dead souls(死魂灵)-第24节

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　architect　had　differed　from　that　of　the　proprietorthe　former　having　manifestly　been　a　pedant　and　desirous　of　symmetry；　and　the　latter　having　wished　only　for　comfort。　Consequently　he　（the　proprietor）　had　dispensed　with　all　windows　on　one　side　of　the　mansion；　and　had　caused　to　be　inserted；　in　their　place；　only　a　small　aperture　which；　doubtless；　was　intended　to　light　an　otherwise　dark　lumber…room。　Likewise；　the　architect's　best　efforts　had　failed　to　cause　the　pediment　to　stand　in　the　centre　of　the　building；　since　the　proprietor　had　had　one　of　its　four　original　columns　removed。　Evidently　durability　had　been　considered　throughout；　for　the　courtyard　was　enclosed　by　a　strong　and　very　high　wooden　fence；　and　both　the　stables；　the　coach…house；　and　the　culinary　premises　were　partially　constructed　of　beams　warranted　to　last　for　centuries。　Nay；　even　the　wooden　huts　of　the　peasantry　were　wonderful　in　the　solidity　of　their　construction；　and　not　a　clay　wall　or　a　carved　pattern　or　other　device　was　to　be　seen。　Everything　fitted　exactly　into　its　right　place；　and　even　the　draw…well　of　the　mansion　was　fashioned　of　the　oakwood　usually　thought　suitable　only　for　mills　or　ships。　In　short；　wherever　Chichikov's　eye　turned　he　saw　nothing　that　was　not　free　from　shoddy　make　and　well　and　skilfully　arranged。　As　he　approached　the　entrance　steps　he　caught　sight　of　two　faces　peering　from　a　window。　One　of　them　was　that　of　a　woman　in　a　mobcap　with　features　as　long　and　as　narrow　as　a　cucumber；　and　the　other　that　of　a　man　with　features　as　broad　and　as　short　as　the　Moldavian　pumpkins　（known　as　gorlianki）　whereof　balallaikithe　species　of　light；　two…stringed　instrument　which　constitutes　the　pride　and　the　joy　of　the　gay　young　fellow　of　twenty　as　he　sits　winking　and　smiling　at　the　white…necked；　white…bosomed　maidens　who　have　gathered　to　listen　to　his　low…pitched　tinklingare　fashioned。　This　scrutiny　made；　both　faces　withdrew；　and　there　came　out　on　to　the　entrance　steps　a　lacquey　clad　in　a　grey　jacket　and　a　stiff　blue　collar。　This　functionary　conducted　Chichikov　into　the　hall；　where　he　was　met　by　the　master　of　the　house　himself；　who　requested　his　guest　to　enter；　and　then　led　him　into　the　inner　part　of　the　mansion。

A　covert　glance　at　Sobakevitch　showed　our　hero　that　his　host　exactly　resembled　a　moderate…sized　bear。　To　complete　the　resemblance；　Sobakevitch's　long　frockcoat　and　baggy　trousers　were　of　the　precise　colour　of　a　bear's　hide；　while；　when　shuffling　across　the　floor；　he　made　a　criss…cross　motion　of　the　legs；　and　had；　in　addition；　a　constant　habit　of　treading　upon　his　companion's　toes。　As　for　his　face；　it　was　of　the　warm；　ardent　tint　of　a　piatok＇2＇。　Persons　of　this　kindpersons　to　whose　designing　nature　has　devoted　not　much　thought；　and　in　the　fashioning　of　whose　frames　she　has　used　no　instruments　so　delicate　as　a　file　or　a　gimlet　and　so　forthare　not　uncommon。　Such　persons　she　merely　roughhews。　One　cut　with　a　hatchet；　and　there　results　a　nose；　another　such　cut　with　a　hatchet；　and　there　materialises　a　pair　of　lips；　two　thrusts　with　a　drill；　and　there　issues　a　pair　of　eyes。　Lastly；　scorning　to　plane　down　the　roughness；　she　sends　out　that　person　into　the　world；　saying：　〃There　is　another　live　creature。〃　Sobakevitch　was　just　such　a　ragged；　curiously　put　together　figurethough　the　above　model　would　seem　to　have　been　followed　more　in　his　upper　portion　than　in　his　lower。　One　result　was　that　he　seldom　turned　his　head　to　look　at　the　person　with　whom　he　was　speaking；　but；　rather；　directed　his　eyes　towards；　say；　the　stove　corner　or　the　doorway。　As　host　and　guest　crossed　the　dining…room　Chichikov　directed　a　second　glance　at　his　companion。　〃He　is　a　bear；　and　nothing　but　a　bear；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　And；　indeed；　the　strange　comparison　was　inevitable。　Incidentally；　Sobakevitch's　Christian　name　and　patronymic　were　Michael　Semenovitch。　Of　his　habit　of　treading　upon　other　people's　toes　Chichikov　had　become　fully　aware；　wherefore　he　stepped　cautiously；　and；　throughout；　allowed　his　host　to　take　the　lead。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Sobakevitch　himself　seemed　conscious　of　his　failing；　for　at　intervals　he　would　inquire：　〃I　hope　I　have　not　hurt　you？〃　and　Chichikov；　with　a　word　of　thanks；　would　reply　that　as　yet　he　had　sustained　no　injury。

＇2＇　A　copper　coin　worth　five　kopecks。

At　length　they　reached　the　drawing…room；　where　Sobakevitch　pointed　to　an　armchair；　and　invited　his　guest　to　be　seated。　Chichikov　gazed　with　interest　at　the　walls　and　the　pictures。　In　every　such　picture　there　were　portrayed　either　young　men　or　Greek　generals　of　the　type　of　Movrogordato　（clad　in　a　red　uniform　and　breaches）；　Kanaris；　and　others；　and　all　these　heroes　were　depicted　with　a　solidity　of　thigh　and　a　wealth　of　moustache　which　made　the　beholder　simply　shudder　with　awe。　Among　them　there　were　placed　also；　according　to　some　unknown　system；　and　for　some　unknown　reason；　firstly；　Bagration＇3＇tall　and　thin；　and　with　a　cluster　of　small　flags　and　cannon　beneath　him；　and　the　whole　set　in　the　narrowest　of　framesand；　secondly；　the　Greek　heroine；　Bobelina；　whose　legs　looked　larger　than　do　the　whole　bodies　of　the　drawing…room　dandies　of　the　present　day。　Apparently　the　master　of　the　house　was　himself　a　man　of　health　and　strength；　and　therefore　liked　to　have　his　apartments　adorned　with　none　but　folk　of　equal　vigour　and　robustness。　Lastly；　in　the　window；　and　suspected　cheek　by　jowl　with　Bobelina；　there　hung　a　cage　whence　at　intervals　there　peered　forth　a　white…spotted　blackbird。　Like　everything　else　in　the　apartment；　it　bore　a　strong　resemblance　to　Sobakevitch。　When　host　and　guest　had　been　conversing　for　two　minutes　or　so　the　door　opened；　and　there　entered　the　hostessa　tall　lady　in　a　cap　adorned　with　ribands　of　domestic　colouring　and　manufacture。　She　entered　deliberately；　and　held　her　head　as　erect　as　a　palm。

＇3＇　A　Russian　general　who　fought　against　Napoleon；　and　was　mortally　　　　　wounded　at　Borodino。

〃This　is　my　wife；　Theodulia　Ivanovna；〃　said　Sobakevitch。

Chichikov　approached　and　took　her　hand。　The　fact　that　she　raised　it　nearly　to　the　level　of　his　lips　apprised　him　of　the　circumstance　that　it　had　just　been　rinsed　in　cucumber　oil。

〃My　dear；　allow　me　to　introduce　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov；〃　added　Sobakevitch。　〃He　has　the　honour　of　being　acquainted　both　with　our　Governor　and　with　our　Postmaster。〃

Upon　this　Theodulia　Ivanovna　requested　her　guest　to　be　seated；　and　accompanied　the　invitation　with　the　kind　of　bow　usually　employed　only　by　actresses　who　are　playing　the　role　of　queens。　Next；　she　took　a　seat　upon　the　sofa；　drew　around　her　her　merino　gown；　and　sat　thereafter　without　moving　an　eyelid　or　an　eyebrow。　As　for　Chichikov；　he　glanced　upwards；　and　once　more　caught　sight　of　Kanaris　with　his　fat　thighs　and　interminable　moustache；　and　of　Bobelina　and　the　blackbird。　For　fully　five　minutes　all　present　preserved　a　complete　silencethe　only　sound　audible　being　that　of　the　blackbird's　beak　against　the　wooden　floor　of　the　cage　as　the　creature　fished　for　grains　of　corn。　Meanwhile　Chichikov　again　surveyed　the　room；　and　saw　that　everything　in　it　was　massive　and　clumsy　in　the　highest　degree；　as　also　that　everything　was　curiously　in　keeping　with　the　master　of　the　house。　For　example；　in　one　corner　of　the　apartment　there　stood　a　hazelwood　bureau　with　a　bulging　body　on　four　grotesque　legsthe　perfect　image　of　a　bear。　Also；　the　tables　and　the　chairs　were　of　the　same　ponderous；　unrestful　order；　and　every　single　article　in　the　room　appeared　to　be　saying　either；　〃I；　too；　am　a　Sobakevitch；〃　or　〃I　am　exactly　like　Sobakevitch。〃

〃I　heard　speak　of　you　one　day　when　I　was　visiting　the　President　of　the　Council；〃　said　Chichikov；　on　perceiving　that　no　one　else　had　a　mind　to　begin　a　conversation。　〃That　was　on　Thursday　last。　We　had　a　very　pleasant　evening。〃

〃Yes；　on　that　occasion　I　was　not　there；〃　replied　Sobakevitch。

〃What　a　nice　man　he　is！〃

〃Who　is？〃　inquired　Sobakevitch；　gazing　into　the　corner　by　the　stove。

〃The　President　of　the　Local　Council。〃

〃Did　he　seem　so　to　you？　True；　he　is　a　mason；　but　he　is　also　the　greatest　fool　that　the　world　ever　saw。〃

Chichikov　started　a　little　at　this　mordant　criticism；　but　soon　pulled　himself　together　again；　and　continued：

〃Of　course；　every　man　has　his　weakness。　Yet　the　President　seems　to　be　an　excellent　fellow。〃

〃And　do　you　think　the　same　of　the　Governor？〃

〃Yes。　Why　not？〃

〃Because　there　exists　no　greater　rogue　than　he。〃

〃What？　The　Governor　a　rogue？〃　ejaculated　Chichikov；　at　a　loss　to　understand　how　the　official　in　question　could　come　to　be　numbered　with　thieves。　〃Let　me　say　that　I　should　never　have　guessed　it。　Permit　me　also　to　remark　that　his　conduct　would　hardly　seem　to　bear　out　your　opinionhe　seems　so　gentle　a　man。〃　And　in　proof　of　this　Chichikov　cited　the　purses　which　the　Governor　knitted；　and　also　expatiated　on　the　mildness　of　his　features。

〃He　has　the　face　of　a　robber；〃　said　Sobakevitch。　〃Were　you　to　give　him　a　knife；　and　to　turn　him　loose　on　a　turnpike；　he　would　cut　your　throat　for　two　kopecks。　And　the　same　with　the　Vice…Governor。　The　pair　are　just　Gog　and　Magog。〃

〃Evidently　he　is　not　on　good　terms　with　them；〃　thought　Chichikov　to　himself。　〃I　had　better　pass　to　the　Chief　of　Police；　which　whom　he　DOES　seem　to　be　friendly。〃　Accordingly　he　added　aloud：　〃For　my　own　part；　I　should