dead souls(死魂灵)-第39节

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not　without　a　certain　measure　of　intelligence　（however　strongly　the　said　compliment　may　smack　of　a　book）；　of　a　surety　the　thing　will　fall　flat。　Even　a　witticism　from　him　will　be　laughed　at　far　more　by　him　himself　than　it　will　by　the　lady　who　may　happen　to　be　listening　to　his　remarks。

These　comments　I　have　interposed　for　the　purpose　of　explaining　to　the　reader　why；　as　our　hero　conversed；　the　maiden　began　to　yawn。　Blind　to　this；　however；　he　continued　to　relate　to　her　sundry　adventures　which　had　befallen　him　in　different　parts　of　the　world。　Meanwhile　（as　need　hardly　be　said）　the　rest　of　the　ladies　had　taken　umbrage　at　his　behaviour。　One　of　them　purposely　stalked　past　him　to　intimate　to　him　the　fact；　as　well　as　to　jostle　the　Governor's　daughter；　and　let　the　flying　end　of　a　scarf　flick　her　face；　while　from　a　lady　seated　behind　the　pair　came　both　a　whiff　of　violets　and　a　very　venomous　and　sarcastic　remark。　Nevertheless；　either　he　did　not　hear　the　remark　or　he　PRETENDED　not　to　hear　it。　This　was　unwise　of　him；　since　it　never　does　to　disregard　ladies'　opinions。　Later…but　too　latehe　was　destined　to　learn　this　to　his　cost。

In　short；　dissatisfaction　began　to　display　itself　on　every　feminine　face。　No　matter　how　high　Chichikov　might　stand　in　society；　and　no　matter　how　much　he　might　be　a　millionaire　and　include　in　his　expression　of　countenance　an　indefinable　element　of　grandness　and　martial　ardour；　there　are　certain　things　which　no　lady　will　pardon；　whosoever　be　the　person　concerned。　We　know　that　at　Governor's　balls　it　is　customary　for　the　onlookers　to　compose　verses　at　the　expense　of　the　dancers；　and　in　this　case　the　verses　were　directed　to　Chichikov's　address。　Briefly；　the　prevailing　dissatisfaction　grew　until　a　tacit　edict　of　proscription　had　been　issued　against　both　him　and　the　poor　young　maiden。

But　an　even　more　unpleasant　surprise　was　in　store　for　our　hero；　for　whilst　the　young　lady　was　still　yawning　as　Chichikov　recounted　to　her　certain　of　his　past　adventures　and　also　touched　lightly　upon　the　subject　of　Greek　philosophy；　there　appeared　from　an　adjoining　room　the　figure　of　Nozdrev。　Whether　he　had　come　from　the　buffet；　or　whether　he　had　issued　from　a　little　green　retreat　where　a　game　more　strenuous　than　whist　had　been　in　progress；　or　whether　he　had　left　the　latter　resort　unaided；　or　whether　he　had　been　expelled　therefrom；　is　unknown；　but　at　all　events　when　he　entered　the　ballroom；　he　was　in　an　elevated　condition；　and　leading　by　the　arm　the　Public　Prosecutor；　whom　he　seemed　to　have　been　dragging　about　for　a　long　while　past；　seeing　that　the　poor　man　was　glancing　from　side　to　side　as　though　seeking　a　means　of　putting　an　end　to　this　personally　conducted　tour。　Certainly　he　must　have　found　the　situation　almost　unbearable；　in　view　of　the　fact　that；　after　deriving　inspiration　from　two　glasses　of　tea　not　wholly　undiluted　with　rum；　Nozdrev　was　engaged　in　lying　unmercifully。　On　sighting　him　in　the　distance；　Chichikov　at　once　decided　to　sacrifice　himself。　That　is　to　say；　he　decided　to　vacate　his　present　enviable　position　and　make　off　with　all　possible　speed；　since　he　could　see　that　an　encounter　with　the　newcomer　would　do　him　no　good。　Unfortunately　at　that　moment　the　Governor　buttonholed　him　with　a　request　that　he　would　come　and　act　as　arbiter　between　him　（the　Governor）　and　two　ladiesthe　subject　of　dispute　being　the　question　as　to　whether　or　not　woman's　love　is　lasting。　Simultaneously　Nozdrev　descried　our　hero　and　bore　down　upon　him。

〃Ah；　my　fine　landowner　of　Kherson！〃　he　cried　with　a　smile　which　set　his　fresh；　spring…rose…pink　cheeks　a…quiver。　〃Have　you　been　doing　much　trade　in　departed　souls　lately？〃　With　that　he　turned　to　the　Governor。　〃I　suppose　your　Excellency　knows　that　this　man　traffics　in　dead　peasants？〃　he　bawled。　〃Look　here；　Chichikov。　I　tell　you　in　the　most　friendly　way　possible　that　every　one　here　likes　youyes；　including　even　the　Governor。　Nevertheless；　had　I　my　way；　I　would　hang　you！　Yes；　by　God　I　would！〃

Chichikov's　discomfiture　was　complete。

〃And；　would　you　believe　it；　your　Excellency；〃　went　on　Nozdrev；　〃but　this　fellow　actually　said　to　me；　'Sell　me　your　dead　souls！'　Why；　I　laughed　till　I　nearly　became　as　dead　as　the　souls。　And；　behold；　no　sooner　do　I　arrive　here　than　I　am　told　that　he　has　bought　three　million　roubles'　worth　of　peasants　for　transferment！　For　transferment；　indeed！　And　he　wanted　to　bargain　with　me　for　my　DEAD　ones！　Look　here；　Chichikov。　You　are　a　swine！　Yes；　by　God；　you　are　an　utter　swine！　Is　not　that　so；　your　Excellency？　Is　not　that　so；　friend　Prokurator＇1＇？〃

＇1＇　Public　Prosecutor。

But　both　his　Excellency；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　and　Chichikov　were　too　taken　aback　to　reply。　The　half…tipsy　Nozdrev；　without　noticing　them；　continued　his　harangue　as　before。

〃Ah；　my　fine　sir！〃　he　cried。　〃THIS　time　I　don't　mean　to　let　you　go。　No；　not　until　I　have　learnt　what　all　this　purchasing　of　dead　peasants　means。　Look　here。　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself。　Yes；　_I_　say　that_I_　who　am　one　of　your　best　friends。〃　Here　he　turned　to　the　Governor　again。　〃Your　Excellency；〃　he　continued；　〃you　would　never　believe　what　inseperables　this　man　and　I　have　been。　Indeed；　if　you　had　stood　there　and　said　to　me；　'Nozdrev；　tell　me　on　your　honour　which　of　the　two　you　love　bestyour　father　or　Chichikov？'　I　should　have　replied；　'Chichikov；　by　God！'〃　With　that　he　tackled　our　hero　again；　〃Come；　come；　my　friend！〃　he　urged。　〃Let　me　imprint　upon　your　cheeks　a　baiser　or　two。　You　will　excuse　me　if　I　kiss　him；　will　you　not；　your　Excellency？　No；　do　not　resist　me；　Chichikov；　but　allow　me　to　imprint　at　least　one　baiser　upon　your　lily…white　cheek。〃　And　in　his　efforts　to　force　upon　Chichikov　what　he　termed　his　〃baisers〃　he　came　near　to　measuring　his　length　upon　the　floor。

Every　one　now　edged　away；　and　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　his　further　babblings；　but　his　words　on　the　subject　of　the　purchase　of　dead　souls　had　none　the　less　been　uttered　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　and　been　accompanied　with　such　uproarious　laughter　that　the　curiosity　even　of　those　who　had　happened　to　be　sitting　or　standing　in　the　remoter　corners　of　the　room　had　been　aroused。　So　strange　and　novel　seemed　the　idea　that　the　company　stood　with　faces　expressive　of　nothing　but　a　dumb；　dull　wonder。　Only　some　of　the　ladies　（as　Chichikov　did　not　fail　to　remark）　exchanged　meaning；　ill…natured　winks　and　a　series　of　sarcastic　smiles：　which　circumstance　still　further　increased　his　confusion。　That　Nozdrev　was　a　notorious　liar　every　one；　of　course；　knew；　and　that　he　should　have　given　vent　to　an　idiotic　outburst　of　this　sort　had　surprised　no　one；　but　a　dead　soulwell；　what　was　one　to　make　of　Nozdrev's　reference　to　such　a　commodity？

Naturally　this　unseemly　contretemps　had　greatly　upset　our　hero；　for；　however　foolish　be　a　madman's　words；　they　may　yet　prove　sufficient　to　sow　doubt　in　the　minds　of　saner　individuals。　He　felt　much　as　does　a　man　who；　shod　with　well…polished　boots；　has　just　stepped　into　a　dirty；　stinking　puddle。　He　tried　to　put　away　from　him　the　occurrence；　and　to　expand；　and　to　enjoy　himself　once　more。　Nay；　he　even　took　a　hand　at　whist。　But　all　was　of　no　availmatters　kept　going　as　awry　as　a　badly…bent　hoop。　Twice　he　blundered　in　his　play；　and　the　President　of　the　Council　was　at　a　loss　to　understand　how　his　friend；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　lately　so　good　and　so　circumspect　a　player；　could　perpetrate　such　a　mauvais　pas　as　to　throw　away　a　particular　king　of　spades　which　the　President　has　been　〃trusting〃　as　（to　quote　his　own　expression）　〃he　would　have　trusted　God。〃　At　supper；　too；　matters　felt　uncomfortable；　even　though　the　society　at　Chichikov's　table　was　exceedingly　agreeable　and　Nozdrev　had　been　removed；　owing　to　the　fact　that　the　ladies　had　found　his　conduct　too　scandalous　to　be　borne；　now　that　the　delinquent　had　taken　to　seating　himself　on　the　floor　and　plucking　at　the　skirts　of　passing　lady　dancers。　As　I　say；　therefore；　Chichikov　found　the　situation　not　a　little　awkward；　and　eventually　put　an　end　to　it　by　leaving　the　supper　room　before　the　meal　was　over；　and　long　before　the　hour　when　usually　he　returned　to　the　inn。

In　his　little　room；　with　its　door　of　communication　blocked　with　a　wardrobe；　his　frame　of　mind　remained　as　uncomfortable　as　the　chair　in　which　he　was　seated。　His　heart　ached　with　a　dull；　unpleasant　sensation；　with　a　sort　of　oppressive　emptiness。

〃The　devil　take　those　who　first　invented　balls！〃　was　his　reflection。　〃Who　derives　any　real　pleasure　from　them？　In　this　province　there　exist　want　and　scarcity　everywhere：　yet　folk　go　in　for　balls！　How　absurd；　too；　were　those　overdressed　women！　One　of　them　must　have　had　a　thousand　roubles　on　her　back；　and　all　acquired　at　the　expense　of　the　overtaxed　peasant；　or；　worse　still；　at　that　of　the　conscience　of　her　neighbour。　Yes；　we　all　know　why　bribes　are　accepted；　and　why　men　become　crooked　in　soul。　It　is　all　done　to　provide　wivesyes；　may　the　pit　swallow　them　up！with　fal…lals。　And　for　what　purpose？　That　some　woman　may　not　have　to　reproach　her　husband　with　the　fact　that；　say；　the　Postmaster's　wife　is　wearing　a　better　dress　than　she　isa　dress　which　has　cost　a　thousand　roubles！　'Balls　and　gaiety；　balls　and　gaiety'　is　the　constant　cry。　Yet　what　folly　balls　are！　They　do　not　consort　with　the　Russian　spirit　and　genius；　and　the　devil　only　knows　why　we　have　them。