dead souls(死魂灵)-第45部分

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e　and　camphor。　Also；　to　while　away　the　hours；　he　made　new　and　more　detailed　lists　of　the　souls　which　he　had　bought；　perused　a　work　by　the　Duchesse　de　la　Valliere＇2＇；　rummaged　in　his　portmanteau；　looked　through　various　articles　and　papers　which　he　discovered　in　his　dispatch…box；　and　found　every　one　of　these　occupations　tedious。　Nor　could　he　understand　why　none　of　his　official　friends　had　come　to　see　him　and　inquire　after　his　health；　seeing　that；　not　long　since；　there　had　been　standing　in　front　of　the　inn　the　drozhkis　both　of　the　Postmaster；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　and　the　President　of　the　Council。　He　wondered　and　wondered；　and　then；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　fell　to　pacing　the　room。　At　length　he　felt　better；　and　his　spirits　rose　at　the　prospect　of　once　more　going　out　into　the　fresh　air；　wherefore；　having　shaved　a　plentiful　growth　of　hair　from　his　face；　he　dressed　with　such　alacrity　as　almost　to　cause　a　split　in　his　trousers；　sprinkled　himself　with　eau…de…Cologne；　and　wrapping　himself　in　warm　clothes；　and　turning　up　the　collar　of　his　coat；　sallied　forth　into　the　street。　His　first　destination　was　intended　to　be　the　Governor's　mansion；　and；　as　he　walked　along；　certain　thoughts　concerning　the　Governor's　daughter　would　keep　whirling　through　his　head；　so　that　almost　he　forgot　where　he　was；　and　took　to　smiling　and　cracking　jokes　to　himself。

＇2＇　One　of　the　mistresses　of　Louis　XIV。　of　France。　In　1680　she　wrote　a　　　　　book　called　Reflexions　sur　la　Misericorde　de　Dieu；　par　une　Dame　　　　　Penitente。

Arrived　at　the　Governor's　entrance；　he　was　about　to　divest　himself　of　his　scarf　when　a　Swiss　footman　greeted　him　with　the　words；　〃I　am　forbidden　to　admit　you。〃

〃What？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　do　not　know　me？　Look　at　me　again；　and　see　if　you　do　not　recognise　me。〃

〃Of　course　I　recognise　you；〃　the　footman　replied。　〃I　have　seen　you　before；　but　have　been　ordered　to　admit　any　one　else　rather　than　Monsieur　Chichikov。〃

〃Indeed？　And　why　so？〃

〃Those　are　my　orders；　and　they　must　be　obeyed；〃　said　the　footman；　confronting　Chichikov　with　none　of　that　politeness　with　which；　on　former　occasions；　he　had　hastened　to　divest　our　hero　of　his　wrappings。　Evidently　he　was　of　opinion　that；　since　the　gentry　declined　to　receive　the　visitor；　the　latter　must　certainly　be　a　rogue。

〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　said　Chichikov　to　himself。　Then　he　departed；　and　made　his　way　to　the　house　of　the　President　of　the　Council。　But　so　put　about　was　that　official　by　Chichikov's　entry　that　he　could　not　utter　two　consecutive　wordshe　could　only　murmur　some　rubbish　which　left　both　his　visitor　and　himself　out　of　countenance。　Chichikov　wondered；　as　he　left　the　house；　what　the　President's　muttered　words　could　have　meant；　but　failed　to　make　head　or　tail　of　them。　Next；　he　visited；　in　turn；　the　Chief　of　Police；　the　Vice…Governor；　the　Postmaster；　and　others；　but　in　each　case　he　either　failed　to　be　accorded　admittance　or　was　received　so　strangely；　and　with　such　a　measure　of　constraint　and　conversational　awkwardness　and　absence　of　mind　and　embarrassment；　that　he　began　to　fear　for　the　sanity　of　his　hosts。　Again　and　again　did　he　strive　to　divine　the　cause；　but　could　not　do　so；　so　he　went　wandering　aimlessly　about　the　town；　without　succeeding　in　making　up　his　mind　whether　he　or　the　officials　had　gone　crazy。　At　length；　in　a　state　bordering　upon　bewilderment；　he　returned　to　the　innto　the　establishment　whence；　that　every　afternoon；　he　had　set　forth　in　such　exuberance　of　spirits。　Feeling　the　need　of　something　to　do；　he　ordered　tea；　and；　still　marvelling　at　the　strangeness　of　his　position；　was　about　to　pour　out　the　beverage　when　the　door　opened　and　Nozdrev　made　his　appearance。

〃What　says　the　proverb？〃　he　began。　〃'To　see　a　friend；　seven　versts　is　not　too　long　a　round　to　make。'　I　happened　to　be　passing　the　house；　saw　a　light　in　your　window；　and　thought　to　myself：　'Now；　suppose　I　were　to　run　up　and　pay　him　a　visit？　It　is　unlikely　that　he　will　be　asleep。'　Ah；　ha！　I　see　tea　on　your　table！　Good！　Then　I　will　drink　a　cup　with　you；　for　I　had　wretched　stuff　for　dinner；　and　it　is　beginning　to　lie　heavy　on　my　stomach。　Also；　tell　your　man　to　fill　me　a　pipe。　Where　is　your　own　pipe？〃

〃I　never　smoke；〃　rejoined　Chichikov　drily。

〃Rubbish！　As　if　I　did　not　know　what　a　chimney…pot　you　are！　What　is　your　man's　name？　Hi；　Vakhramei！　Come　here！〃

〃Petrushka　is　his　name；　not　Vakhramei。〃

〃Indeed？　But　you　USED　to　have　a　man　called　Vakhramei；　didn't　you？〃

〃No；　never。〃

〃Oh；　well。　Then　it　must　be　Derebin's　man　I　am　thinking　of。　What　a　lucky　fellow　that　Derebin　is！　An　aunt　of　his　has　gone　and　quarrelled　with　her　son　for　marrying　a　serf　woman；　and　has　left　all　her　property　to　HIM；　to　Derebin。　Would　that　_I_　had　an　aunt　of　that　kind　to　provide　against　future　contingencies！　But　why　have　you　been　hiding　yourself　away？　I　suppose　the　reason　has　been　that　you　go　in　for　abstruse　subjects　and　are　fond　of　reading〃　（why　Nozdrev　should　have　drawn　these　conclusions　no　one　could　possibly　have　saidleast　of　all　Chichikov　himself）。　〃By　the　way；　I　can　tell　you　of　something　that　would　have　found　you　scope　for　your　satirical　vein〃　（the　conclusion　as　to　Chichikov's　〃satirical　vein〃　was；　as　before；　altogether　unwarranted　on　Nozdrev's　part）。　〃That　is　to　say；　you　would　have　seen　merchant　Likhachev　losing　a　pile　of　money　at　play。　My　word；　you　would　have　laughed！　A　fellow　with　me　named　Perependev　said：　'Would　that　Chichikov　had　been　here！　It　would　have　been　the　very　thing　for　him！'〃　（As　a　matter　of　fact；　never　since　the　day　of　his　birth　had　Nozdrev　met　any　one　of　the　name　of　Perependev。）　〃However；　my　friend；　you　must　admit　that　you　treated　me　rather　badly　the　day　that　we　played　that　game　of　chess；　but；　as　I　won　the　game；　I　bear　you　no　malice。　A　propos；　I　am　just　from　the　President's；　and　ought　to　tell　you　that　the　feeling　against　you　in　the　town　is　very　strong；　for　every　one　believes　you　to　be　a　forger　of　currency　notes。　I　myself　was　sent　for　and　questioned　about　you；　but　I　stuck　up　for　you　through　thick　and　thin；　and　told　the　tchinovniks　that　I　had　been　at　school　with　you；　and　had　known　your　father。　In　fact；　I　gave　the　fellows　a　knock　or　two　for　themselves。〃

〃You　say　that　I　am　believed　to　be　a　forger？〃　said　Chichikov；　starting　from　his　seat。

〃Yes；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Why　have　you　gone　and　frightened　everybody　as　you　have　done？　Some　of　our　folk　are　almost　out　of　their　minds　about　it；　and　declare　you　to　be　either　a　brigand　in　disguise　or　a　spy。　Yesterday　the　Public　Prosecutor　even　died　of　it；　and　is　to　be　buried　to…morrow〃　（this　was　true　in　so　far　as　that；　on　the　previous　day；　the　official　in　question　had　had　a　fatal　strokeprobably　induced　by　the　excitement　of　the　public　meeting）。　〃Of　course；　_I_　don't　suppose　you　to　be　anything　of　the　kind；　but；　you　see；　these　fellows　are　in　a　blue　funk　about　the　new　Governor…General；　for　they　think　he　will　make　trouble　for　them　over　your　affair。　A　propos；　he　is　believed　to　be　a　man　who　puts　on　airs；　and　turns　up　his　nose　at　everything；　and　if　so；　he　will　get　on　badly　with　the　dvoriane；　seeing　that　fellows　of　that　sort　need　to　be　humoured　a　bit。　Yes；　my　word！　Should　the　new　Governor…General　shut　himself　up　in　his　study；　and　give　no　balls；　there　will　be　the　very　devil　to　pay！　By　the　way；　Chichikov；　that　is　a　risky　scheme　of　yours。〃

〃What　scheme　to　you　mean？〃　Chichikov　asked　uneasily。

〃Why；　that　scheme　of　carrying　off　the　Governor's　daughter。　However；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　was　expecting　something　of　the　kind。　No　sooner　did　I　see　you　and　her　together　at　the　ball　than　I　said　to　myself：　'Ah；　ha！　Chichikov　is　not　here　for　nothing！'　For　my　own　part；　I　think　you　have　made　a　poor　choice；　for　I　can　see　nothing　in　her　at　all。　On　the　other　hand；　the　niece　of　a　friend　of　mine　named　Bikusovshe　IS　a　girl；　and　no　mistake！　A　regular　what　you　might　call　'miracle　in　muslin！'〃

〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Chichikov　with　his　eyes　distended。　〃HOW　could　I　carry　off　the　Governor's　daughter？　What　on　earth　do　you　mean？〃

〃Come；　come！　What　a　secretive　fellow　you　are！　My　only　object　in　having　come　to　see　you　is　to　lend　you　a　helping　hand　in　the　matter。　Look　here。　On　condition　that　you　will　lend　me　three　thousand　roubles；　I　will　stand　you　the　cost　of　the　wedding；　the　koliaska；　and　the　relays　of　horses。　I　must　have　the　money　even　if　I　die　for　it。〃

Throughout　Nozdrev's　maunderings　Chichikov　had　been　rubbing　his　eyes　to　ascertain　whether　or　not　he　was　dreaming。　What　with　the　charge　of　being　a　forger；　the　accusation　of　having　schemed　an　abduction；　the　death　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　（whatever　might　have　been　its　cause）；　and　the　advent　of　a　new　Governor…General；　he　felt　utterly　dismayed。

〃Things　having　come　to　their　present　pass；〃　he　reflected；　〃I　had　better　not　linger　hereI　had　better　be　off　at　once。〃

Getting　rid　of　Nozdrev　as　soon　as　he　could；　he　sent　for　Selifan；　and　ordered　him　to　be　up　at　daybreak；　in　order　to　clean　the　britchka　and　to　have　everything　ready　for　a　start　at　six　o'clock。　Yet；　though　Selifan　replied；　〃Very　well；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　he　hesitated　awhile　by　the　door。　Next；　Chichikov　bid　Petrushka　get　out　the　dusty　portmanteau　from　under　the　bed；　and　then　set　to　work　to　cram　into　it；　pell…mell；　socks；　shirts；　collars　（both　clean　and　dirty）；　boot　trees；　a　calendar；　and　a　variety　of　other　articles。