The Twelve Chairs / Двенадцать стульев. Книга для чтения на английском языке

There was no one about and no one appeared. An oak staircase with two flights of once-lacquered stairs led upward. Only the rings were now left; there was no sign of the stair rods that had once held the carpet in place.

В«The Comanche chief lived in vulgar luxuryВ», thought Ostap as he went upstairs.

In the first room, which was spacious and light, fifteen or so old women in dresses made of the cheapest mouse-grey woollen cloth were sitting in a circle.

Craning their necks and keeping their eyes on a healthy-looking man in the middle, the old women were singing:

В«We hear the sound of distant jingling,

The troika's on its round;

Far into the distant stretches

The sparkling snowy groundВ».

The choirmaster, wearing a shirt and trousers of the same mouse-grey material, was beating time with both hands and, turning from side to side, kept shouting:

В«Descants, softer! Kokushkin, not so loud!В»

He caught sight of Ostap, but unable to restrain the movement of his hands, merely glanced at the newcomer and continued conducting.

В«Ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta,

Te-ro-rom, tu-ru-rum, tu-ru-rum …»

В«Can you tell me where I can find the assistant warden?В» asked Ostap, breaking into the first pause.

В«What do you want, Comrade?В»

Ostap shook the conductor's hand and inquired amiably: В«National folk-songs? Very interesting! I'm the fire inspectorВ».

The assistant warden looked ashamed.

В«Yes, yesВ», he said, with embarrassment. В«Very opportune. I was actually going to write you a reportВ».

В«There's nothing to worry aboutВ», said Ostap magnanimously. В«I'll write the report myself. Let's take a look at the premisesВ».

Alchen dismissed the choir with a wave of his hand, and the old women made off with little steps of delight.

В«Come this wayВ», invited the assistant warden.

Before going any further, Ostap scrutinized the furniture in the first room. It consisted of a table, two garden benches with iron legs (one of them had the name В«NickyВ» carved on the back), and a light-brown harmonium.

В«Do they use primus stoves or anything of that kind in this room?В»

В«No, no. This is where our recreational activities are held. We have a choir, and drama, painting, drawing, and music circlesВ».

When he reached the word В«musicВ» Alexander Yakovlevich blushed. First his chin turned red, then his forehead and cheeks.