its investigator - all the honors will go to a stranger. Better to spin the case yourself. The werewolf, for the quickest possible promotion of the case, should be tortured with thirst, not giving him water at all: the werewolves do not die from this, but only come to "great anguish."
Through the efforts of Varravin, Rasplyuev is appointed the chief investigator in the case of werewolf. Helps him. Oh, the musketeers of Kachala and Shatal.
And the thing is spinning to the fullest!
Anyone who comes to hand - from a janitor and laundress to a merchant and landowner is arrested, beaten, interrogated, put in a “secret” or paid tribute. In fear of investigators, witnesses give any required evidence. Yes, and how not to give! The point is not just “supernatural." The matter is of national importance! The main werewolf, tormented by thirst, sincerely shows that werewolves are “a whole lot”. His accomplices are “all Petersburg and all Moscow”. Yes there! Raslyuyev of "such an opinion" that "our whole country" is subject to werewolf. And therefore, “it should be decided by the rule: to arrest everyone,” to “suspect” and “seize” everyone !! “All of ours! - laughing, screaming Rasplyuev and Oh. “We will demand all of Russia.”
But essentially only Tarelkin is required. When the "werewolf" from torture by thirst reaches already the dying "languor", is Varravin. He is now interrogating.
He orders Kachale to bring in a “secret” glass of running water and, holding it in front of the eyes of the person under investigation, lavishly extols the contents - oh, how good the water is! Tarelkin can drink it right now! But only if he returns his secret papers to Varravin. Tarelkin gives them away. It is done. The official defeated everyone again. Tarelkin can only beg Varravin to give him at least Kopylov’s passport - it’s impossible to live without a passport! Having received the form and certificates of Kopylov, Tarelkin thanks the boss - "father of his own" - for mercy and gets out.
