dead souls(死魂灵)-第5节

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ning　persons　on　the　higher　rungs　of　the　social　ladder。　In　fact；　even　a　bowing　acquaintance　with　a　prince　or　a　lord　counts；　in　his　eyes；　for　more　than　do　the　most　intimate　of　relations　with　ordinary　folk。　For　the　same　reason　the　author　feels　apprehensive　on　his　hero's　account；　seeing　that　he　has　made　that　hero　a　mere　Collegiate　Councillora　mere　person　with　whom　Aulic　Councillors　might　consort；　but　upon　whom　persons　of　the　grade　of　full　General＇1＇　would　probably　bestow　one　of　those　glances　proper　to　a　man　who　is　cringing　at　their　august　feet。　Worse　still；　such　persons　of　the　grade　of　General　are　likely　to　treat　Chichikov　with　studied　negligenceand　to　an　author　studied　negligence　spells　death。

＇1＇　In　this　case　the　term　General　refers　to　a　civil　grade　equivalent　　　　　to　the　military　rank　of　the　same　title。

However；　in　spite　of　the　distressfulness　of　the　foregoing　possibilities；　it　is　time　that　I　returned　to　my　hero。　After　issuing；　overnight；　the　necessary　orders；　he　awoke　early；　washed　himself；　rubbed　himself　from　head　to　foot　with　a　wet　sponge　（a　performance　executed　only　on　Sundaysand　the　day　in　question　happened　to　be　a　Sunday）；　shaved　his　face　with　such　care　that　his　cheeks　issued　of　absolutely　satin…like　smoothness　and　polish；　donned　first　his　bilberry…coloured；　spotted　frockcoat；　and　then　his　bearskin　overcoat；　descended　the　staircase　（attended；　throughout；　by　the　waiter）　and　entered　his　britchka。　With　a　loud　rattle　the　vehicle　left　the　inn…yard；　and　issued　into　the　street。　A　passing　priest　doffed　his　cap；　and　a　few　urchins　in　grimy　shirts　shouted；　〃Gentleman；　please　give　a　poor　orphan　a　trifle！〃　Presently　the　driver　noticed　that　a　sturdy　young　rascal　was　on　the　point　of　climbing　onto　the　splashboard；　wherefore　he　cracked　his　whip　and　the　britchka　leapt　forward　with　increased　speed　over　the　cobblestones。　At　last；　with　a　feeling　of　relief；　the　travellers　caught　sight　of　macadam　ahead；　which　promised　an　end　both　to　the　cobblestones　and　to　sundry　other　annoyances。　And；　sure　enough；　after　his　head　had　been　bumped　a　few　more　times　against　the　boot　of　the　conveyance；　Chichikov　found　himself　bowling　over　softer　ground。　On　the　town　receding　into　the　distance；　the　sides　of　the　road　began　to　be　varied　with　the　usual　hillocks；　fir　trees；　clumps　of　young　pine；　trees　with　old；　scarred　trunks；　bushes　of　wild　juniper；　and　so　forth；　Presently　there　came　into　view　also　strings　of　country　villas　which；　with　their　carved　supports　and　grey　roofs　（the　latter　looking　like　pendent；　embroidered　tablecloths）；　resembled；　rather；　bundles　of　old　faggots。　Likewise　the　customary　peasants；　dressed　in　sheepskin　jackets；　could　be　seen　yawning　on　benches　before　their　huts；　while　their　womenfolk；　fat　of　feature　and　swathed　of　bosom；　gazed　out　of　upper　windows；　and　the　windows　below　displayed；　here　a　peering　calf；　and　there　the　unsightly　jaws　of　a　pig。　In　short；　the　view　was　one　of　the　familiar　type。　After　passing　the　fifteenth　verst…stone　Chichikov　suddenly　recollected　that；　according　to　Manilov；　fifteen　versts　was　the　exact　distance　between　his　country　house　and　the　town；　but　the　sixteenth　verst　stone　flew　by；　and　the　said　country　house　was　still　nowhere　to　be　seen。　In　fact；　but　for　the　circumstance　that　the　travellers　happened　to　encounter　a　couple　of　peasants；　they　would　have　come　on　their　errand　in　vain。　To　a　query　as　to　whether　the　country　house　known　as　Zamanilovka　was　anywhere　in　the　neighbourhood　the　peasants　replied　by　doffing　their　caps；　after　which　one　of　them　who　seemed　to　boast　of　a　little　more　intelligence　than　his　companion；　and　who　wore　a　wedge…shaped　beard；　made　answer：

〃Perhaps　you　mean　Manilovkanot　ZAmanilovka？〃

〃Yes；　yesManilovka。〃

〃Manilovka；　eh？　Well；　you　must　continue　for　another　verst；　and　then　you　will　see　it　straight　before　you；　on　the　right。〃

〃On　the　right？〃　re…echoed　the　coachman。

〃Yes；　on　the　right；〃　affirmed　the　peasant。　〃You　are　on　the　proper　road　for　Manilovka；　but　ZAmanilovkawell；　there　is　no　such　place。　The　house　you　mean　is　called　Manilovka　because　Manilovka　is　its　name；　but　no　house　at　all　is　called　ZAmanilovka。　The　house　you　mean　stands　there；　on　that　hill；　and　is　a　stone　house　in　which　a　gentleman　lives；　and　its　name　is　Manilovka；　but　ZAmanilovka　does　not　stand　hereabouts；　nor　ever　has　stood。〃

So　the　travellers　proceeded　in　search　of　Manilovka；　and；　after　driving　an　additional　two　versts；　arrived　at　a　spot　whence　there　branched　off　a　by…road。　Yet　two；　three；　or　four　versts　of　the　by…road　had　been　covered　before　they　saw　the　least　sign　of　a　two…storied　stone　mansion。　Then　it　was　that　Chichikov　suddenly　recollected　that；　when　a　friend　has　invited　one　to　visit　his　country　house；　and　has　said　that　the　distance　thereto　is　fifteen　versts；　the　distance　is　sure　to　turn　out　to　be　at　least　thirty。

Not　many　people　would　have　admired　the　situation　of　Manilov's　abode；　for　it　stood　on　an　isolated　rise　and　was　open　to　every　wind　that　blew。　On　the　slope　of　the　rise　lay　closely…mown　turf；　while；　disposed　here　and　there；　after　the　English　fashion；　were　flower…beds　containing　clumps　of　lilac　and　yellow　acacia。　Also；　there　were　a　few　insignificant　groups　of　slender…leaved；　pointed…tipped　birch　trees；　with；　under　two　of　the　latter；　an　arbour　having　a　shabby　green　cupola；　some　blue…painted　wooden　supports；　and　the　inscription　〃This　is　the　Temple　of　Solitary　Thought。〃　Lower　down　the　slope　lay　a　green…coated　pondgreen…coated　ponds　constitute　a　frequent　spectacle　in　the　gardens　of　Russian　landowners；　and；　lastly；　from　the　foot　of　the　declivity　there　stretched　a　line　of　mouldy；　log…built　huts　which；　for　some　obscure　reason　or　another；　our　hero　set　himself　to　count。　Up　to　two　hundred　or　more　did　he　count；　but　nowhere　could　he　perceive　a　single　leaf　of　vegetation　or　a　single　stick　of　timber。　The　only　thing　to　greet　the　eye　was　the　logs　of　which　the　huts　were　constructed。　Nevertheless　the　scene　was　to　a　certain　extent　enlivened　by　the　spectacle　of　two　peasant　women　who；　with　clothes　picturesquely　tucked　up；　were　wading　knee…deep　in　the　pond　and　dragging　behind　them；　with　wooden　handles；　a　ragged　fishing…net；　in　the　meshes　of　which　two　crawfish　and　a　roach　with　glistening　scales　were　entangled。　The　women　appeared　to　have　cause　of　dispute　between　themselvesto　be　rating　one　another　about　something。　In　the　background；　and　to　one　side　of　the　house；　showed　a　faint；　dusky　blur　of　pinewood；　and　even　the　weather　was　in　keeping　with　the　surroundings；　since　the　day　was　neither　clear　nor　dull；　but　of　the　grey　tint　which　may　be　noted　in　uniforms　of　garrison　soldiers　which　have　seen　long　service。　To　complete　the　picture；　a　cock；　the　recognised　harbinger　of　atmospheric　mutations；　was　present；　and；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　a　certain　connection　with　affairs　of　gallantry　had　led　to　his　having　had　his　head　pecked　bare　by　other　cocks；　he　flapped　a　pair　of　wingsappendages　as　bare　as　two　pieces　of　bastand　crowed　loudly。

As　Chichikov　approached　the　courtyard　of　the　mansion　he　caught　sight　of　his　host　（clad　in　a　green　frock　coat）　standing　on　the　verandah　and　pressing　one　hand　to　his　eyes　to　shield　them　from　the　sun　and　so　get　a　better　view　of　the　approaching　carriage。　In　proportion　as　the　britchka　drew　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　verandah；　the　host's　eyes　assumed　a　more　and　more　delighted　expression；　and　his　smile　a　broader　and　broader　sweep。

〃Paul　Ivanovitch！〃　he　exclaimed　when　at　length　Chichikov　leapt　from　the　vehicle。　〃Never　should　I　have　believed　that　you　would　have　remembered　us！〃

The　two　friends　exchanged　hearty　embraces；　and　Manilov　then　conducted　his　guest　to　the　drawing…room。　During　the　brief　time　that　they　are　traversing　the　hall；　the　anteroom；　and　the　dining…room；　let　me　try　to　say　something　concerning　the　master　of　the　house。　But　such　an　undertaking　bristles　with　difficultiesit　promises　to　be　a　far　less　easy　task　than　the　depicting　of　some　outstanding　personality　which　calls　but　for　a　wholesale　dashing　of　colours　upon　the　canvasthe　colours　of　a　pair　of　dark；　burning　eyes；　a　pair　of　dark；　beetling　brows；　a　forehead　seamed　with　wrinkles；　a　black；　or　a　fiery…red；　cloak　thrown　backwards　over　the　shoulder；　and　so　forth；　and　so　forth。　Yet；　so　numerous　are　Russian　serf　owners　that；　though　careful　scrutiny　reveals　to　one's　sight　a　quantity　of　outre　peculiarities；　they　are；　as　a　class；　exceedingly　difficult　to　portray；　and　one　needs　to　strain　one's　faculties　to　the　utmost　before　it　becomes　possible　to　pick　out　their　variously　subtle；　their　almost　invisible；　features。　In　short；　one　needs；　before　doing　this；　to　carry　out　a　prolonged　probing　with　the　aid　of　an　insight　sharpened　in　the　acute　school　of　research。

Only　God　can　say　what　Manilov's　real　character　was。　A　class　of　men　exists　whom　the　proverb　has　described　as　〃men　unto　themselves；　neither　this　nor　thatneither　Bogdan　of　the　city　nor　Selifan　of　the　village。〃　And　to　that　class　we　had　better　assign　also　Manilov。　Outwardly　he　was　presentable　enough；　for　his　features　were　not　wanting　in　amiability；　but　that　amiability　was　a　quality　into　which　there　entered　too　much　of　the　sugary　element；　so　that　his　every　gesture；　his　every　attitude；　seemed　to　connote　an　excess　of　eagerness　to　curry　favour　and　cultivate　a　closer　acquaintance。　On　first　speaking　to　the　man；　his　ingratiating　smile；　his　flaxen　hair；　an