dead souls(死魂灵)-第61节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



This　speecha　speech　of　fascinating　bonhomiedelivered；　the　guest　executed　a　sort　of　shuffle　with　a　half…boot　of　patent　leather　studded　with　buttons　of　mother…of…pearl；　and　followed　that　up　by　（in　spite　of　his　pronounced　rotundity　of　figure）　stepping　backwards　with　all　the　elan　of　an　india…rubber　ball。

From　this　the　somewhat　reassured　Tientietnikov　concluded　that　his　visitor　must　be　a　literary；　knowledge…seeking　professor　who　was　engaged　in　roaming　the　country　in　search　of　botanical　specimens　and　fossils；　wherefore　he　hastened　to　express　both　his　readiness　to　further　the　visitor's　objects　（whatever　they　might　be）　and　his　personal　willingness　to　provide　him　with　the　requisite　wheelwrights　and　blacksmiths。　Meanwhile　he　begged　his　guest　to　consider　himself　at　home；　and；　after　seating　him　in　an　armchair；　made　preparations　to　listen　to　the　newcomer's　discourse　on　natural　history。

But　the　newcomer　applied　himself；　rather；　to　phenomena　of　the　internal　world；　saying　that　his　life　might　be　likened　to　a　barque　tossed　on　the　crests　of　perfidious　billows；　that　in　his　time　he　had　been　fated　to　play　many　parts；　and　that　on　more　than　one　occasion　his　life　had　stood　in　danger　at　the　hands　of　foes。　At　the　same　time；　these　tidings　were　communicated　in　a　manner　calculated　to　show　that　the　speaker　was　also　a　man　of　PRACTICAL　capabilities。　In　conclusion；　the　visitor　took　out　a　cambric　pocket…handkerchief；　and　sneezed　into　it　with　a　vehemence　wholly　new　to　Tientietnikov's　experience。　In　fact；　the　sneeze　rather　resembled　the　note　which；　at　times；　the　trombone　of　an　orchestra　appears　to　utter　not　so　much　from　its　proper　place　on　the　platform　as　from　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　listener's　ear。　And　as　the　echoes　of　the　drowsy　mansion　resounded　to　the　report　of　the　explosion　there　followed　upon　the　same　a　wave　of　perfume；　skilfully　wafted　abroad　with　a　flourish　of　the　eau…de…Cologne…scented　handkerchief。

By　this　time　the　reader　will　have　guessed　that　the　visitor　was　none　other　than　our　old　and　respected　friend　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov。　Naturally；　time　had　not　spared　him　his　share　of　anxieties　and　alarms；　wherefore　his　exterior　had　come　to　look　a　trifle　more　elderly；　his　frockcoat　had　taken　on　a　suggestion　of　shabbiness；　and　britchka；　coachman；　valet；　horses；　and　harness　alike　had　about　them　a　sort　of　second…hand；　worse…for…wear　effect。　Evidently　the　Chichikovian　finances　were　not　in　the　most　flourishing　of　conditions。　Nevertheless；　the　old　expression　of　face；　the　old　air　of　breeding　and　refinement；　remained　unimpaired；　and　our　hero　had　even　improved　in　the　art　of　walking　and　turning　with　grace；　and　of　dexterously　crossing　one　leg　over　the　other　when　taking　a　seat。　Also；　his　mildness　of　diction；　his　discreet　moderation　of　word　and　phrase；　survived　in；　if　anything；　increased　measure；　and　he　bore　himself　with　a　skill　which　caused　his　tactfulness　to　surpass　itself　in　sureness　of　aplomb。　And　all　these　accomplishments　had　their　effect　further　heightened　by　a　snowy　immaculateness　of　collar　and　dickey；　and　an　absence　of　dust　from　his　frockcoat；　as　complete　as　though　he　had　just　arrived　to　attend　a　nameday　festival。　Lastly；　his　cheeks　and　chin　were　of　such　neat　clean…shavenness　that　no　one　but　a　blind　man　could　have　failed　to　admire　their　rounded　contours。

From　that　moment　onwards　great　changes　took　place　in　Tientietnikov's　establishment；　and　certain　of　its　rooms　assumed　an　unwonted　air　of　cleanliness　and　order。　The　rooms　in　question　were　those　assigned　to　Chichikov；　while　one　other　apartmenta　little　front　chamber　opening　into　the　hallbecame　permeated　with　Petrushka's　own　peculiar　smell。　But　this　lasted　only　for　a　little　while；　for　presently　Petrushka　was　transferred　to　the　servants'　quarters；　a　course　which　ought　to　have　been　adopted　in　the　first　instance。

During　the　initial　days　of　Chichikov's　sojourn；　Tientietnikov　feared　rather　to　lose　his　independence；　inasmuch　as　he　thought　that　his　guest　might　hamper　his　movements；　and　bring　about　alterations　in　the　established　routine　of　the　place。　But　these　fears　proved　groundless；　for　Paul　Ivanovitch　displayed　an　extraordinary　aptitude　for　accommodating　himself　to　his　new　position。　To　begin　with；　he　encouraged　his　host　in　his　philosophical　inertia　by　saying　that　the　latter　would　help　Tientietnikov　to　become　a　centenarian。　Next；　in　the　matter　of　a　life　of　isolation；　he　hit　things　off　exactly　by　remarking　that　such　a　life　bred　in　a　man　a　capacity　for　high　thinking。　Lastly；　as　he　inspected　the　library　and　dilated　on　books　in　general；　he　contrived　an　opportunity　to　observe　that　literature　safeguarded　a　man　from　a　tendency　to　waste　his　time。　In　short；　the　few　words　of　which　he　delivered　himself　were　brief；　but　invariably　to　the　point。　And　this　discretion　of　speech　was　outdone　by　his　discretion　of　conduct。　That　is　to　say；　whether　entering　or　leaving　the　room；　he　never　wearied　his　host　with　a　question　if　Tientietnikov　had　the　air　of　being　disinclined　to　talk；　and　with　equal　satisfaction　the　guest　could　either　play　chess　or　hold　his　tongue。　Consequently　Tientietnikov　said　to　himself：

〃For　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have　met　with　a　man　with　whom　it　is　possible　to　live。　In　general；　not　many　of　the　type　exist　in　Russia；　and；　though　clever；　good…humoured；　well…educated　men　abound；　one　would　be　hard　put　to　it　to　find　an　individual　of　equable　temperament　with　whom　one　could　share　a　roof　for　centuries　without　a　quarrel　arising。　Anyway；　Chichikov　is　the　first　of　his　sort　that　I　have　met。〃

For　his　part；　Chichikov　was　only　too　delighted　to　reside　with　a　person　so　quiet　and　agreeable　as　his　host。　Of　a　wandering　life　he　was　temporarily　weary；　and　to　rest；　even　for　a　month；　in　such　a　beautiful　spot；　and　in　sight　of　green　fields　and　the　slow　flowering　of　spring；　was　likely　to　benefit　him　also　from　the　hygienic　point　of　view。　And；　indeed；　a　more　delightful　retreat　in　which　to　recuperate　could　not　possibly　have　been　found。　The　spring；　long　retarded　by　previous　cold；　had　now　begun　in　all　its　comeliness；　and　life　was　rampant。　Already；　over　the　first　emerald　of　the　grass；　the　dandelion　was　showing　yellow；　and　the　red…pink　anemone　was　hanging　its　tender　head；　while　the　surface　of　every　pond　was　a　swarm　of　dancing　gnats　and　midges；　and　the　water…spider　was　being　joined　in　their　pursuit　by　birds　which　gathered　from　every　quarter　to　the　vantage…ground　of　the　dry　reeds。　Every　species　of　creature　also　seemed　to　be　assembling　in　concourse；　and　taking　stock　of　one　another。　Suddenly　the　earth　became　populous；　the　forest　had　opened　its　eyes；　and　the　meadows　were　lifting　up　their　voice　in　song。　In　the　same　way　had　choral　dances　begun　to　be　weaved　in　the　village；　and　everywhere　that　the　eye　turned　there　was　merriment。　What　brightness　in　the　green　of　nature；　what　freshness　in　the　air；　what　singing　of　birds　in　the　gardens　of　the　mansion；　what　general　joy　and　rapture　and　exaltation！　Particularly　in　the　village　might　the　shouting　and　singing　have　been　in　honour　of　a　wedding！

Chichikov　walked　hither；　thither；　and　everywherea　pursuit　for　which　there　was　ample　choice　and　facility。　At　one　time　he　would　direct　his　steps　along　the　edge　of　the　flat　tableland；　and　contemplate　the　depths　below；　where　still　there　lay　sheets　of　water　left　by　the　floods　of　winter；　and　where　the　island…like　patches　of　forest　showed　leafless　boughs；　while　at　another　time　he　would　plunge　into　the　thicket　and　ravine　country；　where　nests　of　birds　weighted　branches　almost　to　the　ground；　and　the　sky　was　darkened　with　the　criss…cross　flight　of　cawing　rooks。　Again；　the　drier　portions　of　the　meadows　could　be　crossed　to　the　river　wharves；　whence　the　first　barges　were　just　beginning　to　set　forth　with　pea…meal　and　barley　and　wheat；　while　at　the　same　time　one's　ear　would　be　caught　with　the　sound　of　some　mill　resuming　its　functions　as　once　more　the　water　turned　the　wheel。　Chichikov　would　also　walk　afield　to　watch　the　early　tillage　operations　of　the　season；　and　observe　how　the　blackness　of　a　new　furrow　would　make　its　way　across　the　expanse　of　green；　and　how　the　sower；　rhythmically　striking　his　hand　against　the　pannier　slung　across　his　breast；　would　scatter　his　fistfuls　of　seed　with　equal　distribution；　apportioning　not　a　grain　too　much　to　one　side　or　to　the　other。

In　fact；　Chichikov　went　everywhere。　He　chatted　and　talked；　now　with　the　bailiff；　now　with　a　peasant；　now　with　a　miller；　and　inquired　into　the　manner　and　nature　of　everything；　and　sought　information　as　to　how　an　estate　was　managed；　and　at　what　price　corn　was　selling；　and　what　species　of　grain　was　best　for　spring　and　autumn　grinding；　and　what　was　the　name　of　each　peasant；　and　who　were　his　kinsfolk；　and　where　he　had　bought　his　cow；　and　what　he　fed　his　pigs　on。　Chichikov　also　made　inquiry　concerning　the　number　of　peasants　who　had　lately　died：　but　of　these　there　appeared　to　be　few。　And　suddenly　his　quick　eye　discerned　that　Tientietnikov's　estate　was　not　being　worked　as　it　might　have　beenthat　much　neglect　and　listlessness　and　pilfering　and　drunkenness　was　abroad；　and　on　perceiving　this；　he　thought　to　himself：　〃What　a　fool　is　that　Tientietnikov！　To　think　of　letting　a　property　like　this　decay　when　he　might　be　drawing　from　it　an　income　of　fifty　thousand　roubles　a　year！〃

Also；　more　than　once；　while　taking　these　walks；　our　hero　po