dead souls(死魂灵)-第64部分

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〃Yes；　your　Excellency。〃

〃And　does　he　go　out　at　all？　Does　he　see　company？　Can　he　still　hold　himself　upright？〃

〃Yes；　but　with　great　difficulty。〃

〃And　has　he　any　teeth　left？〃

〃No　more　than　two　at　the　most。〃

〃The　old　jackass！　Don't　be　angry　with　me；　but　I　must　say　that；　though　your　uncle；　he　is　also　a　jackass。〃

〃Quite　so；　your　Excellency。　And　though　it　grieves　ME　to　have　to　confess　that　he　is　my　uncle；　what　am　I　to　do　with　him？〃

Yet　this　was　not　altogether　the　truth。　What　would　have　been　a　far　harder　thing　for　Chichikov　to　have　confessed　was　the　fact　that　he　possessed　no　uncles　at　all。

〃I　beg　of　you；　your　Excellency；〃　he　went　on；　〃to　hand　me　over　those；　those〃

〃Those　dead　souls；　eh？　Why；　in　return　for　the　jest　I　will　give　you　some　land　as　well。　Yes；　you　can　take　the　whole　graveyard　if　you　like。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　The　old　man！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　WHAT　a　fool　he'll　look！　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

And　once　more　the　General's　guffaws　went　ringing　through　the　house。



CHAPTER　III

〃If　Colonel　Koshkarev　should　turn　out　to　be　as　mad　as　the　last　one　it　is　a　bad　look…out；〃　said　Chichikov　to　himself　on　opening　his　eyes　amid　fields　and　open　countryeverything　else　having　disappeared　save　the　vault　of　heaven　and　a　couple　of　low…lying　clouds。

〃Selifan；〃　he　went　on；　〃did　you　ask　how　to　get　to　Colonel　Koshkarev's？〃

〃Yes；　Paul　Ivanovitch。　At　least；　there　was　such　a　clatter　around　the　koliaska　that　I　could　not；　but　Petrushka　asked　the　coachman。〃

〃You　fool！　How　often　have　I　told　you　not　to　rely　on　Petrushka？　Petrushka　is　a　blockhead；　an　idiot。　Besides；　at　the　present　moment　I　believe　him　to　be　drunk。〃

〃No；　you　are　wrong；　barin；〃　put　in　the　person　referred　to；　turning　his　head　with　a　sidelong　glance。　〃After　we　get　down　the　next　hill　we　shall　need　but　to　keep　bending　round　it。　That　is　all。〃

〃Yes；　and　I　suppose　you'll　tell　me　that　sivnkha　is　the　only　thing　that　has　passed　your　lips？　Well；　the　view　at　least　is　beautiful。　In　fact；　when　one　has　seen　this　place　one　may　say　that　one　has　seen　one　of　the　beauty　spots　of　Europe。〃　This　said；　Chichikov　added　to　himself；　smoothing　his　chin：　〃What　a　difference　between　the　features　of　a　civilised　man　of　the　world　and　those　of　a　common　lacquey！〃

Meanwhile　the　koliaska　quickened　its　pace；　and　Chichikov　once　more　caught　sight　of　Tientietnikov's　aspen…studded　meadows。　Undulating　gently　on　elastic　springs；　the　vehicle　cautiously　descended　the　steep　incline；　and　then　proceeded　past　water…mills；　rumbled　over　a　bridge　or　two；　and　jolted　easily　along　the　rough…set　road　which　traversed　the　flats。　Not　a　molehill；　not　a　mound　jarred　the　spine。　The　vehicle　was　comfort　itself。

Swiftly　there　flew　by　clumps　of　osiers；　slender　elder　trees；　and　silver…leaved　poplars；　their　branches　brushing　against　Selifan　and　Petrushka；　and　at　intervals　depriving　the　valet　of　his　cap。　Each　time　that　this　happened；　the　sullen…faced　servitor　fell　to　cursing　both　the　tree　responsible　for　the　occurrence　and　the　landowner　responsible　for　the　tree　being　in　existence；　yet　nothing　would　induce　him　thereafter　either　to　tie　on　the　cap　or　to　steady　it　with　his　hand；　so　complete　was　his　assurance　that　the　accident　would　never　be　repeated。　Soon　to　the　foregoing　trees　there　became　added　an　occasional　birch　or　spruce　fir；　while　in　the　dense　undergrowth　around　their　roots　could　be　seen　the　blue　iris　and　the　yellow　wood…tulip。　Gradually　the　forest　grew　darker；　as　though　eventually　the　obscurity　would　become　complete。　Then　through　the　trunks　and　the　boughs　there　began　to　gleam　points　of　light　like　glittering　mirrors；　and　as　the　number　of　trees　lessened；　these　points　grew　larger；　until　the　travellers　debouched　upon　the　shore　of　a　lake　four　versts　or　so　in　circumference；　and　having　on　its　further　margin　the　grey；　scattered　log　huts　of　a　peasant　village。　In　the　water　a　great　commotion　was　in　progress。　In　the　first　place；　some　twenty　men；　immersed　to　the　knee；　to　the　breast；　or　to　the　neck；　were　dragging　a　large　fishing…net　inshore；　while；　in　the　second　place；　there　was　entangled　in　the　same；　in　addition　to　some　fish；　a　stout　man　shaped　precisely　like　a　melon　or　a　hogshead。　Greatly　excited；　he　was　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice：　〃Let　Kosma　manage　it；　you　lout　of　a　Denis！　Kosma；　take　the　end　of　the　rope　from　Denis！　Don't　bear　so　hard　on　it；　Thoma　Bolshoy＇1＇！　Go　where　Thoma　Menshov＇2＇　is！　Damn　it；　bring　the　net　to　land；　will　you！〃　From　this　it　became　clear　that　it　was　not　on　his　own　account　that　the　stout　man　was　worrying。　Indeed；　he　had　no　need　to　do　so；　since　his　fat　would　in　any　case　have　prevented　him　from　sinking。　Yes；　even　if　he　had　turned　head　over　heels　in　an　effort　to　dive；　the　water　would　persistently　have　borne　him　up；　and　the　same　if；　say；　a　couple　of　men　had　jumped　on　his　backthe　only　result　would　have　been　that　he　would　have　become　a　trifle　deeper　submerged；　and　forced　to　draw　breath　by　spouting　bubbles　through　his　nose。　No；　the　cause　of　his　agitation　was　lest　the　net　should　break；　and　the　fish　escape：　wherefore　he　was　urging　some　additional　peasants　who　were　standing　on　the　bank　to　lay　hold　of　and　to　pull　at；　an　extra　rope　or　two。

＇1＇　The　Elder。

＇2＇　The　Younger。

〃That　must　be　the　barinColonel　Koshkarev；〃　said　Selifan。

〃Why？〃　asked　Chichikov。

〃Because；　if　you　please；　his　skin　is　whiter　than　the　rest；　and　he　has　the　respectable　paunch　of　a　gentleman。〃

Meanwhile　good　progress　was　being　made　with　the　hauling　in　of　the　barin；　until；　feeling　the　ground　with　his　feet；　he　rose　to　an　upright　position；　and　at　the　same　moment　caught　sight　of　the　koliaska；　with　Chichikov　seated　therein；　descending　the　declivity。

〃Have　you　dined　yet？〃　shouted　the　barin　as；　still　entangled　in　the　net；　he　approached　the　shore　with　a　huge　fish　on　his　back。　With　one　hand　shading　his　eyes　from　the　sun；　and　the　other　thrown　backwards；　he　looked；　in　point　of　pose；　like　the　Medici　Venus　emerging　from　her　bath。

〃No；〃　replied　Chichikov；　raising　his　cap；　and　executing　a　series　of　bows。

〃Then　thank　God　for　that；〃　rejoined　the　gentleman。

〃Why？〃　asked　Chichikov　with　no　little　curiosity；　and　still　holding　his　cap　over　his　head。

〃Because　of　THIS。　Cast　off　the　net；　Thoma　Menshov；　and　pick　up　that　sturgeon　for　the　gentleman　to　see。　Go　and　help　him；　Telepen　Kuzma。〃

With　that　the　peasants　indicated　picked　up　by　the　head　what　was　a　veritable　monster　of　a　fish。

〃Isn't　it　a　beautya　sturgeon　fresh　run　from　the　river？〃　exclaimed　the　stout　barin。　〃And　now　let　us　be　off　home。　Coachman；　you　can　take　the　lower　road　through　the　kitchen　garden。　Run；　you　lout　of　a　Thoma　Bolshoy；　and　open　the　gate　for　him。　He　will　guide　you　to　the　house；　and　I　myself　shall　be　along　presently。〃

Thereupon　the　barelegged　Thoma　Bolshoy；　clad　in　nothing　but　a　shirt；　ran　ahead　of　the　koliaska　through　the　village；　every　hut　of　which　had　hanging　in　front　of　it　a　variety　of　nets；　for　the　reason　that　every　inhabitant　of　the　place　was　a　fisherman。　Next；　he　opened　a　gate　into　a　large　vegetable　enclosure；　and　thence　the　koliaska　emerged　into　a　square　near　a　wooden　church；　with；　showing　beyond　the　latter；　the　roofs　of　the　manorial　homestead。

〃A　queer　fellow；　that　Koshkarev！〃　said　Chichikov　to　himself。

〃Well；　whatever　I　may　be；　at　least　I'm　here；〃　said　a　voice　by　his　side。　Chichikov　looked　round；　and　perceived　that；　in　the　meanwhile；　the　barin　had　dressed　himself　and　overtaken　the　carriage。　With　a　pair　of　yellow　trousers　he　was　wearing　a　grass…green　jacket；　and　his　neck　was　as　guiltless　of　a　collar　as　Cupid's。　Also；　as　he　sat　sideways　in　his　drozhki；　his　bulk　was　such　that　he　completely　filled　the　vehicle。　Chichikov　was　about　to　make　some　remark　or　another　when　the　stout　gentleman　disappeared；　and　presently　his　drozhki　re…emerged　into　view　at　the　spot　where　the　fish　had　been　drawn　to　land；　and　his　voice　could　be　heard　reiterating　exhortations　to　his　serfs。　Yet　when　Chichikov　reached　the　verandah　of　the　house　he　found；　to　his　intense　surprise；　the　stout　gentleman　waiting　to　welcome　the　visitor。　How　he　had　contrived　to　convey　himself　thither　passed　Chichikov's　comprehension。　Host　and　guest　embraced　three　times；　according　to　a　bygone　custom　of　Russia。　Evidently　the　barin　was　one　of　the　old　school。

〃I　bring　you；〃　said　Chichikov；　〃a　greeting　from　his　Excellency。〃

〃From　whom？〃

〃From　your　relative　General　Alexander　Dmitrievitch。〃

〃Who　is　Alexander　Dmitrievitch？〃

〃What？　You　do　not　know　General　Alexander　Dmitrievitch　Betrishev？〃　exclaimed　Chichikov　with　a　touch　of　surprise。

〃No；　I　do　not；〃　replied　the　gentleman。

Chichikov's　surprise　grew　to　absolute　astonishment。

〃How　comes　that　about？〃　he　ejaculated。　〃I　hope　that　I　have　the　honour　of　addressing　Colonel　Koshkarev？〃

〃Your　hopes　are　vain。　It　is　to　my　house；　not　to　his；　that　you　have　come；　and　I　am　Peter　Petrovitch　Pietukhyes；　Peter　Petrovitch　Pietukh。〃

Chichikov；　dumbfounded；　turned　to　Selifan　and　Petrushka。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　told　you　to　drive　to　the　house　of　Colonel　Koshkarev；　whereas　you　have　brought　me　to　that　of　Peter　Petrovitch　Pietukh。〃

〃All　the　same；　your　fellows　have　done　quite　right；〃　put　in　the　gentleman　referred　to。　〃Do　you〃　（this　to　Selifan　and　Petrushka）　〃go　to　the　kitchen；　where　they　will　give　you　a　glassful　of　vodka　apiece。　Then　put　up　the　horses；　and　be　off　to　the　servants