Everything in the street seemed hostile and ominous to Peredonov. A ram stood at the cross-roads and looked stupidly at him. This ram so closely resembled Volodin that Peredonov felt frightened. He thought that possibly Volodin had turned into a ram to spy upon him.
"How do we know?" he thought. "Perhaps it is possible; science has not discovered everything and it's possible someone does know something. Now there are the French—a learned people, and yet magicians and mages have begun to spread there." And a fear took possession of him. "This ram might kick me," he thought.
The ram began to bleat, and its bleat resembled Volodin's laughter. It was sharp, piercing and unpleasant.
Then he met the Officer of the gendarmerie. Peredonov went up to him and said in a whisper:
"You'd better watch Adamenko. She corresponds with Socialists. She's one of them."
Roubovsky looked at him in silent astonishment. Peredonov walked on further and thought dejectedly:
"Why do I always keep coming across him? He must be watching me, and he has put policemen everywhere."
The dirty streets, the gloomy sky, the pitiful little houses, the ragged, withered-looking children—all these breathed depression, neglect and a hopeless sadness.
"It's a foul town," thought Peredonov. "The people here are disgusting and malignant; the sooner I get to another town the better, where the instructors would bow down to one and the schoolboys will be afraid and whisper in fear: 'The inspector is coming.' Yes! The higher officials always live differently in the world."
"Inspector of the second District of the Rouban Government," he mumbled under his nose. "The Right Honourable the State Councillor, Peredonov—that's the way! Do you know who I am? His Excellency, Head-Master of the National Schools of the Rouban Government, the Actual State Councillor Peredonov. Hats off! Hand in your resignation! Get out! I'll manage you!"