dead souls(死魂灵)-第14节

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　cards；　and　God　must　have　sent　him　as　a　punishment。　He　looked　so　horrible；　and　had　horns　longer　than　a　bull's！〃

〃I　wonder　you　don't　see　SCORES　of　devils　in　your　dreams！　Merely　out　of　Christian　charity　he　had　come　to　you　to　say；　'I　perceive　a　poor　widow　going　to　rack　and　ruin；　and　likely　soon　to　stand　in　danger　of　want。'　Well；　go　to　rack　and　ruinyes；　you　and　all　your　village　together！〃

〃The　insults！〃　exclaimed　the　old　woman；　glancing　at　her　visitor　in　terror。

〃I　should　think　so！〃　continued　Chichikov。　〃Indeed；　I　cannot　find　words　to　describe　you。　To　say　no　more　about　it；　you　are　like　a　dog　in　a　manger。　You　don't　want　to　eat　the　hay　yourself；　yet　you　won't　let　anyone　else　touch　it。　All　that　I　am　seeking　to　do　is　to　purchase　certain　domestic　products　of　yours；　for　the　reason　that　I　have　certain　Government　contracts　to　fulfil。〃　This　last　he　added　in　passing；　and　without　any　ulterior　motive；　save　that　it　came　to　him　as　a　happy　thought。　Nevertheless　the　mention　of　Government　contracts　exercised　a　powerful　influence　upon　Nastasia　Petrovna；　and　she　hastened　to　say　in　a　tone　that　was　almost　supplicatory：

〃Why　should　you　be　so　angry　with　me？　Had　I　known　that　you　were　going　to　lose　your　temper　in　this　way；　I　should　never　have　discussed　the　matter。〃

〃No　wonder　that　I　lose　my　temper！　An　egg　too　many　is　no　great　matter；　yet　it　may　prove　exceedingly　annoying。〃

〃Well；　well；　I　will　let　you　have　the　souls　for　fifteen　roubles　each。　Also；　with　regard　to　those　contracts；　do　not　forget　me　if　at　any　time　you　should　find　yourself　in　need　of　rye…meal　or　buckwheat　or　groats　or　dead　meat。〃

〃No；　I　shall　NEVER　forget　you；　madam！〃　he　said；　wiping　his　forehead；　where　three　separate　streams　of　perspiration　were　trickling　down　his　face。　Then　he　asked　her　whether　in　the　town　she　had　any　acquaintance　or　agent　whom　she　could　empower　to　complete　the　transference　of　the　serfs；　and　to　carry　out　whatsoever　else　might　be　necessary。

〃Certainly；〃　replied　Madame　Korobotchka。　〃The　son　of　our　archpriest；　Father　Cyril；　himself　is　a　lawyer。〃

Upon　that　Chichikov　begged　her　to　accord　the　gentleman　in　question　a　power　of　attorney；　while；　to　save　extra　trouble；　he　himself　would　then　and　there　compose　the　requisite　letter。

〃It　would　be　a　fine　thing　if　he　were　to　buy　up　all　my　meal　and　stock　for　the　Government；〃　thought　Madame　to　herself。　〃I　must　encourage　him　a　little。　There　has　been　some　dough　standing　ready　since　last　night；　so　I　will　go　and　tell　Fetinia　to　try　a　few　pancakes。　Also；　it　might　be　well　to　try　him　with　an　egg　pie。　We　make　then　nicely　here；　and　they　do　not　take　long　in　the　making。〃

So　she　departed　to　translate　her　thoughts　into　action；　as　well　as　to　supplement　the　pie　with　other　products　of　the　domestic　cuisine；　while；　for　his　part；　Chichikov　returned　to　the　drawing…room　where　he　had　spent　the　night；　in　order　to　procure　from　his　dispatch…box　the　necessary　writing…paper。　The　room　had　now　been　set　in　order；　the　sumptuous　feather　bed　removed；　and　a　table　set　before　the　sofa。　Depositing　his　dispatch…box　upon　the　table；　he　heaved　a　gentle　sigh　on　becoming　aware　that　he　was　so　soaked　with　perspiration　that　he　might　almost　have　been　dipped　in　a　river。　Everything；　from　his　shirt　to　his　socks；　was　dripping。　〃May　she　starve　to　death；　the　cursed　old　harridan！〃　he　ejaculated　after　a　moment's　rest。　Then　he　opened　his　dispatch…box。　In　passing；　I　may　say　that　I　feel　certain　that　at　least　SOME　of　my　readers　will　be　curious　to　know　the　contents　and　the　internal　arrangements　of　that　receptacle。　Why　should　I　not　gratify　their　curiosity？　To　begin　with；　the　centre　of　the　box　contained　a　soap…dish；　with；　disposed　around　it；　six　or　seven　compartments　for　razors。　Next　came　square　partitions　for　a　sand…box＇7＇　and　an　inkstand；　as　well　as　（scooped　out　in　their　midst）　a　hollow　of　pens；　sealing…wax；　and　anything　else　that　required　more　room。　Lastly　there　were　all　sorts　of　little　divisions；　both　with　and　without　lids；　for　articles　of　a　smaller　nature；　such　as　visiting　cards；　memorial　cards；　theatre　tickets；　and　things　which　Chichikov　had　laid　by　as　souvenirs。　This　portion　of　the　box　could　be　taken　out；　and　below　it　were　both　a　space　for　manuscripts　and　a　secret　money…boxthe　latter　made　to　draw　out　from　the　side　of　the　receptacle。

＇7＇　To　serve　as　blotting…paper。

Chichikov　set　to　work　to　clean　a　pen；　and　then　to　write。　Presently　his　hostess　entered　the　room。

〃What　a　beautiful　box　you　have　got；　my　dear　sir！〃　she　exclaimed　as　she　took　a　seat　beside　him。　〃Probably　you　bought　it　in　Moscow？〃

〃Yesin　Moscow；〃　replied　Chichikov　without　interrupting　his　writing。

〃I　thought　so。　One　CAN　get　good　things　there。　Three　years　ago　my　sister　brought　me　a　few　pairs　of　warm　shoes　for　my　sons；　and　they　were　such　excellent　articles！　To　this　day　my　boys　wear　them。　And　what　nice　stamped　paper　you　have！〃　（she　had　peered　into　the　dispatch…box；　where；　sure　enough；　there　lay　a　further　store　of　the　paper　in　question）。　〃Would　you　mind　letting　me　have　a　sheet　of　it？　I　am　without　any　at　all；　although　I　shall　soon　have　to　be　presenting　a　plea　to　the　land　court；　and　possess　not　a　morsel　of　paper　to　write　it　on。〃

Upon　this　Chichikov　explained　that　the　paper　was　not　the　sort　proper　for　the　purposethat　it　was　meant　for　serf…indenturing；　and　not　for　the　framing　of　pleas。　Nevertheless；　to　quiet　her；　he　gave　her　a　sheet　stamped　to　the　value　of　a　rouble。　Next；　he　handed　her　the　letter　to　sign；　and　requested；　in　return；　a　list　of　her　peasants。　Unfortunately；　such　a　list　had　never　been　compiled；　let　alone　any　copies　of　it；　and　the　only　way　in　which　she　knew　the　peasants'　names　was　by　heart。　However；　he　told　her　to　dictate　them。　Some　of　the　names　greatly　astonished　our　hero；　so；　still　more；　did　the　surnames。　Indeed；　frequently；　on　hearing　the　latter；　he　had　to　pause　before　writing　them　down。　Especially　did　he　halt　before　a　certain　〃Peter　Saveliev　Neuvazhai　Korito。〃　〃What　a　string　of　titles！〃　involuntarily　he　ejaculated。　To　the　Christian　name　of　another　serf　was　appended　〃Korovi　Kirpitch；〃　and　to　that　of　a　third　〃Koleso　Ivan。〃　However；　at　length　the　list　was　compiled；　and　he　caught　a　deep　breath；　which　latter　proceeding　caused　him　to　catch　also　the　attractive　odour　of　something　fried　in　fat。

〃I　beseech　you　to　have　a　morsel；〃　murmured　his　hostess。　Chichikov　looked　up；　and　saw　that　the　table　was　spread　with　mushrooms；　pies；　and　other　viands。

〃Try　this　freshly…made　pie　and　an　egg；〃　continued　Madame。

Chichikov　did　so；　and　having　eaten　more　than　half　of　what　she　offered　him；　praised　the　pie　highly。　Indeed；　it　was　a　toothsome　dish；　and；　after　his　difficulties　and　exertions　with　his　hostess；　it　tasted　even　better　than　it　might　otherwise　have　done。

〃And　also　a　few　pancakes？〃　suggested　Madame。

For　answer　Chichikov　folded　three　together；　and；　having　dipped　them　in　melted　butter；　consigned　the　lot　to　his　mouth；　and　then　wiped　his　mouth　with　a　napkin。　Twice　more　was　the　process　repeated；　and　then　he　requested　his　hostess　to　order　the　britchka　to　be　got　ready。　In　dispatching　Fetinia　with　the　necessary　instructions；　she　ordered　her　to　return　with　a　second　batch　of　hot　pancakes。

〃Your　pancakes　are　indeed　splendid；〃　said　Chichikov；　applying　himself　to　the　second　consignment　of　fried　dainties　when　they　had　arrived。

〃Yes；　we　make　them　well　here；〃　replied　Madame。　〃Yet　how　unfortunate　it　is　that　the　harvest　should　have　proved　so　poor　as　to　have　prevented　me　from　earning　anything　on　my　But　why　should　you　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　depart；　good　sir？〃　She　broke　off　on　seeing　Chichikov　reach　for　his　cap。　〃The　britchka　is　not　yet　ready。〃

〃Then　it　is　being　got　so；　madam；　it　is　being　got　so；　and　I　shall　need　a　moment　or　two　to　pack　my　things。〃

〃As　you　please；　dear　sir；　but　do　not　forget　me　in　connection　with　those　Government　contracts。〃

〃No；　I　have　said　that　NEVER　shall　I　forget　you；〃　replied　Chichikov　as　he　hurried　into　the　hall。

〃And　would　you　like　to　buy　some　lard？〃　continued　his　hostess；　pursuing　him。

〃Lard？　Oh　certainly。　Why　not？　Only；　onlyI　will　do　so　ANOTHER　time。〃

〃I　shall　have　some　ready　at　about　Christmas。〃

〃Quite　so；　madam。　THEN　I　will　buy　anything　and　everythingthe　lard　included。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　will　be　wanting　also　some　feathers？　I　shall　be　having　some　for　sale　about　St。　Philip's　Day。〃

〃Very　well；　very　well；　madam。〃

〃There　you　see！〃　she　remarked　as　they　stepped　out　on　to　the　verandah。　〃The　britchka　is　NOT　yet　ready。〃

〃But　it　soon　will　be；　it　soon　will　be。　Only　direct　me　to　the　main　road。〃

〃How　am　I　to　do　that？〃　said　Madame。　〃'Twould　puzzle　a　wise　man　to　do　so；　for　in　these　parts　there　are　so　many　turnings。　However；　I　will　send　a　girl　to　guide　you。　You　could　find　room　for　her　on　the　box…seat；　could　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　of　course。〃

〃Then　I　will　send　her。　She　knows　the　way　thoroughly。　Only　do　not　carry　her　off　for　good。　Already　some　traders　have　deprived　me　of　one　of　my　girls。〃

Chichikov　reassured　his　hostess　on　the　point；　and　Madame　plucked　up　courage　enough　to　scan；　first　of　all；　the　housekeeper；　who　happened　to　be　issuing　from　the　storehouse　with　a　bowl　of　honey；　and；　next；　a　young　peasant　who　happened　to　be　standing　at　the　gates；　and；　while　thus　engaged；　she　became　wholly　absorbed　in　her　domestic　pursuits。　But　why　pay　her　so　much　attention？　The　Widow　Korobotc