dead souls(死魂灵)-第72节

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s　the　God　who　projected　creation　as　the　supreme　happiness；　and　now　demands　of　man　that　he；　too；　should　act　as　the　creator　of　prosperity。　Yet　there　are　folk　who　call　such　functions　tedious！〃

Kostanzhoglo's　mellifluous　periods　fell　upon　Chichikov's　ear　like　the　notes　of　a　bird　of　paradise。　From　time　to　time　he　gulped；　and　his　softened　eyes　expressed　the　pleasure　which　it　gave　him　to　listen。

〃Constantine；　it　is　time　to　leave　the　table；〃　said　the　lady　of　the　house；　rising　from　her　seat。　Every　one　followed　her　example；　and　Chichikov　once　again　acted　as　his　hostess's　escortalthough　with　less　dexterity　of　deportment　than　before；　owing　to　the　fact　that　this　time　his　thoughts　were　occupied　with　more　essential　matters　of　procedure。

〃In　spite　of　what　you　say；〃　remarked　Platon　as　he　walked　behind　the　pair；　〃I；　for　my　part；　find　these　things　wearisome。〃

But　the　master　of　the　house　paid　no　attention　to　his　remark；　for　he　was　reflecting　that　his　guest　was　no　fool；　but　a　man　of　serious　thought　and　speech　who　did　not　take　things　lightly。　And；　with　the　thought；　Kostanzhoglo　grew　lighter　in　soul；　as　though　he　had　warmed　himself　with　his　own　words；　and　were　exulting　in　the　fact　that　he　had　found　some　one　capable　of　listening　to　good　advice。

When　they　had　settled　themselves　in　the　cosy；　candle…lighted　drawing…room；　with　its　balcony　and　the　glass　door　opening　out　into　the　gardena　door　through　which　the　stars　could　be　seen　glittering　amid　the　slumbering　tops　of　the　treesChichikov　felt　more　comfortable　than　he　had　done　for　many　a　day　past。　It　was　as　though；　after　long　journeying；　his　own　roof…tree　had　received　him　once　morehad　received　him　when　his　quest　had　been　accomplished；　when　all　that　he　wished　for　had　been　gained；　when　his　travelling…staff　had　been　laid　aside　with　the　words　〃It　is　finished。〃　And　of　this　seductive　frame　of　mind　the　true　source　had　been　the　eloquent　discourse　of　his　hospitable　host。　Yes；　for　every　man　there　exist　certain　things　which；　instantly　that　they　are　said；　seem　to　touch　him　more　closely；　more　intimately；　than　anything　has　done　before。　Nor　is　it　an　uncommon　occurrence　that　in　the　most　unexpected　fashion；　and　in　the　most　retired　of　retreats；　one　will　suddenly　come　face　to　face　with　a　man　whose　burning　periods　will　lead　one　to　forget　oneself　and　the　tracklessness　of　the　route　and　the　discomfort　of　one's　nightly　halting…places；　and　the　futility　of　crazes　and　the　falseness　of　tricks　by　which　one　human　being　deceives　another。　And　at　once　there　will　become　engraven　upon　one's　memoryvividly；　and　for　all　timethe　evening　thus　spent。　And　of　that　evening　one's　remembrance　will　hold　true；　both　as　to　who　was　present；　and　where　each　such　person　sat；　and　what　he　or　she　was　wearing；　and　what　the　walls　and　the　stove　and　other　trifling　features　of　the　room　looked　like。

In　the　same　way　did　Chichikov　note　each　detail　that　eveningboth　the　appointments　of　the　agreeable；　but　not　luxuriously　furnished；　room；　and　the　good…humoured　expression　which　reigned　on　the　face　of　the　thoughtful　host；　and　the　design　of　the　curtains；　and　the　amber…mounted　pipe　smoked　by　Platon；　and　the　way　in　which　he　kept　puffing　smoke　into　the　fat　jowl　of　the　dog　Yarb；　and　the　sneeze　which；　on　each　such　occasion；　Yarb　vented；　and　the　laughter　of　the　pleasant…faced　hostess　（though　always　followed　by　the　words　〃Pray　do　not　tease　him　any　more〃）　and　the　cheerful　candle…light；　and　the　cricket　chirping　in　a　corner；　and　the　glass　door；　and　the　spring　night　which；　laying　its　elbows　upon　the　tree…tops；　and　spangled　with　stars；　and　vocal　with　the　nightingales　which　were　pouring　forth　warbled　ditties　from　the　recesses　of　the　foliage；　kept　glancing　through　the　door；　and　regarding　the　company　within。

〃How　it　delights　me　to　hear　your　words；　good　Constantine　Thedorovitch！〃　said　Chichikov。　〃Indeed；　nowhere　in　Russia　have　I　met　with　a　man　of　equal　intellect。〃

Kostanzhoglo　smiled；　while　realising　that　the　compliment　was　scarcely　deserved。

〃If　you　want　a　man　of　GENUINE　intellect；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　tell　you　of　one。　He　is　a　man　whose　boot　soles　are　worth　more　than　my　whole　body。〃

〃Who　may　he　be？〃　asked　Chichikov　in　astonishment。

〃Murazov；　our　local　Commissioner　of　Taxes。〃

〃Ah！　I　have　heard　of　him　before；〃　remarked　Chichikov。

〃He　is　a　man　who；　were　he　not　the　director　of　an　estate；　might　well　be　a　director　of　the　Empire。　And　were　the　Empire　under　my　direction；　I　should　at　once　appoint　him　my　Minister　of　Finance。〃

〃I　have　heard　tales　beyond　belief　concerning　himfor　instance；　that　he　has　acquired　ten　million　roubles。〃

〃Ten？　More　than　forty。　Soon　half　Russia　will　be　in　his　hands。〃

〃You　don't　say　so？〃　cried　Chichikov　in　amazement。

〃Yes；　certainly。　The　man　who　has　only　a　hundred　thousand　roubles　to　work　with　grows　rich　but　slowly；　whereas　he　who　has　millions　at　his　disposal　can　operate　over　a　greater　radius；　and　so　back　whatsoever　he　undertakes　with　twice　or　thrice　the　money　which　can　be　brought　against　him。　Consequently　his　field　becomes　so　spacious　that　he　ends　by　having　no　rivals。　Yes；　no　one　can　compete　with　him；　and；　whatsoever　price　he　may　fix　for　a　given　commodity；　at　that　price　it　will　have　to　remain；　nor　will　any　man　be　able　to　outbid　it。〃

〃My　God！〃　muttered　Chichikov；　crossing　himself；　and　staring　at　Kostanzhoglo　with　his　breath　catching　in　his　throat。　〃The　mind　cannot　grasp　itit　petrifies　one's　thoughts　with　awe。　You　see　folk　marvelling　at　what　Science　has　achieved　in　the　matter　of　investigating　the　habits　of　cowbugs；　but　to　me　it　is　a　far　more　marvellous　thing　that　in　the　hands　of　a　single　mortal　there　can　become　accumulated　such　gigantic　sums　of　money。　But　may　I　ask　whether　the　great　fortune　of　which　you　speak　has　been　acquired　through　honest　means？〃

〃Yes；　through　means　of　the　most　irreproachable　kindthrough　the　most　honourable　of　methods。〃

〃Yet　so　improbable　does　it　seem　that　I　can　scarcely　believe　it。　Thousands　I　could　understand；　but　millions！〃

〃On　the　contrary；　to　make　thousands　honestly　is　a　far　more　difficult　matter　than　to　make　millions。　Millions　are　easily　come　by；　for　a　millionaire　has　no　need　to　resort　to　crooked　ways；　the　way　lies　straight　before　him；　and　he　needs　but　to　annex　whatsoever　he　comes　across。　No　rival　will　spring　up　to　oppose　him；　for　no　rival　will　be　sufficiently　strong；　and　since　the　millionaire　can　operate　over　an　extensive　radius；　he　can　bring　（as　I　have　said）　two　or　three　roubles　to　bear　upon　any　one　else's　one。　Consequently；　what　interest　will　he　derive　from　a　thousand　roubles？　Why；　ten　or　twenty　per　cent。　at　the　least。〃

〃And　it　is　beyond　measure　marvellous　that　the　whole　should　have　started　from　a　single　kopeck。〃

〃Had　it　started　otherwise；　the　thing　could　never　have　been　done　at　all。　Such　is　the　normal　course。　He　who　is　born　with　thousands；　and　is　brought　up　to　thousands；　will　never　acquire　a　single　kopeck　more；　for　he　will　have　been　set　up　with　the　amenities　of　life　in　advance；　and　so　never　come　to　stand　in　need　of　anything。　It　is　necessary　to　begin　from　the　beginning　rather　than　from　the　middle；　from　a　kopeck　rather　than　from　a　rouble；　from　the　bottom　rather　than　from　the　top。　For　only　thus　will　a　man　get　to　know　the　men　and　conditions　among　which　his　career　will　have　to　be　carved。　That　is　to　say；　through　encountering　the　rough　and　the　tumble　of　life；　and　through　learning　that　every　kopeck　has　to　be　beaten　out　with　a　three…kopeck　nail；　and　through　worsting　knave　after　knave；　he　will　acquire　such　a　degree　of　perspicuity　and　wariness　that　he　will　err　in　nothing　which　he　may　tackle；　and　never　come　to　ruin。　Believe　me；　it　is　so。　The　beginning；　and　not　the　middle；　is　the　right　starting　point。　No　one　who　comes　to　me　and　says；　'Give　me　a　hundred　thousand　roubles；　and　I　will　grow　rich　in　no　time；'　do　I　believe；　for　he　is　likely　to　meet　with　failure　rather　than　with　the　success　of　which　he　is　so　assured。　'Tis　with　a　kopeck；　and　with　a　kopeck　only；　that　a　man　must　begin。〃

〃If　that　is　so；　_I_　shall　grow　rich；〃　said　Chichikov；　involuntarily　remembering　the　dead　souls。　〃For　of　a　surety　_I_　began　with　nothing。〃

〃Constantine；　pray　allow　Paul　Ivanovitch　to　retire　to　rest；〃　put　in　the　lady　of　the　house。　〃It　is　high　time；　and　I　am　sure　you　have　talked　enough。〃

〃Yes；　beyond　a　doubt　you　will　grow　rich；〃　continued　Kostanzhoglo；　without　heeding　his　wife。　〃For　towards　you　there　will　run　rivers　and　rivers　of　gold；　until　you　will　not　know　what　to　do　with　all　your　gains。〃

As　though　spellbound；　Chichikov　sat　in　an　aureate　world　of　ever…growing　dreams　and　fantasies。　All　his　thoughts　were　in　a　whirl；　and　on　a　carpet　of　future　wealth　his　tumultuous　imagination　was　weaving　golden　patterns；　while　ever　in　his　ears　were　ringing　the　words；　〃towards　you　there　will　run　rivers　and　rivers　of　gold。〃

〃Really；　Constantine；　DO　allow　Paul　Ivanovitch　to　go　to　bed。〃

〃What　on　earth　is　the　matter？〃　retorted　the　master　of　the　household　testily。　〃Pray　go　yourself　if　you　wish　to。〃　Then　he　stopped　short；　for　the　snoring　of　Platon　was　filling　the　whole　room；　and　alsooutrivalling　itthat　of　the　dog　Yarb。　This　caused　Kostanzhoglo　to　realise　that　bedtime　really　had　arrived；　wherefore；　after　he　had　shaken　Platon　out　of　his　slumbers；　and　bidden　Chichikov　good　night；　all　dispersed　to　their　several　chambers；　and　became　plunged　in　sleep。

Al