dead souls(死魂灵)-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　upon　folk　who　are　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　an　undeniable　influence。　A　millionaire　suffers　from　the　disadvantage　of　everywhere　having　to　behold　meanness；　including　the　sort　of　meanness　which；　though　not　actually　based　upon　calculations　of　self…interest；　yet　runs　after　the　wealthy　man　with　smiles；　and　doffs　his　hat；　and　begs　for　invitations　to　houses　where　the　millionaire　is　known　to　be　going　to　dine。　That　a　similar　inclination　to　meanness　seized　upon　the　ladies　of　N。　goes　without　saying；　with　the　result　that　many　a　drawing…room　heard　it　whispered　that；　if　Chichikov　was　not　exactly　a　beauty；　at　least　he　was　sufficiently　good…looking　to　serve　for　a　husband；　though　he　could　have　borne　to　have　been　a　little　more　rotund　and　stout。　To　that　there　would　be　added　scornful　references　to　lean　husbands；　and　hints　that　they　resembled　tooth…brushes　rather　than　menwith　many　other　feminine　additions。　Also；　such　crowds　of　feminine　shoppers　began　to　repair　to　the　Bazaar　as　almost　to　constitute　a　crush；　and　something　like　a　procession　of　carriages　ensued；　so　long　grew　the　rank　of　vehicles。　For　their　part；　the　tradesmen　had　the　joy　of　seeing　highly　priced　dress　materials　which　they　had　brought　at　fairs；　and　then　been　unable　to　dispose　of；　now　suddenly　become　tradeable；　and　go　off　with　a　rush。　For　instance；　on　one　occasion　a　lady　appeared　at　Mass　in　a　bustle　which　filled　the　church　to　an　extent

which　led　the　verger　on　duty　to　bid　the　commoner　folk　withdraw　to　the　porch；　lest　the　lady's　toilet　should　be　soiled　in　the　crush。　Even　Chichikov　could　not　help　privately　remarking　the　attention　which　he　aroused。　On　one　occasion；　when　he　returned　to　the　inn；　he　found　on　his　table　a　note　addressed　to　himself。　Whence　it　had　come；　and　who　had　delivered　it；　he　failed　to　discover；　for　the　waiter　declared　that　the　person　who　had　brought　it　had　omitted　to　leave　the　name　of　the　writer。　Beginning　abruptly　with　the　words　〃I　MUST　write　to　you；〃　the　letter　went　on　to　say　that　between　a　certain　pair　of　souls　there　existed　a　bond　of　sympathy；　and　this　verity　the　epistle　further　confirmed　with　rows　of　full　stops　to　the　extent　of　nearly　half　a　page。　Next　there　followed　a　few　reflections　of　a　correctitude　so　remarkable　that　I　have　no　choice　but　to　quote　them。　〃What；　I　would　ask；　is　this　life　of　ours？〃　inquired　the　writer。　〃'Tis　nought　but　a　vale　of　woe。　And　what；　I　would　ask；　is　the　world？　'Tis　nought　but　a　mob　of　unthinking　humanity。〃　Thereafter；　incidentally　remarking　that　she　had　just　dropped　a　tear　to　the　memory　of　her　dear　mother；　who　had　departed　this　life　twenty…five　years　ago；　the　（presumably）　lady　writer　invited　Chichikov　to　come　forth　into　the　wilds；　and　to　leave　for　ever　the　city　where；　penned　in　noisome　haunts；　folk　could　not　even　draw　their　breath。　In　conclusion；　the　writer　gave　way　to　unconcealed　despair；　and　wound　up　with　the　following　verses：

　　　　〃Two　turtle　doves　to　thee；　one　day；　　　　　My　dust　will　show；　congealed　in　death；　　　　　And；　cooing　wearily；　they'll　say：　　　　　'In　grief　and　loneliness　she　drew　her　closing　breath。'〃

True；　the　last　line　did　not　scan；　but　that　was　a　trifle；　since　the　quatrain　at　least　conformed　to　the　mode　then　prevalent。　Neither　signature　nor　date　were　appended　to　the　document；　but　only　a　postscript　expressing　a　conjecture　that　Chichikov's　own　heart　would　tell　him　who　the　writer　was；　and　stating；　in　addition；　that　the　said　writer　would　be　present　at　the　Governor's　ball　on　the　following　night。

This　greatly　interested　Chichikov。　Indeed；　there　was　so　much　that　was　alluring　and　provocative　of　curiosity　in　the　anonymous　missive　that　he　read　it　through　a　second　time；　and　then　a　third；　and　finally　said　to　himself：　〃I　SHOULD　like　to　know　who　sent　it！〃　In　short；　he　took　the　thing　seriously；　and　spent　over　an　hour　in　considering　the　same。　At　length；　muttering　a　comment　upon　the　epistle's　efflorescent　style；　he　refolded　the　document；　and　committed　it　to　his　dispatch…box　in　company　with　a　play…bill　and　an　invitation　to　a　weddingthe　latter　of　which　had　for　the　last　seven　years　reposed　in　the　self…same　receptacle　and　in　the　self…same　position。　Shortly　afterwards　there　arrived　a　card　of　invitation　to　the　Governor's　ball　already　referred　to。　In　passing；　it　may　be　said　that　such　festivities　are　not　infrequent　phenomena　in　county　towns；　for　the　reason　that　where　Governors　exist　there　must　take　place　balls　if　from　the　local　gentry　there　is　to　be　evoked　that　respectful　affection　which　is　every　Governor's　due。

Thenceforth　all　extraneous　thoughts　and　considerations　were　laid　aside　in　favour　of　preparing　for　the　coming　function。　Indeed；　this　conjunction　of　exciting　and　provocative　motives　led　to　Chichikov　devoting　to　his　toilet　an　amount　of　time　never　witnessed　since　the　creation　of　the　world。　Merely　in　the　contemplation　of　his　features　in　the　mirror；　as　he　tried　to　communicate　to　them　a　succession　of　varying　expressions；　was　an　hour　spent。　First　of　all　he　strove　to　make　his　features　assume　an　air　of　dignity　and　importance；　and　then　an　air　of　humble；　but　faintly　satirical；　respect；　and　then　an　air　of　respect　guiltless　of　any　alloy　whatsoever。　Next；　he　practised　performing　a　series　of　bows　to　his　reflection；　accompanied　with　certain　murmurs　intended　to　bear　a　resemblance　to　a　French　phrase　（though　Chichikov　knew　not　a　single　word　of　the　Gallic　tongue）。　Lastly　came　the　performing　of　a　series　of　what　I　might　call　〃agreeable　surprises；〃　in　the　shape　of　twitchings　of　the　brow　and　lips　and　certain　motions　of　the　tongue。　In　short；　he　did　all　that　a　man　is　apt　to　do　when　he　is　not　only　alone；　but　also　certain　that　he　is　handsome　and　that　no　one　is　regarding　him　through　a　chink。　Finally　he　tapped　himself　lightly　on　the　chin；　and　said；　〃Ah；　good　old　face！〃　In　the　same　way；　when　he　started　to　dress　himself　for　the　ceremony；　the　level　of　his　high　spirits　remained　unimpaired　throughout　the　process。　That　is　to　say；　while　adjusting　his　braces　and　tying　his　tie；　he　shuffled　his　feet　in　what　was　not　exactly　a　dance；　but　might　be　called　the　entr'acte　of　a　dance：　which　performance　had　the　not　very　serious　result　of　setting　a　wardrobe　a…rattle；　and　causing　a　brush　to　slide　from　the　table　to　the　floor。

Later；　his　entry　into　the　ballroom　produced　an　extraordinary　effect。　Every　one　present　came　forward　to　meet　him；　some　with　cards　in　their　hands；　and　one　man　even　breaking　off　a　conversation　at　the　most　interesting　pointnamely；　the　point　that　〃the　Inferior　Land　Court　must　be　made　responsible　for　everything。〃　Yes；　in　spite　of　the　responsibility　of　the　Inferior　Land　Court；　the　speaker　cast　all　thoughts　of　it　to　the　winds　as　he　hurried　to　greet　our　hero。　From　every　side　resounded　acclamations　of　welcome；　and　Chichikov　felt　himself　engulfed　in　a　sea　of　embraces。　Thus；　scarcely　had　he　extricated　himself　from　the　arms　of　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　when　he　found　himself　just　as　firmly　clasped　in　the　arms　of　the　Chief　of　Police；　who；　in　turn；　surrendered　him　to　the　Inspector　of　the　Medical　Department；　who；　in　turn；　handed　him　over　to　the　Commissioner　of　Taxes；　who；　again；　committed　him　to　the　charge　of　the　Town　Architect。　Even　the　Governor；　who　hitherto　had　been　standing　among　his　womenfolk　with　a　box　of　sweets　in　one　hand　and　a　lap…dog　in　the　other；　now　threw　down　both　sweets　and　lap…dog　（the　lap…dog　giving　vent　to　a　yelp　as　he　did　so）　and　added　his　greeting　to　those　of　the　rest　of　the　company。　Indeed；　not　a　face　was　there　to　be　seen　on　which　ecstatic　delightor；　at　all　events；　the　reflection　of　other　people's　ecstatic　delightwas　not　painted。　The　same　expression　may　be　discerned　on　the　faces　of　subordinate　officials　when；　the　newly　arrived　Director　having　made　his　inspection；　the　said　officials　are　beginning　to　get　over　their　first　sense　of　awe　on　perceiving　that　he　has　found　much　to　commend；　and　that　he　can　even　go　so　far　as　to　jest　and　utter　a　few　words　of　smiling　approval。　Thereupon　every　tchinovnik　responds　with　a　smile　of　double　strength；　and　those　who　（it　may　be）　have　not　heard　a　single　word　of　the　Director's　speech　smile　out　of　sympathy　with　the　rest；　and　even　the　gendarme　who　is　posted　at　the　distant　doora　man；　perhaps；　who　has　never　before　compassed　a　smile；　but　is　more　accustomed　to　dealing　out　blows　to　the　populacesummons　up　a　kind　of　grin；　even　though　the　grin　resembles　the　grimace　of　a　man　who　is　about　to　sneeze　after　inadvertently　taking　an　over…large　pinch　of　snuff。　To　all　and　sundry　Chichikov　responded　with　a　bow；　and　felt　extraordinarily　at　his　ease　as　he　did　so。　To　right　and　left　did　he　incline　his　head　in　the　sidelong；　yet　unconstrained；　manner　that　was　his　wont　and　never　failed　to　charm　the　beholder。　As　for　the　ladies；　they　clustered　around　him　in　a　shining　bevy　that　was　redolent　of　every　species　of　perfumeof　roses；　of　spring　violets；　and　of　mignonette；　so　much　so　that　instinctively　Chichikov　raised　his　nose　to　snuff　the　air。　Likewise　the　ladies'　dresses　displayed　an　endless　profusion　of　taste　and　variety；　and　though　the　majority　of　their　wearers　evinced　a　tendency　to　embonpoint；　those　wearers　knew　how　to　call　upon　art　for　the　concealment　of　the　fact。　Confronting　them；　Chichikov　thought　to　himself：　〃Which　of　these　beauties　is　the　writer　of　the　letter？〃　Then　again　he　snuffed　the　air。　When　the　ladies　had；　to　a　certain　extent；　returned　to　their　seats；　h