dead souls(死魂灵)-第31章

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The　peasant　seemed　nonplussed　by　the　question。

〃Don't　you　know？〃　queried　Chichikov。

〃No；　barin；〃　replied　the　peasant。

〃What？　You　don't　know　skinflint　Plushkin　who　feeds　his　people　so　badly？〃

〃Of　course　I　do！〃　exclaimed　the　fellow；　and　added　thereto　an　uncomplimentary　expression　of　a　species　not　ordinarily　employed　in　polite　society。　We　may　guess　that　it　was　a　pretty　apt　expression；　since　long　after　the　man　had　become　lost　to　view　Chichikov　was　still　laughing　in　his　britchka。　And；　indeed；　the　language　of　the　Russian　populace　is　always　forcible　in　its　phraseology。



CHAPTER　VI

Chichikov's　amusement　at　the　peasant's　outburst　prevented　him　from　noticing　that　he　had　reached　the　centre　of　a　large　and　populous　village；　but；　presently；　a　violent　jolt　aroused　him　to　the　fact　that　he　was　driving　over　wooden　pavements　of　a　kind　compared　with　which　the　cobblestones　of　the　town　had　been　as　nothing。　Like　the　keys　of　a　piano；　the　planks　kept　rising　and　falling；　and　unguarded　passage　over　them　entailed　either　a　bump　on　the　back　of　the　neck　or　a　bruise　on　the　forehead　or　a　bite　on　the　tip　of　one's　tongue。　At　the　same　time　Chichikov　noticed　a　look　of　decay　about　the　buildings　of　the　village。　The　beams　of　the　huts　had　grown　dark　with　age；　many　of　their　roofs　were　riddled　with　holes；　others　had　but　a　tile　of　the　roof　remaining；　and　yet　others　were　reduced　to　the　rib…like　framework　of　the　same。　It　would　seem　as　though　the　inhabitants　themselves　had　removed　the　laths　and　traverses；　on　the　very　natural　plea　that　the　huts　were　no　protection　against　the　rain；　and　therefore；　since　the　latter　entered　in　bucketfuls；　there　was　no　particular　object　to　be　gained　by　sitting　in　such　huts　when　all　the　time　there　was　the　tavern　and　the　highroad　and　other　places　to　resort　to。

Suddenly　a　woman　appeared　from　an　outbuildingapparently　the　housekeeper　of　the　mansion；　but　so　roughly　and　dirtily　dressed　as　almost　to　seem　indistinguishable　from　a　man。　Chichikov　inquired　for　the　master　of　the　place。

〃He　is　not　at　home；〃　she　replied；　almost　before　her　interlocutor　had　had　time　to　finish。　Then　she　added：　〃What　do　you　want　with　him？〃

〃I　have　some　business　to　do；〃　said　Chichikov。

〃Then　pray　walk　into　the　house；〃　the　woman　advised。　Then　she　turned　upon　him　a　back　that　was　smeared　with　flour　and　had　a　long　slit　in　the　lower　portion　of　its　covering。　Entering　a　large；　dark　hall　which　reeked　like　a　tomb；　he　passed　into　an　equally　dark　parlour　that　was　lighted　only　by　such　rays　as　contrived　to　filter　through　a　crack　under　the　door。　When　Chichikov　opened　the　door　in　question；　the　spectacle　of　the　untidiness　within　struck　him　almost　with　amazement。　It　would　seem　that　the　floor　was　never　washed；　and　that　the　room　was　used　as　a　receptacle　for　every　conceivable　kind　of　furniture。　On　a　table　stood　a　ragged　chair；　with；　beside　it；　a　clock　minus　a　pendulum　and　covered　all　over　with　cobwebs。　Against　a　wall　leant　a　cupboard；　full　of　old　silver；　glassware；　and　china。　On　a　writing　table；　inlaid　with　mother…of…pearl　which；　in　places；　had　broken　away　and　left　behind　it　a　number　of　yellow　grooves　（stuffed　with　putty）；　lay　a　pile　of　finely　written　manuscript；　an　overturned　marble　press　（turning　green）；　an　ancient　book　in　a　leather　cover　with　red　edges；　a　lemon　dried　and　shrunken　to　the　dimensions　of　a　hazelnut；　the　broken　arm　of　a　chair；　a　tumbler　containing　the　dregs　of　some　liquid　and　three　flies　（the　whole　covered　over　with　a　sheet　of　notepaper）；　a　pile　of　rags；　two　ink…encrusted　pens；　and　a　yellow　toothpick　with　which　the　master　of　the　house　had　picked　his　teeth　（apparently）　at　least　before　the　coming　of　the　French　to　Moscow。　As　for　the　walls；　they　were　hung　with　a　medley　of　pictures。　Among　the　latter　was　a　long　engraving　of　a　battle　scene；　wherein　soldiers　in　three…cornered　hats　were　brandishing　huge　drums　and　slender　lances。　It　lacked　a　glass；　and　was　set　in　a　frame　ornamented　with　bronze　fretwork　and　bronze　corner　rings。　Beside　it　hung　a　huge；　grimy　oil　painting　representative　of　some　flowers　and　fruit；　half　a　water　melon；　a　boar's　head；　and　the　pendent　form　of　a　dead　wild　duck。　Attached　to　the　ceiling　there　was　a　chandelier　in　a　holland　coveringthe　covering　so　dusty　as　closely　to　resemble　a　huge　cocoon　enclosing　a　caterpillar。　Lastly；　in　one　corner　of　the　room　lay　a　pile　of　articles　which　had　evidently　been　adjudged　unworthy　of　a　place　on　the　table。　Yet　what　the　pile　consisted　of　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　say；　seeing　that　the　dust　on　the　same　was　so　thick　that　any　hand　which　touched　it　would　have　at　once　resembled　a　glove。　Prominently　protruding　from　the　pile　was　the　shaft　of　a　wooden　spade　and　the　antiquated　sole　of　a　shoe。　Never　would　one　have　supposed　that　a　living　creature　had　tenanted　the　room；　were　it　not　that　the　presence　of　such　a　creature　was　betrayed　by　the　spectacle　of　an　old　nightcap　resting　on　the　table。

Whilst　Chichikov　was　gazing　at　this　extraordinary　mess；　a　side　door　opened　and　there　entered　the　housekeeper　who　had　met　him　near　the　outbuildings。　But　now　Chichikov　perceived　this　person　to　be　a　man　rather　than　a　woman；　since　a　female　housekeeper　would　have　had　no　beard　to　shave；　whereas　the　chin　of　the　newcomer；　with　the　lower　portion　of　his　cheeks；　strongly　resembled　the　curry…comb　which　is　used　for　grooming　horses。　Chichikov　assumed　a　questioning　air；　and　waited　to　hear　what　the　housekeeper　might　have　to　say。　The　housekeeper　did　the　same。　At　length；　surprised　at　the　misunderstanding；　Chichikov　decided　to　ask　the　first　question。

〃Is　the　master　at　home？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　person　addressed。

〃Then　were　is　he？〃　continued　Chichikov。

〃Are　you　blind；　my　good　sir？〃　retorted　the　other。　〃_I_　am　the　master。〃

Involuntarily　our　hero　started　and　stared。　During　his　travels　it　had　befallen　him　to　meet　various　types　of　mensome　of　them；　it　may　be；　types　which　you　and　I　have　never　encountered；　but　even　to　Chichikov　this　particular　species　was　new。　In　the　old　man's　face　there　was　nothing　very　specialit　was　much　like　the　wizened　face　of　many　another　dotard；　save　that　the　chin　was　so　greatly　projected　that　whenever　he　spoke　he　was　forced　to　wipe　it　with　a　handkerchief　to　avoid　dribbling；　and　that　his　small　eyes　were　not　yet　grown　dull；　but　twinkled　under　their　overhanging　brows　like　the　eyes　of　mice　when；　with　attentive　ears　and　sensitive　whiskers；　they　snuff　the　air　and　peer　forth　from　their　holes　to　see　whether　a　cat　or　a　boy　may　not　be　in　the　vicinity。　No；　the　most　noticeable　feature　about　the　man　was　his　clothes。　In　no　way　could　it　have　been　guessed　of　what　his　coat　was　made；　for　both　its　sleeves　and　its　skirts　were　so　ragged　and　filthy　as　to　defy　description；　while　instead　of　two　posterior　tails；　there　dangled　four　of　those　appendages；　with；　projecting　from　them；　a　torn　newspaper。　Also；　around　his　neck　there　was　wrapped　something　which　might　have　been　a　stocking；　a　garter；　or　a　stomacher；　but　was　certainly　not　a　tie。　In　short；　had　Chichikov　chanced　to　encounter　him　at　a　church　door；　he　would　have　bestowed　upon　him　a　copper　or　two　（for；　to　do　our　hero　justice；　he　had　a　sympathetic　heart　and　never　refrained　from　presenting　a　beggar　with　alms）；　but　in　the　present　case　there　was　standing　before　him；　not　a　mendicant；　but　a　landownerand　a　landowner　possessed　of　fully　a　thousand　serfs；　the　superior　of　all　his　neighbours　in　wealth　of　flour　and　grain；　and　the　owner　of　storehouses；　and　so　forth；　that　were　crammed　with　homespun　cloth　and　linen；　tanned　and　undressed　sheepskins；　dried　fish；　and　every　conceivable　species　of　produce。　Nevertheless；　such　a　phenomenon　is　rare　in　Russia；　where　the　tendency　is　rather　to　prodigality　than　to　parsimony。

For　several　minutes　Plushkin　stood　mute；　while　Chichikov　remained　so　dazed　with　the　appearance　of　the　host　and　everything　else　in　the　room；　that　he　too；　could　not　begin　a　conversation；　but　stood　wondering　how　best　to　find　words　in　which　to　explain　the　object　of　his　visit。　For　a　while　he　thought　of　expressing　himself　to　the　effect　that；　having　heard　so　much　of　his　host's　benevolence　and　other　rare　qualities　of　spirit；　he　had　considered　it　his　duty　to　come　and　pay　a　tribute　of　respect；　but　presently　even　HE　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　would　be　overdoing　the　thing；　and；　after　another　glance　rou