dead souls(死魂灵)-第6节

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ate　a　closer　acquaintance。　On　first　speaking　to　the　man；　his　ingratiating　smile；　his　flaxen　hair；　and　his　blue　eyes　would　lead　one　to　say；　〃What　a　pleasant；　good…tempered　fellow　he　seems！〃　yet　during　the　next　moment　or　two　one　would　feel　inclined　to　say　nothing　at　all；　and；　during　the　third　moment；　only　to　say；　〃The　devil　alone　knows　what　he　is！〃　And　should；　thereafter；　one　not　hasten　to　depart；　one　would　inevitably　become　overpowered　with　the　deadly　sense　of　ennui　which　comes　of　the　intuition　that　nothing　in　the　least　interesting　is　to　be　looked　for；　but　only　a　series　of　wearisome　utterances　of　the　kind　which　are　apt　to　fall　from　the　lips　of　a　man　whose　hobby　has　once　been　touched　upon。　For　every　man　HAS　his　hobby。　One　man's　may　be　sporting　dogs；　another　man's　may　be　that　of　believing　himself　to　be　a　lover　of　music；　and　able　to　sound　the　art　to　its　inmost　depths；　another's　may　be　that　of　posing　as　a　connoisseur　of　recherche　cookery；　another's　may　be　that　of　aspiring　to　play　roles　of　a　kind　higher　than　nature　has　assigned　him；　another's　（though　this　is　a　more　limited　ambition）　may　be　that　of　getting　drunk；　and　of　dreaming　that　he　is　edifying　both　his　friends；　his　acquaintances；　and　people　with　whom　he　has　no　connection　at　all　by　walking　arm…in…arm　with　an　Imperial　aide…de…camp；　another's　may　be　that　of　possessing　a　hand　able　to　chip　corners　off　aces　and　deuces　of　diamonds；　another's　may　be　that　of　yearning　to　set　things　straightin　other　words；　to　approximate　his　personality　to　that　of　a　stationmaster　or　a　director　of　posts。　In　short；　almost　every　man　has　his　hobby　or　his　leaning；　yet　Manilov　had　none　such；　for　at　home　he　spoke　little；　and　spent　the　greater　part　of　his　time　in　meditationthough　God　only　knows　what　that　meditation　comprised！　Nor　can　it　be　said　that　he　took　much　interest　in　the　management　of　his　estate；　for　he　never　rode　into　the　country；　and　the　estate　practically　managed　itself。　Whenever　the　bailiff　said　to　him；　〃It　might　be　well　to　have　such…and…such　a　thing　done；〃　he　would　reply；　〃Yes；　that　is　not　a　bad　idea；〃　and　then　go　on　smoking　his　pipea　habit　which　he　had　acquired　during　his　service　in　the　army；　where　he　had　been　looked　upon　as　an　officer　of　modesty；　delicacy；　and　refinement。　〃Yes；　it　is　NOT　a　bad　idea；〃　he　would　repeat。　Again；　whenever　a　peasant　approached　him　and；　rubbing　the　back　of　his　neck；　said　〃Barin；　may　I　have　leave　to　go　and　work　for　myself；　in　order　that　I　may　earn　my　obrok＇2＇？〃　he　would　snap　out；　with　pipe　in　mouth　as　usual；　〃Yes；　go！〃　and　never　trouble　his　head　as　to　whether　the　peasant's　real　object　might　not　be　to　go　and　get　drunk。　True；　at　intervals　he　would　say；　while　gazing　from　the　verandah　to　the　courtyard；　and　from　the　courtyard　to　the　pond；　that　it　would　be　indeed　splendid　if　a　carriage　drive　could　suddenly　materialise；　and　the　pond　as　suddenly　become　spanned　with　a　stone　bridge；　and　little　shops　as　suddenly　arise　whence　pedlars　could　dispense　the　petty　merchandise　of　the　kind　which　peasantry　most　need。　And　at　such　moments　his　eyes　would　grow　winning；　and　his　features　assume　an　expression　of　intense　satisfaction。　Yet　never　did　these　projects　pass　beyond　the　stage　of　debate。　Likewise　there　lay　in　his　study　a　book　with　the　fourteenth　page　permanently　turned　down。　It　was　a　book　which　he　had　been　reading　for　the　past　two　years！　In　general；　something　seemed　to　be　wanting　in　the　establishment。　For　instance；　although　the　drawing…room　was　filled　with　beautiful　furniture；　and　upholstered　in　some　fine　silken　material　which　clearly　had　cost　no　inconsiderable　sum；　two　of　the　chairs　lacked　any　covering　but　bast；　and　for　some　years　past　the　master　had　been　accustomed　to　warn　his　guests　with　the　words；　〃Do　not　sit　upon　these　chairs；　they　are　not　yet　ready　for　use。〃　Another　room　contained　no　furniture　at　all；　although；　a　few　days　after　the　marriage；　it　had　been　said：　〃My　dear；　to…morrow　let　us　set　about　procuring　at　least　some　TEMPORARY　furniture　for　this　room。〃　Also；　every　evening　would　see　placed　upon　the　drawing…room　table　a　fine　bronze　candelabrum；　a　statuette　representative　of　the　Three　Graces；　a　tray　inlaid　with　mother…of…pearl；　and　a　rickety；　lop…sided　copper　invalide。　Yet　of　the　fact　that　all　four　articles　were　thickly　coated　with　grease　neither　the　master　of　the　house　nor　the　mistress　nor　the　servants　seemed　to　entertain　the　least　suspicion。　At　the　same　time；　Manilov　and　his　wife　were　quite　satisfied　with　each　other。　More　than　eight　years　had　elapsed　since　their　marriage；　yet　one　of　them　was　for　ever　offering　his　or　her　partner　a　piece　of　apple　or　a　bonbon　or　a　nut；　while　murmuring　some　tender　something　which　voiced　a　whole…hearted　affection。　〃Open　your　mouth；　dearest〃thus　ran　the　formula〃and　let　me　pop　into　it　this　titbit。〃　You　may　be　sure　that　on　such　occasions　the　〃dearest　mouth〃　parted　its　lips　most　graciously！　For　their　mutual　birthdays　the　pair　always　contrived　some　〃surprise　present〃　in　the　shape　of　a　glass　receptacle　for　tooth…powder；　or　what　not；　and　as　they　sat　together　on　the　sofa　he　would　suddenly；　and　for　some　unknown　reason；　lay　aside　his　pipe；　and　she　her　work　（if　at　the　moment　she　happened　to　be　holding　it　in　her　hands）　and　husband　and　wife　would　imprint　upon　one　another's　cheeks　such　a　prolonged　and　languishing　kiss　that　during　its　continuance　you　could　have　smoked　a　small　cigar。　In　short；　they　were　what　is　known　as　〃a　very　happy　couple。〃　Yet　it　may　be　remarked　that　a　household　requires　other　pursuits　to　be　engaged　in　than　lengthy　embracings　and　the　preparing　of　cunning　〃surprises。〃　Yes；　many　a　function　calls　for　fulfilment。　For　instance；　why　should　it　be　thought　foolish　or　low　to　superintend　the　kitchen？　Why　should　care　not　be　taken　that　the　storeroom　never　lacks　supplies？　Why　should　a　housekeeper　be　allowed　to　thieve？　Why　should　slovenly　and　drunken　servants　exist？　Why　should　a　domestic　staff　be　suffered　in　indulge　in　bouts　of　unconscionable　debauchery　during　its　leisure　time？　Yet　none　of　these　things　were　thought　worthy　of　consideration　by　Manilov's　wife；　for　she　had　been　gently　brought　up；　and　gentle　nurture；　as　we　all　know；　is　to　be　acquired　only　in　boarding　schools；　and　boarding　schools；　as　we　know；　hold　the　three　principal　subjects　which　constitute　the　basis　of　human　virtue　to　be　the　French　language　（a　thing　indispensable　to　the　happiness　of　married　life）；　piano…playing　（a　thing　wherewith　to　beguile　a　husband's　leisure　moments）；　and　that　particular　department　of　housewifery　which　is　comprised　in　the　knitting　of　purses　and　other　〃surprises。〃　Nevertheless　changes　and　improvements　have　begun　to　take　place；　since　things　now　are　governed　more　by　the　personal　inclinations　and　idiosyncracies　of　the　keepers　of　such　establishments。　For　instance；　in　some　seminaries　the　regimen　places　piano…playing　first；　and　the　French　language　second；　and　then　the　above　department　of　housewifery；　while　in　other　seminaries　the　knitting　of　〃surprises〃　heads　the　list；　and　then　the　French　language；　and　then　the　playing　of　pianosso　diverse　are　the　systems　in　force！　None　the　less；　I　may　remark　that　Madame　Manilov

＇2＇　An　annual　tax　upon　peasants；　payment　of　which　secured　to　the　payer　　　　　the　right　of　removal。

But　let　me　confess　that　I　always　shrink　from　saying　too　much　about　ladies。　Moreover；　it　is　time　that　we　returned　to　our　heroes；　who；　during　the　past　few　minutes；　have　been　standing　in　front　of　the　drawing…room　door；　and　engaged　in　urging　one　another　to　enter　first。

〃Pray　be　so　good　as　not　to　inconvenience　yourself　on　my　account；〃　said　Chichikov。　〃_I_　will　follow　YOU。〃

〃No；　Paul　Ivanovitchno！　You　are　my　guest。〃　And　Manilov　pointed　towards　the　doorway。

〃Make　no　difficulty　about　it；　I　pray；〃　urged　Chichikov。　〃I　beg　of　you　to　make　no　difficulty　about　it；　but　to　pass　into　the　room。〃

〃Pardon　me；　I　will　not。　Never　could　I　allow　so　distinguished　and　so　welcome　a　guest　as　yourself　to　take　second　place。〃

〃Why　call　me　'distinguished；'　my　dear　sir？　I　beg　of　you　to　proceed。〃

〃Nay；　be　YOU　pleased　to　do　so。〃

〃And　why？〃

〃For　the　reason　which　I　have　stated。〃　And　Manilov　smiled　his　very　pleasantest　smile。

Finally　the　pair　entered　simultaneously　and　sideways；　with　the　result　that　they　jostled　one　another　not　a　little　in　the　process。

〃Allow　me　to　present　to　you　my　wife；〃　continued　Manilov。　〃My　dearPaul　Ivanovitch。〃

Upon　that　Chichikov　caught　sight　of　a　lady　whom　hitherto　he　had　overlooked；　but　who；　with　Manilov；　was　now　bowing　to　him　in　the　doorway。　Not　wholly　of　unpleasing　exterior；　she　was　dressed　in　a　well…fitting；　high…necked　morning　dress　of　pale…coloured　silk；　and　as　the　visitor　entered　the　room　her　small　white　hands　threw　something　upon　the　table　and　clutched　her　embroidered　skirt　before　rising　from　the　sofa　where　she　had　been　seated。　Not　without　a　sense　of　pleasure　did　Chichikov　take　her　hand　as；　lisping　a　little；　she　declared　that　she　and　her　husband　were　equally　gratified　by　his　coming；　and　that；　of　late；　not　a　day　had　passed　without　her　husband　recalling　him　to　mind。

〃Yes；〃　affirmed　Manilov；　〃and　every　day　SHE　has　said　to　ME：　'Why　does　not　your　friend　put　in　an　appearance？'　'Wait　a　little　dearest；'　I　have　always　replied。　''Twill　not　be　long　now　before　he　comes。'　And　you　HAVE　come；　you　HAVE　honoured　us　with　a　visit；　you　HAVE　bestowed　upon　us　a　treata　treat　destined　to　conve