dead souls(死魂灵)-第19部分

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　at　their　muscles。　True　enough；　they　were　fine　animals。　Next；　the　party　looked　at　a　Crimean　bitch　which；　though　blind　and　fast　nearing　her　end；　had；　two　years　ago；　been　a　truly　magnificent　dog。　At　all　events；　so　said　Nozdrev。　Next　came　another　bitchalso　blind；　then　an　inspection　of　the　water…mill；　which　lacked　the　spindle…socket　wherein　the　upper　stone　ought　to　have　been　revolving〃fluttering；〃　to　use　the　Russian　peasant's　quaint　expression。　〃But　never　mind；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Let　us　proceed　to　the　blacksmith's　shop。〃　So　to　the　blacksmith's　shop　the　party　proceeded；　and　when　the　said　shop　had　been　viewed；　Nozdrev　said　as　he　pointed　to　a　field：

〃In　this　field　I　have　seen　such　numbers　of　hares　as　to　render　the　ground　quite　invisible。　Indeed；　on　one　occasion　I；　with　my　own　hands；　caught　a　hare　by　the　hind　legs。〃

〃You　never　caught　a　hare　by　the　hind　legs　with　your　hands！〃　remarked　the　brother…in…law。

〃But　I　DID〃　reiterated　Nozdrev。　〃However；　let　me　show　you　the　boundary　where　my　lands　come　to　an　end。〃

So　saying；　he　started　to　conduct　his　guests　across　a　field　which　consisted　mostly　of　moleheaps；　and　in　which　the　party　had　to　pick　their　way　between　strips　of　ploughed　land　and　of　harrowed。　Soon　Chichikov　began　to　feel　weary；　for　the　terrain　was　so　low…lying　that　in　many　spots　water　could　be　heard　squelching　underfoot；　and　though　for　a　while　the　visitors　watched　their　feet；　and　stepped　carefully；　they　soon　perceived　that　such　a　course　availed　them　nothing；　and　took　to　following　their　noses；　without　either　selecting　or　avoiding　the　spots　where　the　mire　happened　to　be　deeper　or　the　reverse。　At　length；　when　a　considerable　distance　had　been　covered；　they　caught　sight　of　a　boundary…post　and　a　narrow　ditch。

〃That　is　the　boundary；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Everything　that　you　see　on　this　side　of　the　post　is　mine；　as　well　as　the　forest　on　the　other　side　of　it；　and　what　lies　beyond　the　forest。〃

〃WHEN　did　that　forest　become　yours？〃　asked　the　brother…in…law。　〃It　cannot　be　long　since　you　purchased　it；　for　it　never　USED　to　be　yours。〃

〃Yes；　it　isn't　long　since　I　purchased　it；〃　said　Nozdrev。

〃How　long？〃

〃How　long？　Why；　I　purchased　it　three　days　ago；　and　gave　a　pretty　sum　for　it；　as　the　devil　knows！〃

〃Indeed？　Why；　three　days　ago　you　were　at　the　fair？〃

〃Wiseacre！　Cannot　one　be　at　a　fair　and　buy　land　at　the　same　time？　Yes；　I　WAS　at　the　fair；　and　my　steward　bought　the　land　in　my　absence。〃

〃Oh；　your　STEWARD　bought　it。〃　The　brother…in…law　seemed　doubtful；　and　shook　his　head。

The　guests　returned　by　the　same　route　as　that　by　which　they　had　come；　whereafter；　on　reaching　the　house；　Nozdrev　conducted　them　to　his　study；　which　contained　not　a　trace　of　the　things　usually　to　be　found　in　such　apartmentssuch　things　as　books　and　papers。　On　the　contrary；　the　only　articles　to　be　seen　were　a　sword　and　a　brace　of　gunsthe　one　〃of　them　worth　three　hundred　roubles；〃　and　the　other　〃about　eight　hundred。〃　The　brother…in…law　inspected　the　articles　in　question；　and　then　shook　his　head　as　before。　Next；　the　visitors　were　shown　some　〃real　Turkish〃　daggers；　of　which　one　bore　the　inadvertent　inscription；　〃Saveli　Sibiriakov＇2＇；　Master　Cutler。〃　Then　came　a　barrel…organ；　on　which　Nozdrev　started　to　play　some　tune　or　another。　For　a　while　the　sounds　were　not　wholly　unpleasing；　but　suddenly　something　seemed　to　go　wrong；　for　a　mazurka　started；　to　be　followed　by　〃Marlborough　has　gone　to　the　war；〃　and　to　this；　again；　there　succeeded　an　antiquated　waltz。　Also；　long　after　Nozdrev　had　ceased　to　turn　the　handle；　one　particularly　shrill…pitched　pipe　which　had；　throughout；　refused　to　harmonise　with　the　rest　kept　up　a　protracted　whistling　on　its　own　account。　Then　followed　an　exhibition　of　tobacco　pipespipes　of　clay；　of　wood；　of　meerschaum；　pipes　smoked　and　non…smoked；　pipes　wrapped　in　chamois　leather　and　not　so　wrapped；　an　amber…mounted　hookah　（a　stake　won　at　cards）　and　a　tobacco　pouch　（worked；　it　was　alleged；　by　some　countess　who　had　fallen　in　love　with　Nozdrev　at　a　posthouse；　and　whose　handiwork　Nozdrev　averred　to　constitute　the　〃sublimity　of　superfluity〃a　term　which；　in　the　Nozdrevian　vocabulary；　purported　to　signify　the　acme　of　perfection）。

＇2＇　That　is　to　say；　a　distinctively　Russian　name。

Finally；　after　some　hors…d'oeuvres　of　sturgeon's　back；　they　sat　down　to　tablethe　time　being　then　nearly　five　o'clock。　But　the　meal　did　not　constitute　by　any　means　the　best　of　which　Chichikov　had　ever　partaken；　seeing　that　some　of　the　dishes　were　overcooked；　and　others　were　scarcely　cooked　at　all。　Evidently　their　compounder　had　trusted　chiefly　to　inspirationshe　had　laid　hold　of　the　first　thing　which　had　happened　to　come　to　hand。　For　instance；　had　pepper　represented　the　nearest　article　within　reach；　she　had　added　pepper　wholesale。　Had　a　cabbage　chanced　to　be　so　encountered；　she　had　pressed　it　also　into　the　service。　And　the　same　with　milk；　bacon；　and　peas。　In　short；　her　rule　seemed　to　have　been　〃Make　a　hot　dish　of　some　sort；　and　some　sort　of　taste　will　result。〃　For　the　rest；　Nozdrev　drew　heavily　upon　the　wine。　Even　before　the　soup　had　been　served；　he　had　poured　out　for　each　guest　a　bumper　of　port　and　another　of　〃haut〃　sauterne。　（Never　in　provincial　towns　is　ordinary；　vulgar　sauterne　even　procurable。）　Next；　he　called　for　a　bottle　of　madeira〃as　fine　a　tipple　as　ever　a　field…marshall　drank〃；　but　the　madeira　only　burnt　the　mouth；　since　the　dealers；　familiar　with　the　taste　of　our　landed　gentry　（who　love　〃good〃　madeira）　invariably　doctor　the　stuff　with　copious　dashes　of　rum　and　Imperial　vodka；　in　the　hope　that　Russian　stomachs　will　thus　be　enabled　to　carry　off　the　lot。　After　this　bottle　Nozdrev　called　for　another　and　〃a　very　special〃　branda　brand　which　he　declared　to　consist　of　a　blend　of　burgundy　and　champagne；　and　of　which　he　poured　generous　measures　into　the　glasses　of　Chichikov　and　the　brother…in…law　as　they　sat　to　right　and　left　of　him。　But　since　Chichikov　noticed　that；　after　doing　so；　he　added　only　a　scanty　modicum　of　the　mixture　to　his　own　tumbler；　our　hero　determined　to　be　cautious；　and　therefore　took　advantage　of　a　moment　when　Nozdrev　had　again　plunged　into　conversation　and　was　yet　a　third　time　engaged　in　refilling　his　brother…in…law's　glass；　to　contrive　to　upset　his　（Chichikov's）　glass　over　his　plate。　In　time　there　came　also　to　table　a　tart　of　mountain…ashberriesberries　which　the　host　declared　to　equal；　in　taste；　ripe　plums；　but　which；　curiously　enough；　smacked　more　of　corn　brandy。　Next；　the　company　consumed　a　sort　of　pasty　of　which　the　precise　name　has　escaped　me；　but　which　the　host　rendered　differently　even　on　the　second　occasion　of　its　being　mentioned。　The　meal　over；　and　the　whole　tale　of　wines　tried；　the　guests　still　retained　their　seatsa　circumstance　which　embarrassed　Chichikov；　seeing　that　he　had　no　mind　to　propound　his　pet　scheme　in　the　presence　of　Nozdrev's　brother…in…law；　who　was　a　complete　stranger　to　him。　No；　that　subject　called　for　amicable　and　PRIVATE　conversation。　Nevertheless；　the　brother…in…law　appeared　to　bode　little　danger；　seeing　that　he　had　taken　on　board　a　full　cargo；　and　was　now　engaged　in　doing　nothing　of　a　more　menacing　nature　than　picking　his　nose。　At　length　he　himself　noticed　that　he　was　not　altogether　in　a　responsible　condition；　wherefore　he　rose　and　began　to　make　excuses　for　departing　homewards；　though　in　a　tone　so　drowsy　and　lethargic　that；　to　quote　the　Russian　proverb；　he　might　almost　have　been　〃pulling　a　collar　on　to　a　horse　by　the　clasps。〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　Nozdrev。　〃I　am　NOT　going　to　let　you　go。〃

〃But　I　MUST　go；〃　replied　the　brother…in…law。　〃Don't　dry　to　hinder　me。　You　are　annoying　me　greatly。〃

〃Rubbish！　We　are　going　to　play　a　game　of　banker。〃

〃No；　no。　You　must　play　it　without　me；　my　friend。　My　wife　is　expecting　me　at　home；　and　I　must　go　and　tell　her　all　about　the　fair。　Yes；　I　MUST　go　if　I　am　to　please　her。　Do　not　try　to　detain　me。〃

〃Your　wife　be！　But　have　you　REALLY　an　important　piece　of　business　with　her？〃

〃No；　no；　my　friend。　The　real　reason　is　that　she　is　a　good　and　trustful　woman；　and　that　she　does　a　great　deal　for　me。　The　tears　spring　to　my　eyes　as　I　think　of　it。　Do　not　detain　me。　As　an　honourable　man　I　say　that　I　must　go。　Of　that　I　do　assure　you　in　all　sincerity。〃

〃Oh；　let　him　go；〃　put　in　Chichikov　under　his　breath。　〃What　use　will　he　be　here？〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Nozdrev；　〃though；　damn　it；　I　do　not　like　fellows　who　lose　their　heads。〃　Then　he　added　to　his　brother…in…law：　〃All　right；　Thetuk＇3＇。　Off　you　go　to　your　wife　and　your　woman's　talk　and　may　the　devil　go　with　you！〃

＇3＇　A　jeering　appellation　which　owes　its　origin　to　the　fact　that　　　　　certain　Russians　cherish　a　prejudice　against　the　initial　character　　　　　of　the　wordnamely；　the　Greek　theta；　or　TH。

〃Do　not　insult　me　with　the　term　Thetuk；〃　retorted　the　brother…in…law。　〃To　her　I　owe　my　life；　and　she　is　a　dear；　good　woman；　and　has　shown　me　much　affection。　At　the　very　thought　of　it　I　could　weep。　You　see；　she　will　be　asking　me　what　I　have　seen　at　the　fair；　and　tell　her　about　it　I　must；　for　she　is　such　a　dear；　good　woman。〃

〃Then　off　you　go　to　her　with　your　pack　of　lies。　Here　is　your　cap。〃

〃No；　good　friend；　you　are　not　to　speak　of　her　like　that。　By　so　doing　you　offend　me　greatlyI　say　that　she　is　a　dear；　good　woman。〃

〃Then　run　along　home　to　her。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　just　going。　Ex