dead souls(死魂灵)-第31节

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nded　by　bursting　into　a　burst　of　melody　so　striking　that　Selifan；　after　listening　for　a　while；　nodded　his　head　and　exclaimed；　〃My　word；　but　the　master　CAN　sing！〃

By　the　time　they　reached　the　town　darkness　had　fallen；　and　changed　the　character　of　the　scene。　The　britchka　bounded　over　the　cobblestones；　and　at　length　turned　into　the　hostelry's　courtyard；　where　the　travellers　were　met　by　Petrushka。　With　one　hand　holding　back　the　tails　of　his　coat　（which　he　never　liked　to　see　fly　apart）；　the　valet　assisted　his　master　to　alight。　The　waiter　ran　out　with　candle　in　hand　and　napkin　on　shoulder。　Whether　or　not　Petrushka　was　glad　to　see　the　barin　return　it　is　impossible　to　say；　but　at　all　events　he　exchanged　a　wink　with　Selifan；　and　his　ordinarily　morose　exterior　seemed　momentarily　to　brighten。

〃Then　you　have　been　travelling　far；　sir？〃　said　the　waiter；　as　he　lit　the　way　upstarts。

〃Yes；〃　said　Chichikov。　〃What　has　happened　here　in　the　meanwhile？〃

〃Nothing；　sir；〃　replied　the　waiter；　bowing；　〃except　that　last　night　there　arrived　a　military　lieutenant。　He　has　got　room　number　sixteen。〃

〃A　lieutenant？〃

〃Yes。　He　came　from　Riazan；　driving　three　grey　horses。〃

On　entering　his　room；　Chichikov　clapped　his　hand　to　his　nose；　and　asked　his　valet　why　he　had　never　had　the　windows　opened。

〃But　I　did　have　them　opened；〃　replied　Petrushka。　Nevertheless　this　was　a　lie；　as　Chichikov　well　knew；　though　he　was　too　tired　to　contest　the　point。　After　ordering　and　consuming　a　light　supper　of　sucking　pig；　he　undressed；　plunged　beneath　the　bedclothes；　and　sank　into　the　profound　slumber　which　comes　only　to　such　fortunate　folk　as　are　troubled　neither　with　mosquitoes　nor　fleas　nor　excessive　activity　of　brain。



CHAPTER　VII

When　Chichikov　awoke　he　stretched　himself　and　realised　that　he　had　slept　well。　For　a　moment　or　two　he　lay　on　his　back；　and　then　suddenly　clapped　his　hands　at　the　recollection　that　he　was　now　owner　of　nearly　four　hundred　souls。　At　once　he　leapt　out　of　bed　without　so　much　as　glancing　at　his　face　in　the　mirror；　though；　as　a　rule；　he　had　much　solicitude　for　his　features；　and　especially　for　his　chin；　of　which　he　would　make　the　most　when　in　company　with　friends；　and　more　particularly　should　any　one　happen　to　enter　while　he　was　engaged　in　the　process　of　shaving。　〃Look　how　round　my　chin　is！〃　was　his　usual　formula。　On　the　present　occasion；　however；　he　looked　neither　at　chin　nor　at　any　other　feature；　but　at　once　donned　his　flower…embroidered　slippers　of　morroco　leather　（the　kind　of　slippers　in　which；　thanks　to　the　Russian　love　for　a　dressing…gowned　existence；　the　town　of　Torzhok　does　such　a　huge　trade）；　and；　clad　only　in　a　meagre　shirt；　so　far　forgot　his　elderliness　and　dignity　as　to　cut　a　couple　of　capers　after　the　fashion　of　a　Scottish　highlanderalighting　neatly；　each　time；　on　the　flat　of　his　heels。　Only　when　he　had　done　that　did　he　proceed　to　business。　Planting　himself　before　his　dispatch…box；　he　rubbed　his　hands　with　a　satisfaction　worthy　of　an　incorruptible　rural　magistrate　when　adjourning　for　luncheon；　after　which　he　extracted　from　the　receptacle　a　bundle　of　papers。　These　he　had　decided　not　to　deposit　with　a　lawyer；　for　the　reason　that　he　would　hasten　matters；　as　well　as　save　expense；　by　himself　framing　and　fair…copying　the　necessary　deeds　of　indenture；　and　since　he　was　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　necessary　terminology；　he　proceeded　to　inscribe　in　large　characters　the　date；　and　then　in　smaller　ones；　his　name　and　rank。　By　two　o'clock　the　whole　was　finished；　and　as　he　looked　at　the　sheets　of　names　representing　bygone　peasants　who　had　ploughed；　worked　at　handicrafts；　cheated　their　masters；　fetched；　carried；　and　got　drunk　（though　SOME　of　them　may　have　behaved　well）；　there　came　over　him　a　strange；　unaccountable　sensation。　To　his　eye　each　list　of　names　seemed　to　possess　a　character　of　its　own；　and　even　individual　peasants　therein　seemed　to　have　taken　on　certain　qualities　peculiar　to　themselves。　For　instance；　to　the　majority　of　Madame　Korobotchka's　serfs　there　were　appended　nicknames　and　other　additions；　Plushkin's　list　was　distinguished　by　a　conciseness　of　exposition　which　had　led　to　certain　of　the　items　being　represented　merely　by　Christian　name；　patronymic；　and　a　couple　of　dots；　and　Sobakevitch's　list　was　remarkable　for　its　amplitude　and　circumstantiality；　in　that　not　a　single　peasant　had　such　of　his　peculiar　characteristics　omitted　as　that　the　deceased　had　been　〃excellent　at　joinery；〃　or　〃sober　and　ready　to　pay　attention　to　his　work。〃　Also；　in　Sobakevitch's　list　there　was　recorded　who　had　been　the　father　and　the　mother　of　each　of　the　deceased；　and　how　those　parents　had　behaved　themselves。　Only　against　the　name　of　a　certain　Thedotov　was　there　inscribed：　〃Father　unknown；　Mother　the　maidservant　Kapitolina；　Morals　and　Honesty　good。〃　These　details　communicated　to　the　document　a　certain　air　of　freshness；　they　seemed　to　connote　that　the　peasants　in　question　had　lived　but　yesterday。　As　Chichikov　scanned　the　list　he　felt　softened　in　spirit；　and　said　with　a　sigh：

〃My　friends；　what　a　concourse　of　you　is　here！　How　did　you　all　pass　your　lives；　my　brethren？　And　how　did　you　all　come　to　depart　hence？〃

As　he　spoke　his　eyes　halted　at　one　name　in　particularthat　of　the　same　Peter　Saveliev　Neuvazhai　Korito　who　had　once　been　the　property　of　the　window　Korobotchka。　Once　more　he　could　not　help　exclaiming：

〃What　a　series　of　titles！　They　occupy　a　whole　line！　Peter　Saveliev；　I　wonder　whether　you　were　an　artisan　or　a　plain　muzhik。　Also；　I　wonder　how　you　came　to　meet　your　end；　whether　in　a　tavern；　or　whether　through　going　to　sleep　in　the　middle　of　the　road　and　being　run　over　by　a　train　of　waggons。　Again；　I　see　the　name；　'Probka　Stepan；　carpenter；　very　sober。'　That　must　be　the　hero　of　whom　the　Guards　would　have　been　so　glad　to　get　hold。　How　well　I　can　imagine　him　tramping　the　country　with　an　axe　in　his　belt　and　his　boots　on　his　shoulder；　and　living　on　a　few　groats'…worth　of　bread　and　dried　fish　per　day；　and　taking　home　a　couple　of　half…rouble　pieces　in　his　purse；　and　sewing　the　notes　into　his　breeches；　or　stuffing　them　into　his　boots！　In　what　manner　came　you　by　your　end；　Probka　Stepan？　Did　you；　for　good　wages；　mount　a　scaffold　around　the　cupola　of　the　village　church；　and；　climbing　thence　to　the　cross　above；　miss　your　footing　on　a　beam；　and　fall　headlong　with　none　at　hand　but　Uncle　Michaithe　good　uncle　who；　scratching　the　back　of　his　neck；　and　muttering；　'Ah；　Vania；　for　once　you　have　been　too　clever！'　straightway　lashed　himself　to　a　rope；　and　took　your　place？　'Maksim　Teliatnikov；　shoemaker。'　A　shoemaker；　indeed？　'As　drunk　as　a　shoemaker；'　says　the　proverb。　_I_　know　what　you　were　like；　my　friend。　If　you　wish；　I　will　tell　you　your　whole　history。　You　were　apprenticed　to　a　German；　who　fed　you　and　your　fellows　at　a　common　table；　thrashed　you　with　a　strap；　kept　you　indoors　whenever　you　had　made　a　mistake；　and　spoke　of　you　in　uncomplimentary　terms　to　his　wife　and　friends。　At　length；　when　your　apprenticeship　was　over；　you　said　to　yourself；　'I　am　going　to　set　up　on　my　own　account；　and　not　just　to　scrape　together　a　kopeck　here　and　a　kopeck　there；　as　the　Germans　do；　but　to　grow　rich　quick。'　Hence　you　took　a　shop　at　a　high　rent；　bespoke　a　few　orders；　and　set　to　work　to　buy　up　some　rotten　leather　out　of　which　you　could　make；　on　each　pair　of　boots；　a　double　profit。　But　those　boots　split　within　a　fortnight；　and　brought　down　upon　your　head　dire　showers　of　maledictions；　with　the　result　that　gradually　your　shop　grew　empty　of　customers；　and　you　fell　to　roaming　the　streets　and　exclaiming；　'The　world　is　a　very　poor　place　indeed！　A　Russian　cannot　make　a　living　for　German　competition。'　Well；　well！　'Elizabeta　Vorobei！'　But　that　is　a　WOMAN'S　name！　How　comes　SHE　to　be　on　the　list？　That　villain　Sobakevitch　must　have　sneaked　her　in　without　my　knowing　it。〃

〃'Grigori　Goiezhai…ne…Doiedesh；'〃　he　went　on。　〃What　sort　of　a　man　were　YOU；　I　wonder？　Were　you　a　carrier　who；　having　set　up　a　team　of　three　horses　and　a　tilt　waggon；　left　your　home；　your　native　hovel；　for　ever；　and　departed　to　cart　merchandise　to　market？　Was　it　on　the　highway　that　you　surrendered　your　soul　to　God；　or　did　your　friends　first　marry　you　to　some　fat；　red…faced　soldier's　daughter；　after　which　your　harness　and　team　of　rough；　but　sturdy；　horses　caught　a　highwayman's　fancy；　and　you；　lying　on　your　pallet；　thought　things　over　until；　willy…nilly；　you　felt　that　you　must　get　up　and　make　for　the　tavern；　thereafter　blundering　into　an　icehole？　Ah；　our　peasant　of　Russia！　Never　do　you　welcome　death　when　it　comes！〃

〃And　you；　my　friends？〃　continued　Chichikov；　turning　to　the　sheet　whereon　were　inscribed　the　names　of　Plushkin's　absconded　serfs。　〃Although　you　are　still　alive；　what　is　the　good　of　you？　You　are　practically　dead。　Whither；　I　wonder；　have　your　fugitive　feet　carried　you？　Did　you　fare　hardly　at　Plushkin's；　or　was　it　that　your　natural　inclinations　led　you　to　prefer　roaming　the　wilds　and　plundering　travellers？　Are　you；　by　this　time；　in　gaol；　or　have　you　taken　service　with　other　masters　for　the　tillage　of　their　lands？　'Eremei　Kariakin；　Nikita　Volokita　and　Anton　Volokita　（son　of　the　foregoing）。'　To　judge　from　your　surnames；　you　would　seem　to　have　been　born　gadabouts＇1＇。　'Popov；　household　serf。'　Probably　you　are　an　educated　man；　good　P