dead souls(死魂灵)-第49节

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　master　not　less　than　two　or　three　times　as　the　latter　walked　homeward；　in　order　that；　on　each　occasion；　he　might　doff　his　cap。　And　the　scheme　proved　entirely　successful。　Throughout　the　period　of　his　attendance　at　school　he　was　held　in　high　favour；　and；　on　leaving　the　establishment；　received　full　marks　for　every　subject；　as　well　as　a　diploma　and　a　book　inscribed　（in　gilt　letters）　〃For　Exemplary　Diligence　and　the　Perfection　of　Good　Conduct。〃　By　this　time　he　had　grown　into　a　fairly　good…looking　youth　of　the　age　when　the　chin　first　calls　for　a　razor；　and　at　about　the　same　period　his　father　died；　leaving　behind　him；　as　his　estate；　four　waistcoats　completely　worn　out；　two　ancient　frockcoats；　and　a　small　sum　of　money。　Apparently　he　had　been　skilled　only　in　RECOMMENDING　the　saving　of　kopecksnot　in　ACTUALLY　PRACTISING　the　art。　Upon　that　Chichikov　sold　the　old　house　and　its　little　parcel　of　land　for　a　thousand　roubles；　and　removed；　with　his　one　serf　and　the　serf's　family；　to　the　capital；　where　he　set　about　organising　a　new　establishment　and　entering　the　Civil　Service。　Simultaneously　with　his　doing　so；　his　old　schoolmaster　lost　（through　stupidity　or　otherwise）　the　establishment　over　which　he　had　hitherto　presided；　and　in　which　he　had　set　so　much　store　by　silence　and　good　behaviour。　Grief　drove　him　to　drink；　and　when　nothing　was　left；　even　for　that　purpose；　he　retiredill；　helpless；　and　starvinginto　a　broken…down；　cheerless　hovel。　But　certain　of　his　former　pupilsthe　same　clever；　witty　lads　whom　he　had　once　been　wont　to　accuse　of　impertinence　and　evil　conduct　generallyheard　of　his　pitiable　plight；　and　collected　for　him　what　money　they　could；　even　to　the　point　of　selling　their　own　necessaries。　Only　Chichikov；　when　appealed　to；　pleaded　inability；　and　compromised　with　a　contribution　of　a　single　piatak＇2＇：　which　his　old　schoolfellows　straightway　returned　himfull　in　the　face；　and　accompanied　with　a　shout　of　〃Oh；　you　skinflint！〃　As　for　the　poor　schoolmaster；　when　he　heard　what　his　former　pupils　had　done；　he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　the　tears　gushed　from　his　failing　eyes　as　from　those　of　a　helpless　infant。　〃God　has　brought　you　but　to　weep　over　my　death…bed；〃　he　murmured　feebly；　and　added　with　a　profound　sigh；　on　hearing　of　Chichikov's　conduct：　〃Ah；　Pavlushka；　how　a　human　being　may　become　changed！　Once　you　were　a　good　lad；　and　gave　me　no　trouble；　but　now　you　are　become　proud　indeed！〃

＇2＇　Silver　five　kopeck　piece。

Yet　let　it　not　be　inferred　from　this　that　our　hero's　character　had　grown　so　blase　and　hard；　or　his　conscience　so　blunted；　as　to　preclude　his　experiencing　a　particle　of　sympathy　or　compassion。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　capable　both　of　the　one　and　the　other；　and　would　have　been　glad　to　assist　his　old　teacher　had　no　great　sum　been　required；　or　had　he　not　been　called　upon　to　touch　the　fund　which　he　had　decided　should　remain　intact。　In　other　words；　the　father's　injunction；　〃Guard　and　save　every　kopeck；〃　had　become　a　hard　and　fast　rule　of　the　son's。　Yet　the　youth　had　no　particular　attachment　to　money　for　money's　sake；　he　was　not　possessed　with　the　true　instinct　for　hoarding　and　niggardliness。　Rather；　before　his　eyes　there　floated　ever　a　vision　of　life　and　its　amenities　and　advantagesa　vision　of　carriages　and　an　elegantly　furnished　house　and　recherche　dinners；　and　it　was　in　the　hope　that　some　day　he　might　attain　these　things　that　he　saved　every　kopeck　and；　meanwhile；　stinted　both　himself　and　others。　Whenever　a　rich　man　passed　him　by　in　a　splendid　drozhki　drawn　by　swift　and　handsomely…caparisoned　horses；　he　would　halt　as　though　deep　in　thought；　and　say　to　himself；　like　a　man　awakening　from　a　long　sleep：　〃That　gentleman　must　have　been　a　financier；　he　has　so　little　hair　on　his　brow。〃　In　short；　everything　connected　with　wealth　and　plenty　produced　upon　him　an　ineffaceable　impression。　Even　when　he　left　school　he　took　no　holiday；　so　strong　in　him　was　the　desire　to　get　to　work　and　enter　the　Civil　Service。　Yet；　for　all　the　encomiums　contained　in　his　diploma；　he　had　much　ado　to　procure　a　nomination　to　a　Government　Department；　and　only　after　a　long　time　was　a　minor　post　found　for　him；　at　a　salary　of　thirty　or　fourty　roubles　a　year。　Nevertheless；　wretched　though　this　appointment　was；　he　determined；　by　strict　attention　to　business；　to　overcome　all　obstacles；　and　to　win　success。　And；　indeed；　the　self…denial；　the　patience；　and　the　economy　which　he　displayed　were　remarkable。　From　early　morn　until　late　at　night　he　would；　with　indefatigable　zeal　of　body　and　mind；　remain　immersed　in　his　sordid　task　of　copying　official　documentsnever　going　home；　snatching　what　sleep　he　could　on　tables　in　the　building；　and　dining　with　the　watchman　on　duty。　Yet　all　the　while　he　contrived　to　remain　clean　and　neat；　to　preserve　a　cheerful　expression　of　countenance；　and　even　to　cultivate　a　certain　elegance　of　movement。　In　passing；　it　may　be　remarked　that　his　fellow　tchinovniks　were　a　peculiarly　plain；　unsightly　lot；　some　of　them　having　faces　like　badly　baked　bread；　swollen　cheeks；　receding　chins；　and　cracked　and　blistered　upper　lips。　Indeed；　not　a　man　of　them　was　handsome。　Also；　their　tone　of　voice　always　contained　a　note　of　sullenness；　as　though　they　had　a　mind　to　knock　some　one　on　the　head；　and　by　their　frequent　sacrifices　to　Bacchus　they　showed　that　even　yet　there　remains　in　the　Slavonic　nature　a　certain　element　of　paganism。　Nay；　the　Director's　room　itself　they　would　invade　while　still　licking　their　lips；　and　since　their　breath　was　not　over…aromatic；　the　atmosphere　of　the　room　grew　not　over…pleasant。　Naturally；　among　such　an　official　staff　a　man　like　Chichikov　could　not　fail　to　attract　attention　and　remark；　since　in　everythingin　cheerfulness　of　demeanour；　in　suavity　of　voice；　and　in　complete　neglect　of　the　use　of　strong　potionshe　was　the　absolute　antithesis　of　his　companions。　Yet　his　path　was　not　an　easy　one　to　tread；　for　over　him　he　had　the　misfortune　to　have　placed　in　authority　a　Chief　Clerk　who　was　a　graven　image　of　elderly　insensibility　and　inertia。　Always　the　same；　always　unapproachable；　this　functionary　could　never　in　his　life　have　smiled　or　asked　civilly　after　an　acquaintance's　health。　Nor　had　any　one　ever　seen　him　a　whit　different　in　the　street　or　at　his　own　home　from　what　he　was　in　the　office；　or　showing　the　least　interest　in　anything　whatever；　or　getting　drunk　and　relapsing　into　jollity　in　his　cups；　or　indulging　in　that　species　of　wild　gaiety　which；　when　intoxicated；　even　a　burglar　affects。　No；　not　a　particle　of　this　was　there　in　him。　Nor；　for　that　matter；　was　there　in　him　a　particle　of　anything　at　all；　whether　good　or　bad：　which　complete　negativeness　of　character　produced　rather　a　strange　effect。　In　the　same　way；　his　wizened；　marble…like　features　reminded　one　of　nothing　in　particular；　so　primly　proportioned　were　they。　Only　the　numerous　pockmarks　and　dimples　with　which　they　were　pitted　placed　him　among　the　number　of　those　over　whose　faces；　to　quote　the　popular　saying；　〃The　Devil　has　walked　by　night　to　grind　peas。〃　In　short；　it　would　seem　that　no　human　agency　could　have　approached　such　a　man　and　gained　his　goodwill。　Yet　Chichikov　made　the　effort。　As　a　first　step；　he　took　to　consulting　the　other's　convenience　in　all　manner　of　insignificant　triflesto　cleaning　his　pens　carefully；　and；　when　they　had　been　prepared　exactly　to　the　Chief　Clerk's　liking；　laying　them　ready　at　his　elbow；　to　dusting　and　sweeping　from　his　table　all　superfluous　sand　and　tobacco　ash；　to　procuring　a　new　mat　for　his　inkstand；　to　looking　for　his　hatthe　meanest…looking　hat　that　ever　the　world　beheldand　having　it　ready　for　him　at　the　exact　moment　when　business　came　to　an　end；　to　brushing　his　back　if　it　happened　to　become　smeared　with　whitewash　from　a　wall。　Yet　all　this　passed　as　unnoticed　as　though　it　had　never　been　done。　Finally；　Chichikov　sniffed　into　his　superior's　family　and　domestic　life；　and　learnt　that　he　possessed　a　grown…up　daughter　on　whose　face　also　there　had　taken　place　a　nocturnal；　diabolical　grinding　of　peas。　HERE　was　a　quarter　whence　a　fresh　attack　might　be　delivered！　After　ascertaining　what　church　the　daughter　attended　on　Sundays；　our　hero　took　to　contriving　to　meet　her　in　a　neat　suit　and　a　well…starched　dickey：　and　soon　the　scheme　began　to　work。　The　surly　Chief　Clerk　wavered　for　a　while；　then　ended　by　inviting　Chichikov　to　tea。　Nor　could　any　man　in　the　office　have　told　you　how　it　came　about　that　before　long　Chichikov　had　removed　to　the　Chief　Clerk's　house；　and　become　a　person　necessaryindeed　indispensableto　the　household；　seeing　that　he　bought　the　flour　and　the　sugar；　treated　the　daughter　as　his　betrothed；　called　the　Chief　Clerk　〃Papenka；〃　and　occasionally　kissed　〃Papenka's〃　hand。　In　fact；　every　one　at　the　office　supposed　that；　at　the　end　of　February　（i。e。　before　the　beginning　of　Lent）　there　would　take　place　a　wedding。　Nay；　the　surly　father　even　began　to　agitate　with　the　authorities　on　Chichikov's　behalf；　and　so　enabled　our　hero；　on　a　vacancy　occurring；　to　attain　the　stool　of　a　Chief　Clerk。　Apparently　this　marked　the　consummation　of　Chichikov's　relations　with　his　host；　for　he　hastened　stealthily　to　pack　his　trunk　and；　the　next　day；　figured　in　a　fresh　lodging。　Also；　he　ceased　to　call　the　Chief　Clerk　〃Papenka；〃　or　to　kiss　his　hand；　and　the　matter　of　the　wedding　came　to　as　abrupt　a　termination