dead souls(死魂灵)-第9部分

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　to　step　outside　the　civil　law；　great　though　has　been　the　harm　which　that　rule　has　wrought　me　in　my　career。　In　my　eyes　an　obligation　is　a　sacred　thing。　In　the　presence　of　the　law　I　am　dumb。〃

These　last　words　reassured　Manilov　not　a　little：　yet　still　the　meaning　of　the　affair　remained　to　him　a　mystery。　By　way　of　answer；　he　fell　to　sucking　at　his　pipe　with　such　vehemence　that　at　length　the　pipe　began　to　gurgle　like　a　bassoon。　It　was　as　though　he　had　been　seeking　of　it　inspiration　in　the　present　unheard…of　juncture。　But　the　pipe　only　gurgled；　et　praeterea　nihil。

〃Perhaps　you　feel　doubtful　about　the　proposal？〃　said　Chichikov。

〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Manilov。　〃But　you　will；　I　know；　excuse　me　if　I　say　（and　I　say　it　out　of　no　spirit　of　prejudice；　nor　yet　as　criticising　yourself　in　any　way）you　will；　I　know；　excuse　me　if　I　say　that　possibly　thiserthis；　er；　SCHEME　of　yours；　thiserTRANSACTION　of　yours；　may　fail　altogether　to　accord　with　the　Civil　Statutes　and　Provisions　of　the　Realm？〃

And　Manilov；　with　a　slight　gesture　of　the　head；　looked　meaningly　into　Chichikov's　face；　while　displaying　in　his　every　feature；　including　his　closely…compressed　lips；　such　an　expression　of　profundity　as　never　before　was　seen　on　any　human　countenanceunless　on　that　of　some　particularly　sapient　Minister　of　State　who　is　debating　some　particularly　abstruse　problem。

Nevertheless　Chichikov　rejoined　that　the　kind　of　scheme　or　transaction　which　he　had　adumbrated　in　no　way　clashed　with　the　Civil　Statutes　and　Provisions　of　Russia；　to　which　he　added　that　the　Treasury　would　even　BENEFIT　by　the　enterprise；　seeing　it　would　draw　therefrom　the　usual　legal　percentage。

〃What；　then；　do　you　propose？〃　asked　Manilov。

〃I　propose　only　what　is　above…board；　and　nothing　else。〃

〃Then；　that　being　so；　it　is　another　matter；　and　I　have　nothing　to　urge　against　it；〃　said　Manilov；　apparently　reassured　to　the　full。

〃Very　well；〃　remarked　Chichikov。　〃Then　we　need　only　to　agree　as　to　the　price。〃

〃As　to　the　price？〃　began　Manilov；　and　then　stopped。　Presently　he　went　on：　〃Surely　you　cannot　suppose　me　capable　of　taking　money　for　souls　which；　in　one　sense　at　least；　have　completed　their　existence？　Seeing　that　this　fantastic　whim　of　yours　（if　I　may　so　call　it？）　has　seized　upon　you　to　the　extent　that　it　has；　I；　on　my　side；　shall　be　ready　to　surrender　to　you　those　souls　UNCONDITIONALLY；　and　to　charge　myself　with　the　whole　expenses　of　the　sale。〃

I　should　be　greatly　to　blame　if　I　were　to　omit　that；　as　soon　as　Manilov　had　pronounced　these　words；　the　face　of　his　guest　became　replete　with　satisfaction。　Indeed；　grave　and　prudent　a　man　though　Chichikov　was；　he　had　much　ado　to　refrain　from　executing　a　leap　that　would　have　done　credit　to　a　goat　（an　animal　which；　as　we　all　know；　finds　itself　moved　to　such　exertions　only　during　moments　of　the　most　ecstatic　joy）。　Nevertheless　the　guest　did　at　least　execute　such　a　convulsive　shuffle　that　the　material　with　which　the　cushions　of　the　chair　were　covered　came　apart；　and　Manilov　gazed　at　him　with　some　misgiving。　Finally　Chichikov's　gratitude　led　him　to　plunge　into　a　stream　of　acknowledgement　of　a　vehemence　which　caused　his　host　to　grow　confused；　to　blush；　to　shake　his　head　in　deprecation；　and　to　end　by　declaring　that　the　concession　was　nothing；　and　that；　his　one　desire　being　to　manifest　the　dictates　of　his　heart　and　the　psychic　magnetism　which　his　friend　exercised；　he；　in　short；　looked　upon　the　dead　souls　as　so　much　worthless　rubbish。

〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Chichikov；　pressing　his　hand；　after　which　he　heaved　a　profound　sigh。　Indeed；　he　seemed　in　the　right　mood　for　outpourings　of　the　heart；　for　he　continuednot　without　a　ring　of　emotion　in　his　tone：　〃If　you　but　knew　the　service　which　you　have　rendered　to　an　apparently　insignificant　individual　who　is　devoid　both　of　family　and　kindred！　For　what　have　I　not　suffered　in　my　timeI；　a　drifting　barque　amid　the　tempestuous　billows　of　life？　What　harryings；　what　persecutions；　have　I　not　known？　Of　what　grief　have　I　not　tasted？　And　why？　Simply　because　I　have　ever　kept　the　truth　in　view；　because　ever　I　have　preserved　inviolate　an　unsullied　conscience；　because　ever　I　have　stretched　out　a　helping　hand　to　the　defenceless　widow　and　the　hapless　orphan！〃　After　which　outpouring　Chichikov　pulled　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wiped　away　a　brimming　tear。

Manilov's　heart　was　moved　to　the　core。　Again　and　again　did　the　two　friends　press　one　another's　hands　in　silence　as　they　gazed　into　one　another's　tear…filled　eyes。　Indeed；　Manilov　COULD　not　let　go　our　hero's　hand；　but　clasped　it　with　such　warmth　that　the　hero　in　question　began　to　feel　himself　at　a　loss　how　best　to　wrench　it　free：　until；　quietly　withdrawing　it；　he　observed　that　to　have　the　purchase　completed　as　speedily　as　possible　would　not　be　a　bad　thing；　wherefore　he　himself　would　at　once　return　to　the　town　to　arrange　matters。　Taking　up　his　hat；　therefore；　he　rose　to　make　his　adieus。

〃What？　Are　you　departing　already？〃　said　Manilov；　suddenly　recovering　himself；　and　experiencing　a　sense　of　misgiving。　At　that　moment　his　wife　sailed　into　the　room。

〃Is　Paul　Ivanovitch　leaving　us　so　soon；　dearest　Lizanka？〃　she　said　with　an　air　of　regret。

〃Yes。　Surely　it　must　be　that　we　have　wearied　him？〃　her　spouse　replied。

〃By　no　means；〃　asserted　Chichikov；　pressing　his　hand　to　his　heart。　〃In　this　breast；　madam；　will　abide　for　ever　the　pleasant　memory　of　the　time　which　I　have　spent　with　you。　Believe　me；　I　could　conceive　of　no　greater　blessing　than　to　reside；　if　not　under　the　same　roof　as　yourselves；　at　all　events　in　your　immediate　neighbourhood。〃

〃Indeed？〃　exclaimed　Manilov；　greatly　pleased　with　the　idea。　〃How　splendid　it　would　be　if　you　DID　come　to　reside　under　our　roof；　so　that　we　could　recline　under　an　elm　tree　together；　and　talk　philosophy；　and　delve　to　the　very　root　of　things！〃

〃Yes；　it　WOULD　be　a　paradisaical　existence！〃　agreed　Chichikov　with　a　sigh。　Nevertheless　he　shook　hands　with　Madame。　〃Farewell；　sudarina；〃　he　said。　〃And　farewell　to　YOU；　my　esteemed　host。　Do　not　forget　what　I　have　requested　you　to　do。〃

〃Rest　assured　that　I　will　not；〃　responded　Manilov。　〃Only　for　a　couple　of　days　will　you　and　I　be　parted　from　one　another。〃

With　that　the　party　moved　into　the　drawing…room。

〃Farewell；　dearest　children；〃　Chichikov　went　on　as　he　caught　sight　of　Alkid　and　Themistocleus；　who　were　playing　with　a　wooden　hussar　which　lacked　both　a　nose　and　one　arm。　〃Farewell；　dearest　pets。　Pardon　me　for　having　brought　you　no　presents；　but；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　was　not；　until　my　visit；　aware　of　your　existence。　However；　now　that　I　shall　be　coming　again；　I　will　not　fail　to　bring　you　gifts。　Themistocleus；　to　you　I　will　bring　a　sword。　You　would　like　that；　would　you　not？〃

〃I　should；〃　replied　Themistocleus。

〃And　to　you；　Alkid；　I　will　bring　a　drum。　That　would　suit　you；　would　it　not？〃　And　he　bowed　in　Alkid's　direction。

〃Zetha　drum；〃　lisped　the　boy；　hanging　his　head。

〃Good！　Then　a　drum　it　shall　beSUCH　a　beautiful　drum！　What　a　tur…r…r…ru…ing　and　a　tra…ta…ta…ta…ing　you　will　be　able　to　kick　up！　Farewell；　my　darling。〃　And；　kissing　the　boy's　head；　he　turned　to　Manilov　and　Madame　with　the　slight　smile　which　one　assumes　before　assuring　parents　of　the　guileless　merits　of　their　offspring。

〃But　you　had　better　stay；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　the　father　as　the　trio　stepped　out　on　to　the　verandah。　〃See　how　the　clouds　are　gathering！〃

〃They　are　only　small　ones；〃　replied　Chichikov。

〃And　you　know　your　way　to　Sobakevitch's？〃

〃No；　I　do　not；　and　should　be　glad　if　you　would　direct　me。〃

〃If　you　like　I　will　tell　your　coachman。〃　And　in　very　civil　fashion　Manilov　did　so；　even　going　so　far　as　to　address　the　man　in　the　second　person　plural。　On　hearing　that　he　was　to　pass　two　turnings；　and　then　to　take　a　third；　Selifan　remarked；　〃We　shall　get　there　all　right；　sir；〃　and　Chichikov　departed　amid　a　profound　salvo　of　salutations　and　wavings　of　handkerchiefs　on　the　part　of　his　host　and　hostess；　who　raised　themselves　on　tiptoe　in　their　enthusiasm。

For　a　long　while　Manilov　stood　following　the　departing　britchka　with　his　eyes。　In　fact；　he　continued　to　smoke　his　pipe　and　gaze　after　the　vehicle　even　when　it　had　become　lost　to　view。　Then　he　re…entered　the　drawing…room；　seated　himself　upon　a　chair；　and　surrendered　his　mind　to　the　thought　that　he　had　shown　his　guest　most　excellent　entertainment。　Next；　his　mind　passed　imperceptibly　to　other　matters；　until　at　last　it　lost　itself　God　only　knows　where。　He　thought　of　the　amenities　of　a　life；　of　friendship；　and　of　how　nice　it　would　be　to　live　with　a　comrade　on；　say；　the　bank　of　some　river；　and　to　span　the　river　with　a　bridge　of　his　own；　and　to　build　an　enormous　mansion　with　a　facade　lofty　enough　even　to　afford　a　view　to　Moscow。　On　that　facade　he　and　his　wife　and　friend　would　drink　afternoon　tea　in　the　open　air；　and　discuss　interesting　subjects；　after　which；　in　a　fine　carriage；　they　would　drive　to　some　reunion　or　other；　where　with　their　pleasant　manners　they　would　so　charm　the　company　that　the　Imperial　Government；　on　learning　of　their　merits；　would　raise　the　pair　to　the　grade　of　General　or　God　knows　whatthat　is　to　say；　to　heights　whereof　even　Manilov　himself　could　form　no　idea。　Then　suddenly　Chichikov's　extraordinary　request　interrupted　the　dreamer's　reflections；　and　he