dead souls(死魂灵)-第24章

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〃The　same　with　myself；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃The　truth　is　that　such　a　lot　of　nasty　brutes　kept　crawling　over　me　that　even　to　speak　of　it　gives　me　the　shudders。　Likewise；　as　the　effect　of　last　night's　doings；　a　whole　squadron　of　soldiers　seemed　to　be　camping　on　my　chest；　and　giving　me　a　flogging。　Ugh！　And　whom　also　do　you　think　I　saw　in　a　dream？　You　would　never　guess。　Why；　it　was　Staff…Captain　Potsieluev　and　Lieutenant　Kuvshinnikov！〃

〃Yes；〃　though　Chichikov　to　himself；　〃and　I　wish　that　they　too　would　give　you　a　public　thrashing！〃

〃I　felt　so　ill！〃　went　on　Nozdrev。　〃And　just　after　I　had　fallen　asleep　something　DID　come　and　sting　me。　Probably　it　was　a　party　of　hag　fleas。　Now；　dress　yourself；　and　I　will　be　with　you　presently。　First　of　all　I　must　give　that　scoundrel　of　a　bailiff　a　wigging。〃

Chichikov　departed　to　his　own　room　to　wash　and　dress；　which　process　completed；　he　entered　the　dining…room　to　find　the　table　laid　with　tea…things　and　a　bottle　of　rum。　Clearly　no　broom　had　yet　touched　the　place；　for　there　remained　traces　of　the　previous　night's　dinner　and　supper　in　the　shape　of　crumbs　thrown　over　the　floor　and　tobacco　ash　on　the　tablecloth。　The　host　himself；　when　he　entered；　was　still　clad　in　a　dressing…gown　exposing　a　hairy　chest；　and　as　he　sat　holding　his　pipe　in　his　hand；　and　drinking　tea　from　a　cup；　he　would　have　made　a　model　for　the　sort　of　painter　who　prefers　to　portray　gentlemen　of　the　less　curled　and　scented　order。

〃What　think　you？〃　he　asked　of　Chichikov　after　a　short　silence。　〃Are　you　willing　NOW　to　play　me　for　those　souls？〃

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　never　play　cards。　If　the　souls　are　for　sale；　I　will　buy　them。〃

〃I　decline　to　sell　them。　Such　would　not　be　the　course　proper　between　friends。　But　a　game　of　banker　would　be　quite　another　matter。　Let　us　deal　the　cards。〃

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　decline　to　play。〃

〃And　you　will　not　agree　to　an　exchange？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　look　here。　Suppose　we　play　a　game　of　chess。　If　you　win；　the　souls　shall　be　yours。　There　are　lot　which　I　should　like　to　see　crossed　off　the　revision　list。　Hi；　Porphyri！　Bring　me　the　chessboard。〃

〃You　are　wasting　your　time。　I　will　play　neither　chess　nor　cards。〃

〃But　chess　is　different　from　playing　with　a　bank。　In　chess　there　can　be　neither　luck　nor　cheating；　for　everything　depends　upon　skill。　In　fact；　I　warn　you　that　I　cannot　possibly　play　with　you　unless　you　allow　me　a　move　or　two　in　advance。〃

〃The　same　with　me；〃　thought　Chichikov。　〃Shall　I；　or　shall　I　not；　play　this　fellow？　I　used　not　to　be　a　bad　chess…player；　and　it　is　a　sport　in　which　he　would　find　it　more　difficult　to　be　up　to　his　tricks。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　added　aloud。　〃I　WILL　play　you　at　chess。〃

〃And　stake　the　souls　for　a　hundred　roubles？〃　asked　Nozdrev。

〃No。　Why　for　a　hundred？　Would　it　not　be　sufficient　to　stake　them　for　fifty？〃

〃No。　What　would　be　the　use　of　fifty？　Nevertheless；　for　the　hundred　roubles　I　will　throw　in　a　moderately　old　puppy；　or　else　a　gold　seal　and　watch…chain。〃

〃Very　well；〃　assented　Chichikov。

〃Then　how　many　moves　are　you　going　to　allow　me？〃

〃Is　THAT　to　be　part　of　the　bargain？　Why；　none；　of　course。〃

〃At　least　allow　me　two。〃

〃No；　none。　I　myself　am　only　a　poor　player。〃

〃_I_　know　you　and　your　poor　play；〃　said　Nozdrev；　moving　a　chessman。

〃In　fact；　it　is　a　long　time　since　last　I　had　a　chessman　in　my　hand；〃　replied　Chichikov；　also　moving　a　piece。

〃Ah！　_I_　know　you　and　your　poor　play；〃　repeated　Nozdrev；　moving　a　second　chessman。

〃I　say　again　that　it　is　a　long　time　since　last　I　had　a　chessman　in　my　hand。〃　And　Chichikov；　in　his　turn；　moved。

〃Ah！　_I_　know　you　and　your　poor　play；〃　repeated　Nozdrev；　for　the　third　time　as　he　made　a　third　move。　At　the　same　moment　the　cuff　of　one　of　his　sleeves　happened　to　dislodge　another　chessman　from　its　position。

〃Again；　I　say；〃　said　Chichikov；　〃that　'tis　a　long　time　since　lastBut　hi！　look　here！　Put　that　piece　back　in　its　place！〃

〃What　piece？〃

〃This　one。〃　And　almost　as　Chichikov　spoke　he　saw　a　third　chessman　coming　into　view　between　the　queens。　God　only　knows　whence　that　chessman　had　materialised。

〃No；　no！〃　shouted　Chichikov　as　he　rose　from　the　table。　〃It　is　impossible　to　play　with　a　man　like　you。　People　don't　move　three　pieces　at　once。〃

〃How　'three　pieces'？　All　that　I　have　done　is　to　make　a　mistaketo　move　one　of　my　pieces　by　accident。　If　you　like；　I　will　forfeit　it　to　you。〃

〃And　whence　has　the　third　piece　come？〃

〃What　third　piece？〃

〃The　one　now　standing　between　the　queens？〃

〃'Tis　one　of　your　own　pieces。　Surely　you　are　forgetting？〃

〃No；　no；　my　friend。　I　have　counted　every　move；　and　can　remember　each　one。　That　piece　has　only　just　become　added　to　the　board。　Put　it　back　in　its　place；　I　say。〃

〃Its　place？　Which　IS　its　place？〃　But　Nozdrev　had　reddened　a　good　deal。　〃I　perceive　you　to　be　a　strategist　at　the　game。〃

〃No；　no；　good　friend。　YOU　are　the　strategistthough　an　unsuccessful　one；　as　it　happens。〃

〃Then　of　what　are　you　supposing　me　capable？　Of　cheating　you？〃

〃I　am　not　supposing　you　capable　of　anything。　All　that　I　say　is　that　I　will　not　play　with　you　any　more。〃

〃But　you　can't　refuse　to；〃　said　Nozdrev；　growing　heated。　〃You　see；　the　game　has　begun。〃

〃Nevertheless；　I　have　a　right　not　to　continue　it；　seeing　that　you　are　not　playing　as　an　honest　man　should　do。〃

〃You　are　lyingyou　cannot　truthfully　say　that。〃

〃'Tis　you　who　are　lying。〃

〃But　I　have　NOT　cheated。　Consequently　you　cannot　refuse　to　play；　but　must　continue　the　game　to　a　finish。〃

〃You　cannot　force　me　to　play；〃　retorted　Chichikov　coldly　as；　turning　to　the　chessboard；　he　swept　the　pieces　into　confusion。

Nozdrev　approached　Chichikov　with　a　manner　so　threatening　that　the　other　fell　back　a　couple　of　paces。

〃I　WILL　force　you　to　play；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃It　is　no　use　you　making　a　mess　of　the　chessboard；　for　I　can　remember　every　move。　We　will　replace　the　chessmen　exactly　as　they　were。〃

〃No；　no；　my　friend。　The　game　is　over；　and　I　play　you　no　more。〃

〃You　say　that　you　will　not？〃

〃Yes。　Surely　you　can　see　for　yourself　that　such　a　thing　is　impossible？〃

〃That　cock　won't　fight。　Say　at　once　that　you　refuse　to　play　with　me。〃　And　Nozdrev　approached　a　step　nearer。

〃Very　well；　I　DO　say　that；〃　replied　Chichikov；　and　at　the　same　moment　raised　his　hands　towards　his　face；　for　the　dispute　was　growing　heated。　Nor　was　the　act　of　caution　altogether　unwarranted；　for　Nozdrev　also　raised　his　fist；　and　it　may　be　that　one　of　her　hero's　plump；　pleasant…looking　cheeks　would　have　sustained　an　indelible　insult　had　not　he　（Chichikov）　parried　the　blow　and；　seizing　Nozdrev　by　his　whirling　arms；　held　them　fast。

〃Porphyri！　Pavlushka！〃　shouted　Nozdrev　as　madly　he　strove　to　free　himself。

On　hearing　the　words；　Chichikov；　both　because　he　wished　to　avoid　rendering　the　servants　witnesses　of　the　unedifying　scene　and　because　he　felt　that　it　would　be　of　no　avail　to　hold　Nozdrev　any　longer；　let　go　of　the　latter's　arms；　but　at　the　same　moment　Porphyri　and　Pavlushka　entered　the　rooma　pair　of　stout　rascals　with　whom　it　would　be　unwise　to　meddle。

〃Do　you；　or　do　you　not；　intend　to　finish　the　game？〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Give　me　a　direct　answer。〃

〃No；　it　will　not　be　possible　to　finish　the　game；〃　replied　Chichikov；　glancing　out　of　the　window。　He　could　see　his　britchka　standing　ready　for　him；　and　Selifan　evidently　awaiting　orders　to　draw　up　to　the　entrance　steps。　But　from　the　room　there　was　no　escape；　since　in　the　doorway　was　posted　the　couple　of　well…built　serving…men。

〃Then　it　is　as　I　say？　You　refuse　to　finish　the　game？〃　repeated　Nozdrev；　his　face　as　red　as　fire。

〃I　would　have　finished　it　had　you　played　like　a　man　of　honour。　But；　as　it　is；　I　cannot。〃

〃You　cannot；　eh；　you　villain？　You　find　that　you　cannot　as　soon　as　you　find　that　you　are　not　winning？　Thrash　him；　you　fellows！〃　And　as　he　spoke　Nozdrev　grasped　the　cherrywood　shank　of　his　pipe。　Chichikov　turned　as　white　as　a　sheet。　He　tried　to　say　something；　but　his　quivering　lips　emitted　no　sound。　〃Thrash　him！〃　again　shouted　Nozdrev　as　he　rushed　forward　in　a　state　of　heat　and　perspiration　more　proper　to　a　warrior　who　is　attacking　an　impregnable　fortress。　〃Thrash　him！〃　again　he　shouted　in　a　voice　like　that　of　some　half…demented　lieutenant　whose　desperate　bravery　has　acquired　such　a　reputa