dead souls(死魂灵)-第7节

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　come；　you　HAVE　honoured　us　with　a　visit；　you　HAVE　bestowed　upon　us　a　treata　treat　destined　to　convert　this　day　into　a　gala　day；　a　true　birthday　of　the　heart。〃

The　intimation　that　matters　had　reached　the　point　of　the　occasion　being　destined　to　constitute　a　〃true　birthday　of　the　heart〃　caused　Chichikov　to　become　a　little　confused；　wherefore　he　made　modest　reply　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　neither　of　distinguished　origin　nor　distinguished　rank。

〃Ah；　you　ARE　so；〃　interrupted　Manilov　with　his　fixed　and　engaging　smile。　〃You　are　all　that；　and　more。〃

〃How　like　you　our　town？〃　queried　Madame。　〃Have　you　spent　an　agreeable　time　in　it？〃

〃Very；〃　replied　Chichikov。　〃The　town　is　an　exceedingly　nice　one；　and　I　have　greatly　enjoyed　its　hospitable　society。〃

〃And　what　do　you　think　of　our　Governor？〃

〃Yes；　IS　he　not　a　most　engaging　and　dignified　personage？〃　added　Manilov。

〃He　is　all　that；〃　assented　Chichikov。　〃Indeed；　he　is　a　man　worthy　of　the　greatest　respect。　And　how　thoroughly　he　performs　his　duty　according　to　his　lights！　Would　that　we　had　more　like　him！〃

〃And　the　tactfulness　with　which　he　greets　every　one！〃　added　Manilov；　smiling；　and　half…closing　his　eyes；　like　a　cat　which　is　being　tickled　behind　the　ears。

〃Quite　so；〃　assented　Chichikov。　〃He　is　a　man　of　the　most　eminent　civility　and　approachableness。　And　what　an　artist！　Never　should　I　have　thought　he　could　have　worked　the　marvellous　household　samplers　which　he　has　done！　Some　specimens　of　his　needlework　which　he　showed　me　could　not　well　have　been　surpassed　by　any　lady　in　the　land！〃

〃And　the　Vice…Governor；　toohe　is　a　nice　man；　is　he　not？〃　inquired　Manilov　with　renewed　blinkings　of　the　eyes。

〃Who？　The　Vice…Governor？　Yes；　a　most　worthy　fellow！〃　replied　Chichikov。

〃And　what　of　the　Chief　of　Police？　Is　it　not　a　fact　that　he　too　is　in　the　highest　degree　agreeable？〃

〃Very　agreeable　indeed。　And　what　a　clever；　well…read　individual！　With　him　and　the　Public　Prosecutor　and　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　I　played　whist　until　the　cocks　uttered　their　last　morning　crow。　He　is　a　most　excellent　fellow。〃

〃And　what　of　his　wife？〃　queried　Madame　Manilov。　〃Is　she　not　a　most　gracious　personality？〃

〃One　of　the　best　among　my　limited　acquaintance；〃　agreed　Chichikov。

Nor　were　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　and　the　Postmaster　overlooked；　until　the　company　had　run　through　the　whole　list　of　urban　officials。　And　in　every　case　those　officials　appeared　to　be　persons　of　the　highest　possible　merit。

〃Do　you　devote　your　time　entirely　to　your　estate？〃　asked　Chichikov；　in　his　turn。

〃Well；　most　of　it；〃　replied　Manilov；　〃though　also　we　pay　occasional　visits　to　the　town；　in　order　that　we　may　mingle　with　a　little　well…bred　society。　One　grows　a　trifle　rusty　if　one　lives　for　ever　in　retirement。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　agreed　Chichikov。

〃Yes；　quite　so；〃　capped　Manilov。　〃At　the　same　time；　it　would　be　a　different　matter　if　the　neighbourhood　were　a　GOOD　oneif；　for　example；　one　had　a　friend　with　whom　one　could　discuss　manners　and　polite　deportment；　or　engage　in　some　branch　of　science；　and　so　stimulate　one's　wits。　For　that　sort　of　thing　gives　one's　intellect　an　airing。　It；　it〃　At　a　loss　for　further　words；　he　ended　by　remarking　that　his　feelings　were　apt　to　carry　him　away；　after　which　he　continued　with　a　gesture：　〃What　I　mean　is　that；　were　that　sort　of　thing　possible；　I；　for　one；　could　find　the　country　and　an　isolated　life　possessed　of　great　attractions。　But；　as　matters　stand；　such　a　thing　is　NOT　possible。　All　that　I　can　manage　to　do　is；　occasionally；　to　read　a　little　of　A　Son　of　the　Fatherland。〃

With　these　sentiments　Chichikov　expressed　entire　agreement：　adding　that　nothing　could　be　more　delightful　than　to　lead　a　solitary　life　in　which　there　should　be　comprised　only　the　sweet　contemplation　of　nature　and　the　intermittent　perusal　of　a　book。

〃Nay；　but　even　THAT　were　worth　nothing　had　not　one　a　friend　with　whom　to　share　one's　life；〃　remarked　Manilov。

〃True；　true；〃　agreed　Chichikov。　〃Without　a　friend；　what　are　all　the　treasures　in　the　world？　'Possess　not　money；'　a　wise　man　has　said；　'but　rather　good　friends　to　whom　to　turn　in　case　of　need。'〃

〃Yes；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　Manilov　with　a　glance　not　merely　sweet；　but　positively　lusciousa　glance　akin　to　the　mixture　which　even　clever　physicians　have　to　render　palatable　before　they　can　induce　a　hesitant　patient　to　take　it。　〃Consequently　you　may　imagine　what　happinesswhat　PERFECT　happiness；　so　to　speakthe　present　occasion　has　brought　me；　seeing　that　I　am　permitted　to　converse　with　you　and　to　enjoy　your　conversation。〃

〃But　WHAT　of　my　conversation？〃　replied　Chichikov。　〃I　am　an　insignificant　individual；　and；　beyond　that；　nothing。〃

〃Oh；　Paul　Ivanovitch！〃　cried　the　other。　〃Permit　me　to　be　frank；　and　to　say　that　I　would　give　half　my　property　to　possess　even　a　PORTION　of　the　talents　which　you　possess。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　should　consider　it　the　highest　honour　in　the　world　if〃

The　lengths　to　which　this　mutual　outpouring　of　soul　would　have　proceeded　had　not　a　servant　entered　to　announce　luncheon　must　remain　a　mystery。

〃I　humbly　invite　you　to　join　us　at　table；〃　said　Manilov。　〃Also；　you　will　pardon　us　for　the　fact　that　we　cannot　provide　a　banquet　such　as　is　to　be　obtained　in　our　metropolitan　cities？　We　partake　of　simple　fare；　according　to　Russian　customwe　confine　ourselves　to　shtchi＇3＇；　but　we　do　so　with　a　single　heart。　Come；　I　humbly　beg　of　you。〃

＇3＇　Cabbage　soup。

After　another　contest　for　the　honour　of　yielding　precedence；　Chichikov　succeeded　in　making　his　way　（in　zigzag　fashion）　to　the　dining…room；　where　they　found　awaiting　them　a　couple　of　youngsters。　These　were　Manilov's　sons；　and　boys　of　the　age　which　admits　of　their　presence　at　table；　but　necessitates　the　continued　use　of　high　chairs。　Beside　them　was　their　tutor；　who　bowed　politely　and　smiled；　after　which　the　hostess　took　her　seat　before　her　soup　plate；　and　the　guest　of　honour　found　himself　esconsed　between　her　and　the　master　of　the　house；　while　the　servant　tied　up　the　boys'　necks　in　bibs。

〃What　charming　children！〃　said　Chichikov　as　he　gazed　at　the　pair。　〃And　how　old　are　they？〃

〃The　eldest　is　eight；〃　replied　Manilov；　〃and　the　younger　one　attained　the　age　of　six　yesterday。〃

〃Themistocleus；〃　went　on　the　father；　turning　to　his　first…born；　who　was　engaged　in　striving　to　free　his　chin　from　the　bib　with　which　the　footman　had　encircled　it。　On　hearing　this　distinctly　Greek　name　（to　which；　for　some　unknown　reason；　Manilov　always　appended　the　termination　〃eus〃）；　Chichikov　raised　his　eyebrows　a　little；　but　hastened；　the　next　moment；　to　restore　his　face　to　a　more　befitting　expression。

〃Themistocleus；〃　repeated　the　father；　〃tell　me　which　is　the　finest　city　in　France。〃

Upon　this　the　tutor　concentrated　his　attention　upon　Themistocleus；　and　appeared　to　be　trying　hard　to　catch　his　eye。　Only　when　Themistocleus　had　muttered　〃Paris〃　did　the　preceptor　grow　calmer；　and　nod　his　head。

〃And　which　is　the　finest　city　in　Russia？〃　continued　Manilov。

Again　the　tutor's　attitude　became　wholly　one　of　concentration。

〃St。　Petersburg；〃　replied　Themistocleus。

〃And　what　other　city？〃

〃Moscow；〃　responded　the　boy。

〃Clever　little　dear！〃　burst　out　Chichikov；　turning　with　an　air　of　surprise　to　the　father。　〃Indeed；　I　feel　bound　to　say　that　the　child　evinces　the　greatest　possible　potentialities。〃

〃You　do　not　know　him　fully；〃　replied　the　delighted　Manilov。　〃The　amount　of　sharpness　which　he　possesses　is　extraordinary。　Our　younger　one；　Alkid；　is　not　so　quick；　whereas　his　brotherwell；　no　matter　what　he　may　happen　upon　（whether　upon　a　cowbug　or　upon　a　water…beetle　or　upon　anything　else）；　his　little　eyes　begin　jumping　out　of　his　head；　and　he　runs　to　catch　the　thing；　and　to　inspect　it。　For　HIM　I　am　reserving　a　diplomatic　post。　Themistocleus；〃　added　the　father；　again　turning　to　his　son；　〃do　you　wish　to　become　an　ambassador？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　replied　Themistocleus；　chewing　a　piece　of　bread　and　wagging　his　head　from　side　to　side。

At　this　moment　the　lacquey　who　had　been　standing　behind　the　future　ambassador　wiped　the　latter's　nose；　and　well　it　was　that　he　did　so；　since　otherwise　an　inelegant　and　superfluous　drop　would　have　been　added　to　the　soup。　After　that　the　conversation　turned　upon　the　joys　of　a　quiet　lifethough　occasionally　it　was　interrupted　by　remarks　from　the　hostess　on　the　subject　of　acting　and　actors。　Meanwhile　the　tutor　kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　speakers'　faces；　and　whenever　he　noticed　that　they　were　on　the　point　of　laughing　he　at　once　opened　his　mouth；　and　laughed　with　enthusiasm。　Probably　he　was　a　man　of　grateful　heart　who　wished　to　repay　his　employers　for　the　good　treatment　which　he　had　received。　Once；　however；　his　features　assumed　a　look　of　grimness　as；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　his　vis…a…vis；　the　boys；　he　tapped　sternly　upon　the　table。　This　happened　at　a　juncture　when　Themistocleus　had　bitten　Alkid　on　the　ear；　and　the　said　Alkid；　with　frowning　eyes　and　open　mouth；　was　preparing　himself　to　sob　in　piteous　fashion；　until；　recognising　that　for　such　a　proceeding　he　might　possibly　be　deprived　of　his　plate；　he　hastened　to　restore　his　mouth　to　its　original　expression；　and　fell　tearfully　to　gnawing　a　mutton　bonethe　grease　from　which　had　soon　covered　his　cheeks。

Every　now　and　again　the　hoste