dead souls(死魂灵)-第76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！

or　else　a　suit　whereof　tidings　had　never　even　reached　his　ears　would　end　by　being　decided　in　his　favour。　And　when　that　happened　he　would　reverently　acknowledge　the　immensity　of　the　mercy　of　Providence；　gratefully　tender　thanksgiving　for　the　same；　and　betake　himself　again　to　his　irregular　mode　of　existence。

〃Somehow　I　feel　sorry　for　the　man；〃　said　Platon　when　he　and　Chichikov　had　taken　leave　of　their　host；　and　left　the　house。

〃Perhaps　so；　but　he　is　a　hopeless　prodigal；〃　replied　the　other。　〃Personally　I　find　it　impossible　to　compassionate　such　fellows。〃

And　with　that　the　pair　ceased　to　devote　another　thought　to　Khlobuev。　In　the　case　of　Platon；　this　was　because　he　contemplated　the　fortunes　of　his　fellows　with　the　lethargic；　half…somnolent　eye　which　he　turned　upon　all　the　rest　of　the　world；　for　though　the　sight　of　distress　of　others　would　cause　his　heart　to　contract　and　feel　full　of　sympathy；　the　impression　thus　produced　never　sank　into　the　depths　of　his　being。　Accordingly；　before　many　minutes　were　over　he　had　ceased　to　bestow　a　single　thought　upon　his　late　host。　With　Chichikov；　however；　things　were　different。　Whereas　Platon　had　ceased　to　think　of　Khlobuev　no　more　than　he　had　ceased　to　think　of　himself；　Chichikov's　mind　had　strayed　elsewhere；　for　the　reason　that　it　had　become　taken　up　with　grave　meditation　on　the　subject　of　the　purchase　just　made。　Suddenly　finding　himself　no　longer　a　fictitious　proprietor；　but　the　owner　of　a　real；　an　actually　existing；　estate；　he　became　contemplative；　and　his　plans　and　ideas　assumed　such　a　serious　vein　as　imparted　to　his　features　an　unconsciously　important　air。

〃Patience　and　hard　work！〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃The　thing　will　not　be　difficult；　for　with　those　two　requisites　I　have　been　familiar　from　the　days　of　my　swaddling　clothes。　Yes；　no　novelty　will　they　be　to　me。　Yet；　in　middle　age；　shall　I　be　able　to　compass　the　patience　whereof　I　was　capable　in　my　youth？〃

However；　no　matter　how　he　regarded　the　future；　and　no　matter　from　what　point　of　view　he　considered　his　recent　acquisition；　he　could　see　nothing　but　advantage　likely　to　accrue　from　the　bargain。　For　one　thing；　he　might　be　able　to　proceed　so　that；　first　the　whole　of　the　estate　should　be　mortgaged；　and　then　the　better　portions　of　land　sold　outright。　Or　he　might　so　contrive　matters　as　to　manage　the　property　for　a　while　（and　thus　become　a　landowner　like　Kostanzhoglo；　whose　advice；　as　his　neighbour　and　his　benefactor；　he　intended　always　to　follow）；　and　then　to　dispose　of　the　property　by　private　treaty　（provided　he　did　not　wish　to　continue　his　ownership）；　and　still　to　retain　in　his　hands　the　dead　and　abandoned　souls。　And　another　possible　coup　occurred　to　his　mind。　That　is　to　say；　he　might　contrive　to　withdraw　from　the　district　without　having　repaid　Kostanzhoglo　at　all！　Truly　a　splendid　idea！　Yet　it　is　only　fair　to　say　that　the　idea　was　not　one　of　Chichikov's　own　conception。　Rather；　it　had　presented　itselfmocking；　laughing；　and　winkingunbidden。　Yet　the　impudent；　the　wanton　thing！　Who　is　the　procreator　of　suddenly　born　ideas　of　the　kind？　The　thought　that　he　was　now　a　real；　an　actual；　proprietor　instead　of　a　fictitiousthat　he　was　now　a　proprietor　of　real　land；　real　rights　of　timber　and　pasture；　and　real　serfs　who　existed　not　only　in　the　imagination；　but　also　in　veritable　actualitygreatly　elated　our　hero。　So　he　took　to　dancing　up　and　down　in　his　seat；　to　rubbing　his　hands　together；　to　winking　at　himself；　to　holding　his　fist；　trumpet…wise；　to　his　mouth　（while　making　believe　to　execute　a　march）；　and　even　to　uttering　aloud　such　encouraging　nicknames　and　phrases　as　〃bulldog〃　and　〃little　fat　capon。〃　Then　suddenly　recollecting　that　he　was　not　alone；　he　hastened　to　moderate　his　behaviour　and　endeavoured　to　stifle　the　endless　flow　of　his　good　spirits；　with　the　result　that　when　Platon；　mistaking　certain　sounds　for　utterances　addressed　to　himself；　inquired　what　his　companion　had　said；　the　latter　retained　the　presence　of　mind　to　reply　〃Nothing。〃

Presently；　as　Chichikov　gazed　about　him；　he　saw　that　for　some　time　past　the　koliaska　had　been　skirting　a　beautiful　wood；　and　that　on　either　side　the　road　was　bordered　with　an　edging　of　birch　trees；　the　tenderly…green；　recently…opened　leaves　of　which　caused　their　tall；　slender　trunks　to　show　up　with　the　whiteness　of　a　snowdrift。　Likewise　nightingales　were　warbling　from　the　recesses　of　the　foliage；　and　some　wood　tulips　were　glowing　yellow　in　the　grass。　Next　（and　almost　before　Chichikov　had　realised　how　he　came　to　be　in　such　a　beautiful　spot　when；　but　a　moment　before；　there　had　been　visible　only　open　fields）　there　glimmered　among　the　trees　the　stony　whiteness　of　a　church；　with；　on　the　further　side　of　it；　the　intermittent；　foliage…buried　line　of　a　fence；　while　from　the　upper　end　of　a　village　street　there　was　advancing　to　meet　the　vehicle　a　gentleman　with　a　cap　on　his　head；　a　knotted　cudgel　in　his　hands；　and　a　slender…limbed　English　dog　by　his　side。

〃This　is　my　brother；〃　said　Platon。　〃Stop；　coachman。〃　And　he　descended　from　the　koliaska；　while　Chichikov　followed　his　example。　Yarb　and　the　strange　dog　saluted　one　another；　and　then　the　active；　thin…legged；　slender…tongued　Azor　relinquished　his　licking　of　Yarb's　blunt　jowl；　licked　Platon's　hands　instead；　and；　leaping　upon　Chichikov；　slobbered　right　into　his　ear。

The　two　brothers　embraced。

〃Really；　Platon；〃　said　the　gentleman　（whose　name　was　Vassili）；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　treating　me　like　this？〃

〃How　so？〃　said　Platon　indifferently。

〃What？　For　three　days　past　I　have　seen　and　heard　nothing　of　you！　A　groom　from　Pietukh's　brought　your　cob　home；　and　told　me　you　had　departed　on　an　expedition　with　some　barin。　At　least　you　might　have　sent　me　word　as　to　your　destination　and　the　probable　length　of　your　absence。　What　made　you　act　so？　God　knows　what　I　have　not　been　wondering！〃

〃Does　it　matter？〃　rejoined　Platon。　〃I　forgot　to　send　you　word；　and　we　have　been　no　further　than　Constantine's　（who；　with　our　sister；　sends　you　his　greeting）。　By　the　way；　may　I　introduce　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov？〃

The　pair　shook　hands　with　one　another。　Then；　doffing　their　caps；　they　embraced。

〃What　sort　of　man　is　this　Chichikov？〃　thought　Vassili。　〃As　a　rule　my　brother　Platon　is　not　over…nice　in　his　choice　of　acquaintances。〃　And；　eyeing　our　hero　as　narrowly　as　civility　permitted；　he　saw　that　his　appearance　was　that　of　a　perfectly　respectable　individual。

Chichikov　returned　Vassili's　scrutiny　with　a　similar　observance　of　the　dictates　of　civility；　and　perceived　that　he　was　shorter　than　Platon；　that　his　hair　was　of　a　darker　shade；　and　that　his　features；　though　less　handsome；　contained　far　more　life；　animation；　and　kindliness　than　did　his　brother's。　Clearly　he　indulged　in　less　dreaming；　though　that　was　an　aspect　which　Chichikov　little　regarded。

〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　go　touring　our　Holy　Russia　with　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　Platon。　〃Perhaps　it　will　rid　me　of　my　melancholy。〃

〃What　has　made　you　come　to　such　a　sudden　decision？〃　asked　the　perplexed　Vassili　（very　nearly　he　added：　〃Fancy　going　travelling　with　a　man　whose　acquaintance　you　have　just　made；　and　who　may　turn　out　to　be　a　rascal　or　the　devil　knows　what！〃　But；　in　spite　of　his　distrust；　he　contented　himself　with　another　covert　scrutiny　of　Chichikov；　and　this　time　came　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　no　fault　to　be　found　with　his　exterior）。

The　party　turned　to　the　right；　and　entered　the　gates　of　an　ancient　courtyard　attached　to　an　old…fashioned　house　of　a　type　no　longer　builtthe　type　which　has　huge　gables　supporting　a　high…pitched　roof。　In　the　centre　of　the　courtyard　two　great　lime　trees　covered　half　the　surrounding　space　with　shade；　while　beneath　them　were　ranged　a　number　of　wooden　benches；　and　the　whole　was　encircled　with　a　ring　of　blossoming　lilacs　and　cherry　trees　which；　like　a　beaded　necklace；　reinforced　the　wooden　fence；　and　almost　buried　it　beneath　their　clusters　of　leaves　and　flowers。　The　house；　too；　stood　almost　concealed　by　this　greenery；　except　that　the　front　door　and　the　windows　peered　pleasantly　through　the　foliage；　and　that　here　and　there　between　the　stems　of　the　trees　there　could　be　caught　glimpses　of　the　kitchen　regions；　the　storehouses；　and　the　cellar。　Lastly；　around　the　whole　stood　a　grove；　from　the　recesses　of　which　came　the　echoing　songs　of　nightingales。

Involuntarily　the　place　communicated　to　the　soul　a　sort　of　quiet；　restful　feeling；　so　eloquently　did　it　speak　of　that　care…free　period　when　every　one　lived　on　good　terms　with　his　neighbour；　and　all　was　simple　and　unsophisticated。　Vassili　invited　Chichikov　to　seat　himself；　and　the　party　approached；　for　that　purpose；　the　benches　under　the　lime　trees；　after　which　a　youth　of　about　seventeen；　and　clad　in　a　red　shirt；　brought　decanters　containing　various　kinds　of　kvass　（some　of　them　as　thick　as　syrup；　and　others　hissing　like　aerated　lemonade）；　deposited　the　same　upon　the　table；　and；　taking　up　a　spade　which　he　had　left　leaning　against　a　tree；　moved　away　towards　the　garden。　The　reason　of　this　was　that　in　the　brothers'　household；　as　in　that　of　Kostanzhoglo；　no　servants　were　kept；　since　the　whole　staff　were　rated　as　gardeners；　and　performed　that　duty　in　rotationVassili　holding　that　domestic　service　was　not　a　specialised　calling；　but　one　to　which　any　one　might　contribute