dead souls(死魂灵)-第15部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

came　wholly　absorbed　in　her　domestic　pursuits。　But　why　pay　her　so　much　attention？　The　Widow　Korobotchka；　Madame　Manilov；　domestic　life；　non…domestic　lifeaway　with　them　all！　How　strangely　are　things　compounded！　In　a　trice　may　joy　turn　to　sorrow；　should　one　halt　long　enough　over　it：　in　a　trice　only　God　can　say　what　ideas　may　strike　one。　You　may　fall　even　to　thinking：　〃After　all；　did　Madame　Korobotchka　stand　so　very　low　in　the　scale　of　human　perfection？　Was　there　really　such　a　very　great　gulf　between　her　and　Madame　Manilovbetween　her　and　the　Madame　Manilov　whom　we　have　seen　entrenched　behind　the　walls　of　a　genteel　mansion　in　which　there　were　a　fine　staircase　of　wrought　metal　and　a　number　of　rich　carpets；　the　Madame　Manilov　who　spent　most　of　her　time　in　yawning　behind　half…read　books；　and　in　hoping　for　a　visit　from　some　socially　distinguished　person　in　order　that　she　might　display　her　wit　and　carefully　rehearsed　thoughtsthoughts　which　had　been　de　rigeur　in　town　for　a　week　past；　yet　which　referred；　not　to　what　was　going　on　in　her　household　or　on　her　estateboth　of　which　properties　were　at　odds　and　ends；　owing　to　her　ignorance　of　the　art　of　managing　thembut　to　the　coming　political　revolution　in　France　and　the　direction　in　which　fashionable　Catholicism　was　supposed　to　be　moving？　But　away　with　such　things！　Why　need　we　speak　of　them？　Yet　how　comes　it　that　suddenly　into　the　midst　of　our　careless；　frivolous；　unthinking　moments　there　may　enter　another；　and　a　very　different；　tendency？that　the　smile　may　not　have　left　a　human　face　before　its　owner　will　have　radically　changed　his　or　her　nature　（though　not　his　or　her　environment）　with　the　result　that　the　face　will　suddenly　become　lit　with　a　radiance　never　before　seen　there？　。　。　。

〃Here　is　the　britchka；　here　is　the　britchka！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov　on　perceiving　that　vehicle　slowly　advancing。　〃Ah；　you　blockhead！〃　he　went　on　to　Selifan。　〃Why　have　you　been　loitering　about？　I　suppose　last　night's　fumes　have　not　yet　left　your　brain？〃

To　this　Selifan　returned　no　reply。

〃Good…bye；　madam；〃　added　the　speaker。　〃But　where　is　the　girl　whom　you　promised　me？〃

〃Here；　Pelagea！〃　called　the　hostess　to　a　wench　of　about　eleven　who　was　dressed　in　home…dyed　garments　and　could　boast　of　a　pair　of　bare　feet　which；　from　a　distance；　might　almost　have　been　mistaken　for　boots；　so　encrusted　were　they　with　fresh　mire。　〃Here；　Pelagea！　Come　and　show　this　gentleman　the　way。〃

Selifan　helped　the　girl　to　ascend　to　the　box…seat。　Placing　one　foot　upon　the　step　by　which　the　gentry　mounted；　she　covered　the　said　step　with　mud；　and　then；　ascending　higher；　attained　the　desired　position　beside　the　coachman。　Chichikov　followed　in　her　wake　（causing　the　britchka　to　heel　over　with　his　weight　as　he　did　so）；　and　then　settled　himself　back　into　his　place　with　an　〃All　right！　Good…bye；　madam！〃　as　the　horses　moved　away　at　a　trot。

Selifan　looked　gloomy　as　he　drove；　but　also　very　attentive　to　his　business。　This　was　invariably　his　custom　when　he　had　committed　the　fault　of　getting　drunk。　Also；　the　horses　looked　unusually　well…groomed。　In　particular；　the　collar　on　one　of　them　had　been　neatly　mended；　although　hitherto　its　state　of　dilapidation　had　been　such　as　perennially　to　allow　the　stuffing　to　protrude　through　the　leather。　The　silence　preserved　was　well…nigh　complete。　Merely　flourishing　his　whip；　Selifan　spoke　to　the　team　no　word　of　instruction；　although　the　skewbald　was　as　ready　as　usual　to　listen　to　conversation　of　a　didactic　nature；　seeing　that　at　such　times　the　reins　hung　loosely　in　the　hands　of　the　loquacious　driver；　and　the　whip　wandered　merely　as　a　matter　of　form　over　the　backs　of　the　troika。　This　time；　however；　there　could　be　heard　issuing　from　Selifan's　sullen　lips　only　the　uniformly　unpleasant　exclamation；　〃Now　then；　you　brutes！　Get　on　with　you；　get　on　with　you！〃　The　bay　and　the　Assessor　too　felt　put　out　at　not　hearing　themselves　called　〃my　pets〃　or　〃good　lads〃；　while；　in　addition；　the　skewbald　came　in　for　some　nasty　cuts　across　his　sleek　and　ample　quarters。　〃What　has　put　master　out　like　this？〃　thought　the　animal　as　it　shook　its　head。　〃Heaven　knows　where　he　does　not　keep　beating　meacross　the　back；　and　even　where　I　am　tenderer　still。　Yes；　he　keeps　catching　the　whip　in　my　ears；　and　lashing　me　under　the　belly。〃

〃To　the　right；　eh？〃　snapped　Selifan　to　the　girl　beside　him　as　he　pointed　to　a　rain…soaked　road　which　trended　away　through　fresh　green　fields。

〃No；　no；〃　she　replied。　〃I　will　show　you　the　road　when　the　time　comes。〃

〃Which　way；　then？〃　he　asked　again　when　they　had　proceeded　a　little　further。

〃This　way。〃　And　she　pointed　to　the　road　just　mentioned。

〃Get　along　with　you！〃　retorted　the　coachman。　〃That　DOES　go　to　the　right。　You　don't　know　your　right　hand　from　your　left。〃

The　weather　was　fine；　but　the　ground　so　excessively　sodden　that　the　wheels　of　the　britchka　collected　mire　until　they　had　become　caked　as　with　a　layer　of　felt；　a　circumstance　which　greatly　increased　the　weight　of　the　vehicle；　and　prevented　it　from　clearing　the　neighbouring　parishes　before　the　afternoon　was　arrived。　Also；　without　the　girl's　help　the　finding　of　the　way　would　have　been　impossible；　since　roads　wiggled　away　in　every　direction；　like　crabs　released　from　a　net；　and；　but　for　the　assistance　mentioned；　Selifan　would　have　found　himself　left　to　his　own　devices。　Presently　she　pointed　to　a　building　ahead；　with　the　words；　〃THERE　is　the　main　road。〃

〃And　what　is　the　building？〃　asked　Selifan。

〃A　tavern；〃　she　said。

〃Then　we　can　get　along　by　ourselves；〃　he　observed。　〃Do　you　get　down；　and　be　off　home。〃

With　that　he　stopped；　and　helped　her　to　alightmuttering　as　he　did　so：　〃Ah；　you　blackfooted　creature！〃

Chichikov　added　a　copper　groat；　and　she　departed　well　pleased　with　her　ride　in　the　gentleman's　carriage。



CHAPTER　IV

On　reaching　the　tavern；　Chichikov　called　a　halt。　His　reasons　for　this　were　twofoldnamely；　that　he　wanted　to　rest　the　horses；　and　that　he　himself　desired　some　refreshment。　In　this　connection　the　author　feels　bound　to　confess　that　the　appetite　and　the　capacity　of　such　men　are　greatly　to　be　envied。　Of　those　well…to…do　folk　of　St。　Petersburg　and　Moscow　who　spend　their　time　in　considering　what　they　shall　eat　on　the　morrow；　and　in　composing　a　dinner　for　the　day　following；　and　who　never　sit　down　to　a　meal　without　first　of　all　injecting　a　pill　and　then　swallowing　oysters　and　crabs　and　a　quantity　of　other　monsters；　while　eternally　departing　for　Karlsbad　or　the　Caucasus；　the　author　has　but　a　small　opinion。　Yes；　THEY　are　not　the　persons　to　inspire　envy。　Rather；　it　is　the　folk　of　the　middle　classesfolk　who　at　one　posthouse　call　for　bacon；　and　at　another　for　a　sucking　pig；　and　at　a　third　for　a　steak　of　sturgeon　or　a　baked　pudding　with　onions；　and　who　can　sit　down　to　table　at　any　hour；　as　though　they　had　never　had　a　meal　in　their　lives；　and　can　devour　fish　of　all　sorts；　and　guzzle　and　chew　it　with　a　view　to　provoking　further　appetitethese；　I　say；　are　the　folk　who　enjoy　heaven's　most　favoured　gift。　To　attain　such　a　celestial　condition　the　great　folk　of　whom　I　have　spoken　would　sacrifice　half　their　serfs　and　half　their　mortgaged　and　non…mortgaged　property；　with　the　foreign　and　domestic　improvements　thereon；　if　thereby　they　could　compass　such　a　stomach　as　is　possessed　by　the　folk　of　the　middle　class。　But；　unfortunately；　neither　money　nor　real　estate；　whether　improved　or　non…improved；　can　purchase　such　a　stomach。

The　little　wooden　tavern；　with　its　narrow；　but　hospitable；　curtain　suspended　from　a　pair　of　rough…hewn　doorposts　like　old　church　candlesticks；　seemed　to　invite　Chichikov　to　enter。　True；　the　establishment　was　only　a　Russian　hut　of　the　ordinary　type；　but　it　was　a　hut　of　larger　dimensions　than　usual；　and　had　around　its　windows　and　gables　carved　and　patterned　cornices　of　bright…coloured　wood　which　threw　into　relief　the　darker　hue　of　the　walls；　and　consorted　well　with　the　flowered　pitchers　painted　on　the　shutters。

Ascending　the　narrow　wooden　staircase　to　the　upper　floor；　and　arriving　upon　a　broad　landing；　Chichikov　found　himself　confronted　with　a　creaking　door　and　a　stout　old　woman　in　a　striped　print　gown。　〃This　way；　if　you　please；〃　she　said。　Within　the　apartment　designated　Chichikov　encountered　the　old　friends　which　one　invariably　finds　in　such　roadside　hostelriesto　wit；　a　heavy　samovar；　four　smooth；　bescratched　walls　of　white　pine；　a　three…cornered　press　with　cups　and　teapots；　egg…cups　of　gilded　china　standing　in　front　of　ikons　suspended　by　blue　and　red　ribands；　a　cat　lately　delivered　of　a　family；　a　mirror　which　gives　one　four　eyes　instead　of　two　and　a　pancake　for　a　face；　and；　beside　the　ikons；　some　bunches　of　herbs　and　carnations　of　such　faded　dustiness　that；　should　one　attempt　to　smell　them；　one　is　bound　to　burst　out　sneezing。

〃Have　you　a　sucking…pig？〃　Chichikov　inquired　of　the　landlady　as　she　stood　expectantly　before　him。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　some　horse…radish　and　sour　cream？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　serve　them。〃

The　landlady　departed　for　the　purpose；　and　returned　with　a　plate；　a　napkin　（the　latter　starched　to　the　consistency　of　dried　bark）；　a　knife　with　a　bone　handle　beginning　to　turn　yellow；　a　two…pronged　fork　as　thin　as　a　wafer；　and　a　salt…cellar　incapable　of　being　made　to　stand　upright。

Following　the　accepted　custom；　our　hero　en