dead souls(死魂灵)-第50节
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Clerk 〃Papenka；〃 or to kiss his hand； and the matter of the wedding came to as abrupt a termination as though it had never been mooted。 Yet also he never failed to press his late host's hand； whenever he met him； and to invite him to tea； while； on the other hand； for all his immobility and dry indifference； the Chief Clerk never failed to shake his head with a muttered； 〃Ah； my fine fellow； you have grown too proud； you have grown too proud。〃
The foregoing constituted the most difficult step that our hero had to negotiate。 Thereafter things came with greater ease and swifter success。 Everywhere he attracted notice； for he developed within himself everything necessary for this worldnamely； charm of manner and bearing； and great diligence in business matters。 Armed with these resources； he next obtained promotion to what is known as 〃a fat post；〃 and used it to the best advantage； and even though； at that period； strict inquiry had begun to be made into the whole subject of bribes； such inquiry failed to alarm himnay； he actually turned it to account and thereby manifested the Russian resourcefulness which never fails to attain its zenith where extortion is concerned。 His method of working was the following。 As soon as a petitioner or a suitor put his hand into his pocket； to extract thence the necessary letters of recommendation for signature； Chichikov would smilingly exclaim as he detained his interlocutor's hand： 〃No； no！ Surely you do not think that I？ But no； no！ It is our duty； it is our obligation； and we do not require rewards for doing our work properly。 So far as YOUR matter is concerned； you may rest easy。 Everything shall be carried through to…morrow。 But may I have your address？ There is no need to trouble yourself； seeing that the documents can easily be brought to you at your residence。〃 Upon which the delighted suitor would return home in raptures； thinking： 〃Here； at long last； is the sort of man so badly needed。 A man of that kind is a jewel beyond price。〃 Yet for a day； for two daysnay； even for threethe suitor would wait in vain so far as any messengers with documents were concerned。 Then he would repair to the officeto find that his business had not so much as been entered upon！ Lastly； he would confront the 〃jewel beyond price。〃 〃Oh； pardon me； pardon me！〃 Chichikov would exclaim in the politest of tones as he seized and grasped the visitor's hands。 〃The truth is that we have SUCH a quantity of business on hand！ But the matter shall be put through to…morrow； and in the meanwhile I am most sorry about it。〃 And with this would go the most fascinating of gestures。 Yet neither on the morrow； nor on the day following； nor on the third would documents arrive at the suitor's abode。 Upon that he would take thought as to whether something more ought not to have been done； and； sure enough； on his making inquiry； he would be informed that 〃something will have to be given to the copyists。〃 〃Well； there can be no harm in that；〃 he would reply。 〃As a matter of fact； I have ready a tchetvertak＇3＇ or two。〃 〃Oh； no； no；〃 the answer would come。 〃Not a tchetvertak per copyist； but a rouble； is the fee。〃 〃What？ A rouble per copyist？〃 〃Certainly。 What is there to grumble at in that？ Of the money the copyists will receive a tchetvertak apiece； and the rest will go to the Government。〃 Upon that the disillusioned suitor would fly out upon the new order of things brought about by the inquiry into illicit fees； and curse both the tchinovniks and their uppish； insolent behaviour。 〃Once upon a time；〃 would the suitor lament； 〃one DID know what to do。 Once one had tipped the Director a bank…note； one's affair was； so to speak； in the hat。 But now one has to pay a rouble per copyist after waiting a week because otherwise it was impossible to guess how the wind might set！ The devil fly away with all 'disinterested' and 'trustworthy' tchinovniks！〃 And certainly the aggrieved suitor had reason to grumble； seeing that； now that bribe…takers had ceased to exist； and Directors had uniformly become men of honour and integrity； secretaries and clerks ought not with impunity to have continued their thievish ways。 In time there opened out to Chichikov a still wider field； for a Commission was appointed to supervise the erection of a Government building； and； on his being nominated to that body； he proved himself one of its most active members。 The Commission got to work without delay； but for a space of six years had some trouble with the building in question。 Either the climate hindered operations or the materials used were of the kind which prevents official edifices from ever rising higher than the basement。 But； meanwhile； OTHER quarters of the town saw arise； for each member of the Commission； a handsome house of the NON…official style of architecture。 Clearly the foundation afforded by the soil of those parts was better than that where the Government building was still engaged in hanging fire！ Likewise the members of the Commission began to look exceedingly prosperous； and to blossom out into family life； and； for the first time in his existence； even Chichikov also departed from the iron laws of his self…imposed restraint and inexorable self…denial； and so far mitigated his heretofore asceticism as to show himself a man not averse to those amenities which； during his youth； he had been capable of renouncing。 That is to say； certain superfluities began to make their appearance in his establishment。 He engaged a good cook； took to wearing linen shirts； bought for himself cloth of a pattern worn by no one else in the province； figured in checks shot with the brightest of reds and browns； fitted himself out with two splendid horses （which he drove with a single pair of reins； added to a ring attachment for the trace horse）； developed a habit of washing with a sponge dipped in eau…de…Cologne； and invested in soaps of the most expensive quality； in order to communicate to his skin a more elegant polish。
＇3＇ A silver quarter rouble。
But suddenly there appeared upon the scene a new Directora military man； and a martinet as regarded his hostility to bribe…takers and anything which might be called irregular。 On the very day after his arrival he struck fear into every breast by calling for accounts； discovering hosts of deficits and missing sums； and directing his attention to the aforesaid fine houses of civilian architecture。 Upon that there ensued a complete reshuffling。 Tchinovniks were retired wholesale； and the houses were sequestrated to the Government； or else converted into various pious institutions and schools for soldiers' children。 Thus the whole fabric； and especially Chichikov； came crashing to the ground。 Particularly did our hero's agreeable face displease the new Director。 Why that was so it is impossible to say； but frequently； in cases of the kind； no reason exists。 However； the Director conceived a mortal dislike to him； and also extended that enmity to the whole of Chichikov's colleagues。 But inasmuch as the said Director was a military man； he was not fully acquainted with the myriad subtleties of the civilian mind； wherefore it was not long before； by dint of maintaining a discreet exterior； added to a faculty for humouring all and sundry； a fresh gang of tchinovniks succeeded in restoring him to mildness； and the General found himself in the hands of greater thieves than before； but thieves whom he did not even suspect； seeing that he believed himself to have selected men fit and proper； and even ventured to boast of possessing a keen eye for talent。 In a trice the tchinovniks concerned appraised his spirit and character； with the result that the entire sphere over which he ruled became an agency for the detection of irregularities。 Everywhere； and in every case； were those irregularities pursued as a fisherman pursues a fat sturgeon with a gaff； and to such an extent did the sport prove successful that almost in no time each participator in the hunt was seen to be in possession of several thousand roubles of capital。 Upon that a large number of the former band of tchinovniks also became converted to paths of rectitude； and were allowed to re…enter the Service； but not by hook or by crook could Chichikov worm his way back； even though； incited thereto by sundry items of paper currency； the General's first secretary and principal bear leader did all he could on our hero's behalf。 It seemed that the General was the kind of man who； though easily led by the nose （provided it was done without his knowledge） no sooner got an idea into his head than it stuck there like a nail； and could not possibly be extracted； and all that the wily secretary succeeded in procuring was the tearing up of a certain dirty fragment of papereven that being effected only by an appeal to the General's compassion； on the score of the unhappy fate which； otherwise； would befall Chichikov's wife and children （who； luckily； had no existence in fact）。
〃Well；〃 said Chichikov to himself； 〃I have done my best； and now everything has failed。 Lamenting my misfortune won't help me； but only action。〃 And with that he decided to begin his career anew； and once more to arm himself with the weapons of patience and self…denial。 The better to effect this； he had； of
