dead souls(死魂灵)-第85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！

to　them　your　personal　attitude　（exactly　as　you　have　explained　it　to　me）；　and　to　end　by　at　once　requesting　their　advice　and　asking　them　what　each　of　them　would　have　done　had　he　been　placed　in　similar　circumstances。〃

〃What？　You　think　that　those　tchinovniks　would　be　so　accessible　to　lofty　motives　that　they　would　cease　thereafter　to　be　venal　and　meticulous？　I　should　be　laughed　at　for　my　pains。〃

〃I　think　not；　your　Highness。　Even　the　baser　section　of　humanity　possesses　a　certain　sense　of　equity。　Your　wisest　plan；　your　Highness；　would　be　to　conceal　nothing　and　to　speak　to　them　as　you　have　just　spoken　to　me。　If；　at　present；　they　imagine　you　to　be　ambitious　and　proud　and　unapproachable　and　self…assured；　your　action　would　afford　them　an　opportunity　of　seeing　how　the　case　really　stands。　Why　should　you　hesitate？　You　would　but　be　exercising　your　undoubted　right。　Speak　to　them　as　though　delivering　not　a　message　of　your　own；　but　a　message　from　God。〃

〃I　will　think　it　over；〃　the　Prince　said　musingly；　〃and　meanwhile　I　thank　you　from　my　heart　for　your　good　advice。〃

〃Also；　I　should　order　Chichikov　to　leave　the　town；〃　suggested　Murazov。

〃Yes；　I　will　do　so。　Tell　him　from　me　that　he　is　to　depart　hence　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　that　the　further　he　should　remove　himself；　the　better　it　will　be　for　him。　Also；　tell　him　that　it　is　only　owing　to　your　efforts　that　he　has　received　a　pardon　at　my　hands。〃

Murazov　bowed；　and　proceeded　from　the　Prince's　presence　to　that　of　Chichikov。　He　found　the　prisoner　cheerfully　enjoying　a　hearty　dinner　which；　under　hot　covers；　had　been　brought　him　from　an　exceedingly　excellent　kitchen。　But　almost　the　first　words　which　he　uttered　showed　Murazov　that　the　prisoner　had　been　having　dealings　with　the　army　of　bribe…takers；　as　also　that　in　those　transactions　his　lawyer　had　played　the　principal　part。

〃Listen；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃I　bring　you　your　freedom；　but　only　on　this　conditionthat　you　depart　out　of　the　town　forthwith。　Therefore　gather　together　your　effects；　and　waste　not　a　moment；　lest　worse　befall　you。　Also；　of　all　that　a　certain　person　has　contrived　to　do　on　your　behalf　I　am　aware；　wherefore　let　me　tell　you；　as　between　ourselves；　that　should　the　conspiracy　come　to　light；　nothing　on　earth　can　save　him；　and　in　his　fall　he　will　involve　others　rather　then　be　left　unaccompanied　in　the　lurch；　and　not　see　the　guilt　shared。　How　is　it　that　when　I　left　you　recently　you　were　in　a　better　frame　of　mind　than　you　are　now？　I　beg　of　you　not　to　trifle　with　the　matter。　Ah　me！　what　boots　that　wealth　for　which　men　dispute　and　cut　one　another's　throats？　Do　they　think　that　it　is　possible　to　prosper　in　this　world　without　thinking　of　the　world　to　come？　Believe　me　when　I　say　that；　until　a　man　shall　have　renounced　all　that　leads　humanity　to　contend　without　giving　a　thought　to　the　ordering　of　spiritual　wealth；　he　will　never　set　his　temporal　goods　either　upon　a　satisfactory　foundation。　Yes；　even　as　times　of　want　and　scarcity　may　come　upon　nations；　so　may　they　come　upon　individuals。　No　matter　what　may　be　said　to　the　contrary；　the　body　can　never　dispense　with　the　soul。　Why；　then；　will　you　not　try　to　walk　in　the　right　way；　and；　by　thinking　no　longer　of　dead　souls；　but　only　of　your　only　living　one；　regain；　with　God's　help；　the　better　road？　I　too　am　leaving　the　town　to…morrow。　Hasten；　therefore；　lest；　bereft　of　my　assistance；　you　meet　with　some　dire　misfortune。〃

And　the　old　man　departed；　leaving　Chichikov　plunged　in　thought。　Once　more　had　the　gravity　of　life　begun　to　loom　large　before　him。

〃Yes；　Murazov　was　right；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃It　is　time　that　I　were　moving。〃

Leaving　the　prisona　warder　carrying　his　effects　in　his　wakehe　found　Selifan　and　Petrushka　overjoyed　at　seeing　their　master　once　more　at　liberty。

〃Well；　good　fellows？〃　he　said　kindly。　〃And　now　we　must　pack　and　be　off。〃

〃True；　true；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　agreed　Selifan。　〃And　by　this　time　the　roads　will　have　become　firmer；　for　much　snow　has　fallen。　Yes；　high　time　is　it　that　we　were　clear　of　the　town。　So　weary　of　it　am　I　that　the　sight　of　it　hurts　my　eyes。〃

〃Go　to　the　coachbuilder's；〃　commanded　Chichikov；　〃and　have　sledge…runners　fitted　to　the　koliaska。〃

Chichikov　then　made　his　way　into　the　townthough　not　with　the　object　of　paying　farewell　visits　（in　view　of　recent　events；　that　might　have　given　rise　to　some　awkwardness）；　but　for　the　purpose　of　paying　an　unobtrusive　call　at　the　shop　where　he　had　obtained　the　cloth　for　his　latest　suit。　There　he　now　purchased　four　more　arshins　of　the　same　smoked…grey…shot…with…flame…colour　material　as　he　had　had　before；　with　the　intention　of　having　it　made　up　by　the　tailor　who　had　fashioned　the　previous　costume；　and　by　promising　double　remuneration　he　induced　the　tailor　in　question　so　to　hasten　the　cutting　out　of　the　garments　that；　through　sitting　up　all　night　over　the　work；　the　man　might　have　the　whole　ready　by　break　of　day。　True；　the　goods　were　delivered　a　trifle　after　the　appointed　hour；　yet　the　following　morning　saw　the　coat　and　breeches　completed；　and　while　the　horses　were　being　put　to；　Chichikov　tried　on　the　clothes；　and　found　them　equal　to　the　previous　creation；　even　though　during　the　process　he　caught　sight　of　a　bald　patch　on　his　head；　and　was　led　mournfully　to　reflect：　〃Alas！　Why　did　I　give　way　to　such　despair？　Surely　I　need　not　have　torn　my　hair　out　so　freely？〃

Then；　when　the　tailor　had　been　paid；　our　hero　left　the　town。　But　no　longer　was　he　the　old　Chichikovhe　was　only　a　ruin　of　what　he　had　been；　and　his　frame　of　mind　might　have　been　compared　to　a　building　recently　pulled　down　to　make　room　for　a　new　one；　while　the　new　one　had　not　yet　been　erected　owing　to　the　non…receipt　of　the　plans　from　the　architect。　Murazov；　too；　had　departed；　but　at　an　earlier　hour；　and　in　a　tilt…waggon　with　Ivan　Potapitch。

An　hour　later　the　Governor…General　issued　to　all　and　sundry　officials　a　notice　that；　on　the　occasion　of　his　departure　for　St。　Petersburg；　he　would　be　glad　to　see　the　corps　of　tchinovniks　at　a　private　meeting。　Accordingly　all　ranks　and　grades　of　officialdom　repaired　to　his　residence；　and　there　awaitednot　without　a　certain　measure　of　trepidation　and　of　searching　of　heartthe　Governor…General's　entry。　When　that　took　place　he　looked　neither　clear　nor　dull。　Yet　his　bearing　was　proud；　and　his　step　assured。　The　tchinovniks　bowedsome　of　them　to　the　waist；　and　he　answered　their　salutations　with　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head。　Then　he　spoke　as　follows：

〃Since　I　am　about　to　pay　a　visit　to　St。　Petersburg；　I　have　thought　it　right　to　meet　you；　and　to　explain　to　you　privately　my　reasons　for　doing　so。　An　affair　of　a　most　scandalous　character　has　taken　place　in　our　midst。　To　what　affair　I　am　referring　I　think　most　of　those　present　will　guess。　Now；　an　automatic　process　has　led　to　that　affair　bringing　about　the　discovery　of　other　matters。　Those　matters　are　no　less　dishonourable　than　the　primary　one；　and　to　that　I　regret　to　have　to　add　that　there　stand　involved　in　them　certain　persons　whom　I　had　hitherto　believed　to　be　honourable。　Of　the　object　aimed　at　by　those　who　have　complicated　matters　to　the　point　of　making　their　resolution　almost　impossible　by　ordinary　methods　I　am　aware；　as　also　I　am　aware　of　the　identity　of　the　ringleader；　despite　the　skill　with　which　he　has　sought　to　conceal　his　share　in　the　scandal。　But　the　principal　point　is；　that　I　propose　to　decide　these　matters；　not　by　formal　documentary　process；　but　by　the　more　summary　process　of　court…martial；　and　that　I　hope；　when　the　circumstances　have　been　laid　before　his　Imperial　Majesty；　to　receive　from　him　authority　to　adopt　the　course　which　I　have　mentioned。　For　I　conceive　that　when　it　has　become　impossible　to　resolve　a　case　by　civil　means；　and　some　of　the　necessary　documents　have　been　burnt；　and　attempts　have　been　made　（both　through　the　adduction　of　an　excess　of　false　and　extraneous　evidence　and　through　the　framing　of　fictitious　reports）　to　cloud　an　already　sufficiently　obscure　investigation　with　an　added　measure　of　complexity；when　all　these　circumstances　have　arisen；　I　conceive　that　the　only　possible　tribunal　to　deal　with　them　is　a　military　tribunal。　But　on　that　point　I　should　like　your　opinion。〃

The　Prince　paused　for　a　moment　or　two；　as　though　awaiting　a　reply；　but　none　came；　seeing　that　every　man　had　his　eyes　bent　upon　the　floor；　and　many　of　the　audience　had　turned　white　in　the　face。

〃Then；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　may　say　that　I　am　aware　also　of　a　matter　which　those　who　have　carried　it　through　believe　to　lie　only　within　the　cognisance　of　themselves。　The　particulars　of　that　matter　will　not　be　set　forth　in　documentary　form；　but　only　through　process　of　myself　acting　as　plaintiff　and　petitioner；　and　producing　none　but　ocular　evidence。〃

Among　the　throng　of　tchinovniks　some　one　gave　a　start；　and　thereby　caused　others　of　the　more　apprehensive　sort　to　fall　to　trembling　in　their　shoes。

〃Without　saying　does　it　go　that　the　prime　conspirators　ought　to　undergo　deprivation　of　rank　and　property；　and　that　the　remainder　ought　to　be　dismissed　from　their　posts；　for　though　that　course　would　cause　a　certain　proportion　of　the　innocent　to　suffer　with　the　guilty；　there　would　seem　to　be　no　other　course　available；　seeing　that　the　affair　is　one　of　the　most　disgraceful　nature；　and　calls　aloud　for