dead souls(死魂灵)-第63节

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e　me　successively　into　the　employ　of　the　Public　Buildings　Commission；　of　the　Customs　Board；　and　of　other　Government　Offices。　But；　throughout；　my　life　has　resembled　a　barque　tossed　on　the　crests　of　perfidious　billows。　In　suffering　I　have　been　swathed　and　wrapped　until　I　have　come　to　be；　as　it　were；　suffering　personified；　while　of　the　extent　to　which　my　life　has　been　sought　by　foes；　no　words；　no　colouring；　no　（if　I　may　so　express　it？）　painter's　brush　could　ever　convey　to　you　an　adequate　idea。　And　now；　at　length；　in　my　declining　years；　I　am　seeking　a　corner　in　which　to　eke　out　the　remainder　of　my　miserable　existence；　while　at　the　present　moment　I　am　enjoying　the　hospitality　of　a　neighbour　of　your　acquaintance。〃

〃And　who　is　that？〃

〃Your　neighbour　Tientietnikov；　your　Excellency。〃

Upon　that　the　General　frowned。

〃Led　me　add；〃　put　in　Chichikov　hastily；　〃that　he　greatly　regrets　that　on　a　former　occasion　he　should　have　failed　to　show　a　proper　respect　forfor〃

〃For　what？〃　asked　the　General。

〃For　the　services　to　the　public　which　your　Excellency　has　rendered。　Indeed；　he　cannot　find　words　to　express　his　sorrow；　but　keeps　repeating　to　himself：　'Would　that　I　had　valued　at　their　true　worth　the　men　who　have　saved　our　fatherland！'〃

〃And　why　should　he　say　that？〃　asked　the　mollified　General。　〃I　bear　him　no　grudge。　In　fact；　I　have　never　cherished　aught　but　a　sincere　liking　for　him；　a　sincere　esteem；　and　do　not　doubt　but　that；　in　time；　he　may　become　a　useful　member　of　society。〃

〃In　the　words　which　you　have　been　good　enough　to　utter；〃　said　Chichikov　with　a　bow；　〃there　is　embodied　much　justice。　Yes；　Tientietnikov　is　in　very　truth　a　man　of　worth。　Not　only　does　he　possess　the　gift　of　eloquence；　but　also　he　is　a　master　of　the　pen。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　he　DOES　write　rubbish　of　some　sort；　doesn't　he？　Verses；　or　something　of　the　kind？〃

〃Not　rubbish；　your　Excellency；　but　practical　stuff。　In　short；　he　is　inditing　a　history。〃

〃A　HISTORY？　But　a　history　of　what？〃

〃A　history　of；　of〃　For　a　moment　or　two　Chichikov　hesitated。　Then；　whether　because　it　was　a　General　that　was　seated　in　front　of　him；　or　because　he　desired　to　impart　greater　importance　to　the　subject　which　he　was　about　to　invent；　he　concluded：　〃A　history　of　Generals；　your　Excellency。〃

〃Of　Generals？　Of　WHAT　Generals？〃

〃Of　Generals　generallyof　Generals　at　large。　That　is　to　say；　and　to　be　more　precise；　a　history　of　the　Generals　of　our　fatherland。〃

By　this　time　Chichikov　was　floundering　badly。　Mentally　he　spat　upon　himself　and　reflected：　〃Gracious　heavens！　What　rubbish　I　am　talking！〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　went　on　his　interlocutor；　〃but　I　do　not　quite　understand　you。　Is　Tientietnikov　producing　a　history　of　a　given　period；　or　only　a　history　made　up　of　a　series　of　biographies？　Also；　is　he　including　ALL　our　Generals；　or　only　those　who　took　part　in　the　campaign　of　1812？〃

〃The　latter；　your　Excellencyonly　the　Generals　of　1812；〃　replied　Chichikov。　Then　he　added　beneath　his　breath：　〃Were　I　to　be　killed　for　it；　I　could　not　say　what　that　may　be　supposed　to　mean。〃

〃Then　why　should　he　not　come　and　see　me　in　person？〃　went　on　his　host。　〃Possibly　I　might　be　able　to　furnish　him　with　much　interesting　material？〃

〃He　is　afraid　to　come；　your　Excellency。〃

〃Nonsense！　Just　because　of　a　hasty　word　or　two！　I　am　not　that　sort　of　man　at　all。　In　fact；　I　should　be　very　happy　to　call　upon　HIM。〃

〃Never　would　he　permit　that；　your　Excellency。　He　would　greatly　prefer　to　be　the　first　to　make　advances。〃　And　Chichikov　added　to　himself：　〃What　a　stroke　of　luck　those　Generals　were！　Otherwise；　the　Lord　knows　where　my　tongue　might　have　landed　me！〃

At　this　moment　the　door　into　the　adjoining　room　opened；　and　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　a　girl　as　fair　as　a　ray　of　the　sunso　fair；　indeed；　that　Chichikov　stared　at　her　in　amazement。　Apparently　she　had　come　to　speak　to　her　father　for　a　moment；　but　had　stopped　short　on　perceiving　that　there　was　some　one　with　him。　The　only　fault　to　be　found　in　her　appearance　was　the　fact　that　she　was　too　thin　and　fragile…looking。

〃May　I　introduce　you　to　my　little　pet？〃　said　the　General　to　Chichikov。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　do　not　know　your　name。〃

〃That　you　should　be　unacquainted　with　the　name　of　one　who　has　never　distinguished　himself　in　the　manner　of　which　you　yourself　can　boast　is　scarcely　to　be　wondered　at。〃　And　Chichikov　executed　one　of　his　sidelong；　deferential　bows。

〃Well；　I　should　be　delighted　to　know　it。〃

〃It　is　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov；　your　Excellency。〃　With　that　went　the　easy　bow　of　a　military　man　and　the　agile　backward　movement　of　an　india…rubber　ball。

〃Ulinka；　this　is　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　the　General；　turning　to　his　daughter。　〃He　has　just　told　me　some　interesting　newsnamely；　that　our　neighbour　Tientietnikov　is　not　altogether　the　fool　we　had　at　first　thought　him。　On　the　contrary；　he　is　engaged　upon　a　very　important　workupon　a　history　of　the　Russian　Generals　of　1812。〃

〃But　who　ever　supposed　him　to　be　a　fool？〃　asked　the　girl　quickly。　〃What　happened　was　that　you　took　Vishnepokromov's　wordthe　word　of　a　man　who　is　himself　both　a　fool　and　a　good…for…nothing。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　father　after　further　good…natured　dispute　on　the　subject　of　Vishnepokromov。　〃Do　you　now　run　away；　for　I　wish　to　dress　for　luncheon。　And　you；　sir；〃　he　added　to　Chichikov；　〃will　you　not　join　us　at　table？〃

Chichikov　bowed　so　low　and　so　long　that；　by　the　time　that　his　eyes　had　ceased　to　see　nothing　but　his　own　boots；　the　General's　daughter　had　disappeared；　and　in　her　place　was　standing　a　bewhiskered　butler；　armed　with　a　silver　soap…dish　and　a　hand…basin。

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　wash　in　your　presence？〃　asked　the　host。

〃By　no　means；〃　replied　Chichikov。　〃Pray　do　whatsoever　you　please　in　that　respect。〃

Upon　that　the　General　fell　to　scrubbing　himselfincidentally；　to　sending　soapsuds　flying　in　every　direction。　Meanwhile　he　seemed　so　favourably　disposed　that　Chichikov　decided　to　sound　him　then　and　there；　more　especially　since　the　butler　had　left　the　room。

〃May　I　put　to　you　a　problem？〃　he　asked。

〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　General。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃It　is　this；　your　Excellency。　I　have　a　decrepit　old　uncle　who　owns　three　hundred　souls　and　two　thousand　roubles…worth　of　other　property。　Also；　except　for　myself；　he　possesses　not　a　single　heir。　Now；　although　his　infirm　state　of　health　will　not　permit　of　his　managing　his　property　in　person；　he　will　not　allow　me　either　to　manage　it。　And　the　reason　for　his　conducthis　very　strange　conducthe　states　as　follows：　'I　do　not　know　my　nephew；　and　very　likely　he　is　a　spendthrift。　If　he　wishes　to　show　me　that　he　is　good　for　anything；　let　him　go　and　acquire　as　many　souls　as　_I_　have　acquired；　and　when　he　has　done　that　I　will　transfer　to　him　my　three　hundred　souls　as　well。〃

〃The　man　must　be　an　absolute　fool；〃　commented　the　General。

〃Possibly。　And　were　that　all；　things　would　not　be　as　bad　as　they　are。　But；　unfortunately；　my　uncle　has　gone　and　taken　up　with　his　housekeeper；　and　has　had　children　by　her。　Consequently；　everything　will　now　pass　to　THEM。〃

〃The　old　man　must　have　taken　leave　of　his　senses；〃　remarked　the　General。　〃Yet　how　_I_　can　help　you　I　fail　to　see。〃

〃Well；　I　have　thought　of　a　plan。　If　you　will　hand　me　over　all　the　dead　souls　on　your　estatehand　them　over　to　me　exactly　as　though　they　were　still　alive；　and　were　purchasable　propertyI　will　offer　them　to　the　old　man；　and　then　he　will　leave　me　his　fortune。〃

At　this　point　the　General　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter　such　as　few　can　ever　have　heard。　Half…dressed；　he　subsided　into　a　chair；　threw　back　his　head；　and　guffawed　until　he　came　near　to　choking。　In　fact；　the　house　shook　with　his　merriment；　so　much　so　that　the　butler　and　his　daughter　came　running　into　the　room　in　alarm。

It　was　long　before　he　could　produce　a　single　articulate　word；　and　even　when　he　did　so　（to　reassure　his　daughter　and　the　butler）　he　kept　momentarily　relapsing　into　spluttering　chuckles　which　made　the　house　ring　and　ring　again。

Chichikov　was　greatly　taken　aback。

〃Oh；　that　uncle！〃　bellowed　the　General　in　paroxysms　of　mirth。　〃Oh；　that　blessed　uncle！　WHAT　a　fool　he'll　look！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Dead　souls　offered　him　instead　of　live　ones！　Oh；　my　goodness！〃

〃I　suppose　I've　put　my　foot　in　it　again；〃　ruefully　reflected　Chichikov。　〃But；　good　Lord；　what　a　man　the　fellow　is　to　laugh！　Heaven　send　that　he　doesn't　burst　of　it！〃

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　broke　out　the　General　afresh。　〃WHAT　a　donkey　the　old　man　must　be！　To　think　of　his　saying　to　you：　'You　go　and　fit　yourself　out　with　three　hundred　souls；　and　I'll　cap　them　with　my　own　lot'！　My　word！　What　a　jackass！〃

〃A　jackass；　your　Excellency？〃

〃Yes；　indeed！　And　to　think　of　the　jest　of　putting　him　off　with　dead　souls！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　WHAT　wouldn't　I　give　to　see　you　handing　him　the　title　deeds？　Who　is　he？　What　is　he　like？　Is　he　very　old？〃

〃He　is　eighty；　your　Excellency。〃

〃But　still　brisk　and　able　to　move　about；　eh？　Surely　he　must　be　pretty　strong　to　go　on　living　with　his　housekeeper　like　that？〃

〃Yes。　But　what　does　such　strength　mean？　Sand　runs　away；　your　Excellency。〃

〃The　old　fool！　But　is　he　really　such　a　fool？〃

〃Yes；　your　Excellency。〃

〃And　does　he　go　out　at　all？　Does　he　see　company？　Can　he　still　hold　himself　upright？〃

〃Yes；　but　with　great　difficulty。〃

〃And　has　he　any