dead souls(死魂灵)-第20部分

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〃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。　Excuse　me　for　having　been　unable　to　stay。　Gladly　would　I　have　stayed；　but　really　I　cannot。〃

The　brother…in…law　repeated　his　excuses　again　and　again　without　noticing　that　he　had　entered　the　britchka；　that　it　had　passed　through　the　gates；　and　that　he　was　now　in　the　open　country。　Permissibly　we　may　suppose　that　his　wife　succeeded　in　gleaning　from　him　few　details　of　the　fair。

〃What　a　fool！〃　said　Nozdrev　as；　standing　by　the　window；　he　watched　the　departing　vehicle。　〃Yet　his　off…horse　is　not　such　a　bad　one。　For　a　long　time　past　I　have　been　wanting　to　get　hold　of　it。　A　man　like　that　is　simply　impossible。　Yes；　he　is　a　Thetuk；　a　regular　Thetuk。〃

With　that　they　repaired　to　the　parlour；　where；　on　Porphyri　bringing　candles；　Chichikov　perceived　that　his　host　had　produced　a　pack　of　cards。

〃I　tell　you　what；〃　said　Nozdrev；　pressing　the　sides　of　the　pack　together；　and　then　slightly　bending　them；　so　that　the　pack　cracked　and　a　card　flew　out。　〃How　would　it　be　if；　to　pass　the　time；　I　were　to　make　a　bank　of　three　hundred？〃

Chichikov　pretended　not　to　have　heard　him；　but　remarked　with　an　air　of　having　just　recollected　a　forgotten　point：

〃By　the　way；　I　had　omitted　to　say　that　I　have　a　request　to　make　of　you。〃

〃What　request？〃

〃First　give　me　your　word　that　you　will　grant　it。〃

〃What　is　the　request；　I　say？〃

〃Then　you　give　me　your　word；　do　you？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Your　word　of　honour？〃

〃My　word　of　honour。〃

〃This；　then；　is　my　request。　I　presume　that　you　have　a　large　number　of　dead　serfs　whose　names　have　not　yet　been　removed　from　the　revision　list？〃

〃I　have。　But　why　do　you　ask？〃

〃Because　I　want　you　to　make　them　over　to　me。〃

〃Of　what　use　would　they　be　to　you？〃

〃Never　mind。　I　have　a　purpose　in　wanting　them。〃

〃What　purpose？〃

〃A　purpose　which　is　strictly　my　own　affair。　In　short；　I　need　them。〃

〃You　seem　to　have　hatched　a　very　fine　scheme。　Out　with　it；　now！　What　is　in　the　wind？〃

〃How　could　I　have　hatched　such　a　scheme　as　you　say？　One　could　not　very　well　hatch　a　scheme　out　of　such　a　trifle　as　this。〃

〃Then　for　what　purpose　do　you　want　the　serfs？〃

〃Oh；　the　curiosity　of　the　man！　He　wants　to　poke　his　fingers　into　and　smell　over　every　detail！〃

〃Why　do　you　decline　to　say　what　is　in　your　mind？　At　all　events；　until　you　DO　say　I　shall　not　move　in　the　matter。〃

〃But　how　would　it　benefit　you　to　know　what　my　plans　are？　A　whim　has　seized　me。　That　is　all。　Nor　are　you　playing　fair。　You　have　given　me　your　word　of　honour；　yet　now　you　are　trying　to　back　out　of　it。〃

〃No　matter　what　you　desire　me　to　do；　I　decline　to　do　it　until　you　have　told　me　your　purpose。〃

〃What　am　I　to　say　to　the　fellow？〃　thought　Chichikov。　He　reflected　for　a　moment；　and　then　explained　that　he　wanted　the　dead　souls　in　order　to　acquire　a　better　standing　in　society；　since　at　present　he　possessed　little　landed　property；　and　only　a　handful　of　serfs。

〃You　are　lying；〃　said　Nozdrev　without　even　letting　him　finish。　〃Yes；　you　are　lying　my　good　friend。〃

Chichikov　himself　perceived　that　his　device　had　been　a　clumsy　one；　and　his　pretext　weak。　〃I　must　tell　him　straight　out；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　pulled　his　wits　together。

〃Should　I　tell　you　the　truth；〃　he　added　aloud；　〃I　must　beg　of　you　not　to　repeat　it。　The　truth　is　that　I　am　thinking　of　getting　married。　But；　unfortunately；　my　betrothed's　father　and　mother　are　very　ambitious　people；　and　do　not　want　me　to　marry　her；　since　they　desire　the　bridegroom　to　own　not　less　than　three　hundred　souls；　whereas　I　own　but　a　hundred　and　fifty；　and　that　number　is　not　sufficient。〃

〃Again　you　are　lying；〃　said　Nozdrev。

〃Then　look　here；　I　have　been　lying　only　to　this　extent。〃　And　Chichikov　marked　off　upon　his　little　finger　a　minute　portion。

〃Nevertheless　I　will　bet　my　head　that　you　have　been　lying　throughout。〃

〃Come；　come！　That　is　not　very　civil　of　you。　Why　should　I　have　been　lying？〃

〃Because　I　know　you；　and　know　that　you　are　a　regular　skinflint。　I　say　that　in　all　friendship。　If　I　possessed　any　power　over　you　I　should　hang　you　to　the　nearest　tree。〃

This　remark　hurt　Chichikov；　for　at　any　time　he　disliked　expressions　gross　or　offensive　to　decency；　and　never　allowed　any　oneno；　not　even　persons　of　the　highest　rankto　behave　towards　him　with　an　undue　measure　of　familiarity。　Consequently　his　sense　of　umbrage　on　the　present　occasion　was　unbounded。

〃By　God；　I　WOULD　hang　you！〃　repeated　Nozdrev。　〃I　say　this　frankly；　and　not　for　the　purpose　of　offending　you；　but　simply　to　communicate　to　you　my　friendly　opinion。〃

〃To　everything　there　are　limits；〃　retorted　Chichikov　stiffly。　〃If　you　want　to　indulge　in　speeches　of　that　sort　you　had　better　return　to　the　barracks。〃

However；　after　a　pause　he　added：

〃If　you　do　not　care　to　give　me　the　serfs；　why　not　SELL　them？〃

〃SELL　them？　_I_　know　you；　you　rascal！　You　wouldn't　give　me　very　much　for　them；　WOULD　you？〃

〃A　nice　fellow！　Look　here。　What　are　they　to　you？　So　many　diamonds；　eh？〃

〃I　thought　so！　_I_　know　you！〃

〃Pardon　me；　but　I　could　wish　that　you　were　a　member　of　the　Jewish　persuasion。　You　would　give　them　to　me　fast　enough　then。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　to　show　you　that　I　am　not　a　usurer；　I　will　decline　to　ask　of　you　a　single　kopeck　for　the　serfs。　All　that　you　need　do　is　to　buy　that　colt　of　mine；　and　then　I　will　throw　in　the　serfs　in　addition。〃

〃But　what　should　_I_　want　with　your　colt？〃　said　Chichikov；　genuinely　astonished　at　the　proposal。

〃What　should　YOU　want　with　him？　Why；　I　have　bought　him　for　ten　thousand　roubles；　and　am　ready　to　let　you　have　him　for　four。〃

〃I　ask　you　again：　of　what　use　could　the　colt　possibly　be　to　me？　I　am　not　the　keeper　of　a　breeding　establishment。〃

〃Ah！　I　see　that　you　fail　to　understand　me。　Let　me　suggest　that　you　pay　down　at　once　three　thousand　roubles　of　the　purchase　money；　and　leave　the　other　thousand　until　later。〃

〃But　I　do　not　mean　to　buy　the　colt；　damn　him！〃

〃Then　buy　the　roan　mare。〃

〃No；　nor　the　roan　mare。〃

〃Then　you　shall　have　both　the　mare　and　the　grey　horse　which　you　have　seen　in　my　stables　for　two　thousand　roubles。〃

〃I　require　no　horses　at　all。〃

〃But　you　would　be　able　to　sell　them　again。　You　would　be　able　to　get　thrice　their　purchase　price　at　the　very　first　fair　that　was　held。〃

〃Then　sell　them　at　that　fair　yourself；　seeing　that　you　are　so　certain　of　making　a　triple　profit。〃

〃Oh；　I　should　make　it　fast　enough；　only　I　want　YOU　to　benefit　by　the　transaction。〃

Chichikov　duly　thanked　his　interlocutor；　but　continued　to　decline　either　the　grey　horse　or　the　roan　mare。

〃Then　buy　a　few　dogs；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃I　can　sell　you　a　couple　of　hides　a…quiver；　ears　well　pricked；　coats　like　quills；　ribs　barrel…shaped；　and　paws　so　tucked　up　as　scarcely　to　graze　the　ground　when　they　run。〃

〃Of　what　use　would　those　dogs　be　to　me？　I　am　not　a　sportsman。〃

〃But　I　WANT　you　to　have　the　dogs。　Listen。　If　you　won't　have　the　dogs；　then　buy　my　barrel…organ。　'Tis　a　splendid　instrument。　As　a　man　of　honour　I　can　tell　you　that；　when　new；　it　cost　me　fifteen　hundred　roubles。　Well；　you　shall　have　it　for　nine　hundred。〃

〃Come；　come！　What　should　I　want　with　a　barrel…organ？　I　am　not　a　German；　to　go　hauling　it　about　the　roads　and　begging　for　coppers。〃

〃But　this　is　quite　a　different　kind　of　organ　from　the　one　which　Germans　take　about　with　them。　You　see；　it　is　a　REAL　organ。　Look　at　it　for　yourself。　It　is　made　of　the　best　wood。　I　will　take　you　to　have　another　view　of　it。〃

And　seizing　Chichikov　by　the　hand；　Nozdrev　drew　him　towards　the　other　room；　where；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Chichikov；　with　his　feet　planted　firmly　on　the　floor；　assured　his　host；　again　and　again；　that　he　knew　exactly　what　the　organ　was　like；　he　was　forced　once　more　to　hear　how　Marlborough　went　to　the　war。

〃Then；　since　you　don't　care　to　give　me　any　money　for　it；〃　persisted　Nozdrev；　〃listen　to　the　following　proposal。　I　will　give　you　the　barrel…organ　and　all　the　dead　souls　which　I　possess；　and　in　return　you　shall　give　me　your　britchka；　and　another　three　hundred　roubles　into　the　bargain。〃

〃Listen　to　the　man！　In　that　case；　what　should　I　have　left　to　drive　in？〃

〃Oh；　I　would　stand　you　another　britchka。　Come　to　the　coach…house；　and　I　will　show　you　the　one　I　mean。　It　only　needs　repainting　to　look　a　perfectly　splendid　britchka。〃

〃The　ramping；　incorrigible　devil！〃　thought　Chichikov　to　himself　as　at　all　hazards　he　resolved　to　escape　from　britchkas；　organs；　and　every　species　of　dog；　however　marvellously　barrel…ribbed　and　tucked　up　of　paw。

〃And　in　exchange；　you　shall　have　the　britchka；　the　barrel…organ；　and　the　dead　souls；〃　repeated　Nozdrev。

〃I　must　decline　the　offer；〃　said　Chichikov。

〃And　why？〃

〃Because　I　don't　WANT　the　thingsI　am　full　up　already。〃

〃I　can　see　that　you　don't　know　how　things　should　be　done　between　good　friends　and　comrades。　Plainly　you　are　a　man　of　two　faces。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　you　fool？　Think　for　yourself。　Why　should　I　acquire　articles　which　I　don't　want？〃

〃Say　no　more　about　it；　if　you　please。　I　have　quite　taken　your　measure。　But　see　here。　Should　you　care　to　play　a　game　of　banker？　I　am　ready　to　stake　both　the　dead　souls　and　the