dead souls(死魂灵)-第32章

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even　HE　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　would　be　overdoing　the　thing；　and；　after　another　glance　round　the　room；　decided　that　the　phrase　〃benevolence　and　other　rare　qualities　of　spirit〃　might　to　advantage　give　place　to　〃economy　and　genius　for　method。〃　Accordingly；　the　speech　mentally　composed；　he　said　aloud　that；　having　heard　of　Plushkin's　talents　for　thrifty　and　systematic　management；　he　had　considered　himself　bound　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　his　host；　and　to　present　him　with　his　personal　compliments　（I　need　hardly　say　that　Chichikov　could　easily　have　alleged　a　better　reason；　had　any　better　one　happened；　at　the　moment；　to　have　come　into　his　head）。

With　toothless　gums　Plushkin　murmured　something　in　reply；　but　nothing　is　known　as　to　its　precise　terms　beyond　that　it　included　a　statement　that　the　devil　was　at　liberty　to　fly　away　with　Chichikov's　sentiments。　However；　the　laws　of　Russian　hospitality　do　not　permit　even　of　a　miser　infringing　their　rules；　wherefore　Plushkin　added　to　the　foregoing　a　more　civil　invitation　to　be　seated。

〃It　is　long　since　I　last　received　a　visitor；〃　he　went　on。　〃Also；　I　feel　bound　to　say　that　I　can　see　little　good　in　their　coming。　Once　introduce　the　abominable　custom　of　folk　paying　calls；　and　forthwith　there　will　ensue　such　ruin　to　the　management　of　estates　that　landowners　will　be　forced　to　feed　their　horses　on　hay。　Not　for　a　long；　long　time　have　I　eaten　a　meal　away　from　homealthough　my　own　kitchen　is　a　poor　one；　and　has　its　chimney　in　such　a　state　that；　were　it　to　become　overheated；　it　would　instantly　catch　fire。〃

〃What　a　brute！〃　thought　Chichikov。　〃I　am　lucky　to　have　got　through　so　much　pastry　and　stuffed　shoulder　of　mutton　at　Sobakevitch's！〃

〃Also；〃　went　on　Plushkin；　〃I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　hardly　a　wisp　of　fodder　does　the　place　contain。　But　how　can　I　get　fodder？　My　lands　are　small；　and　the　peasantry　lazy　fellows　who　hate　work　and　think　of　nothing　but　the　tavern。　In　the　end；　therefore；　I　shall　be　forced　to　go　and　spend　my　old　age　in　roaming　about　the　world。〃

〃But　I　have　been　told　that　you　possess　over　a　thousand　serfs？〃　said　Chichikov。

〃Who　told　you　that？　No　matter　who　it　was；　you　would　have　been　justified　in　giving　him　the　lie。　He　must　have　been　a　jester　who　wanted　to　make　a　fool　of　you。　A　thousand　souls；　indeed！　Why；　just　reckon　the　taxes　on　them；　and　see　what　there　would　be　left！　For　these　three　years　that　accursed　fever　has　been　killing　off　my　serfs　wholesale。〃

〃Wholesale；　you　say？〃　echoed　Chichikov；　greatly　interested。

〃Yes；　wholesale；〃　replied　the　old　man。

〃Then　might　I　ask　you　the　exact　number？〃

〃Fully　eighty。〃

〃Surely　not？〃

〃But　it　is　so。〃

〃Then　might　I　also　ask　whether　it　is　from　the　date　of　the　last　census　revision　that　you　are　reckoning　these　souls？〃

〃Yes；　damn　it！　And　since　that　date　I　have　been　bled　for　taxes　upon　a　hundred　and　twenty　souls　in　all。〃

〃Indeed？　Upon　a　hundred　and　twenty　souls　in　all！〃　And　Chichikov's　surprise　and　elation　were　such　that；　this　said；　he　remained　sitting　open…mouthed。

〃Yes；　good　sir；〃　replied　Plushkin。　〃I　am　too　old　to　tell　you　lies；　for　I　have　passed　my　seventieth　year。〃

Somehow　he　seemed　to　have　taken　offence　at　Chichikov's　almost　joyous　exclamation；　wherefore　the　guest　hastened　to　heave　a　profound　sigh；　and　to　observe　that　he　sympathised　to　the　full　with　his　host's　misfortunes。

〃But　sympathy　does　not　put　anything　into　one's　pocket；〃　retorted　Plushkin。　〃For　instance；　I　have　a　kinsman　who　is　constantly　plaguing　me。　He　is　a　captain　in　the　army；　damn　him；　and　all　day　he　does　nothing　but　call　me　'dear　uncle；'　and　kiss　my　hand；　and　express　sympathy　until　I　am　forced　to　stop　my　ears。　You　see；　he　has　squandered　all　his　money　upon　his　brother…officers；　as　well　as　made　a　fool　of　himself　with　an　actress；　so　now　he　spends　his　time　in　telling　me　that　he　has　a　sympathetic　heart！〃

Chichikov　hastened　to　explain　that　HIS　sympathy　had　nothing　in　common　with　the　captain's；　since　he　dealt；　not　in　empty　words　alone；　but　in　actual　deeds；　in　proof　of　which　he　was　ready　then　and　there　（for　the　purpose　of　cutting　the　matter　short；　and　of　dispensing　with　circumlocution）　to　transfer　to　himself　the　obligation　of　paying　the　taxes　due　upon　such　serfs　as　Plushkin's　as　had；　in　the　unfortunate　manner　just　described；　departed　this　world。　The　proposal　seemed　to　astonish　Plushkin；　for　he　sat　staring　open…eyed。　At　length　he　inquired：

〃My　dear　sir；　have　you　seen　military　service？〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　other　warily；　〃but　I　have　been　a　member　of　the　CIVIL　Service。〃

〃Oh！　Of　the　CIVIL　Service？〃　And　Plushkin　sat　moving　his　lips　as　though　he　were　chewing　something。　〃Well；　what　of　your　proposal？〃　he　added　presently。　〃Are　you　prepared　to　lose　by　it？〃

〃Yes；　certainly；　if　thereby　I　can　please　you。〃

〃My　dear　sir！　My　good　benefactor！〃　In　his　delight　Plushkin　lost　sight　of　the　fact　that　his　nose　was　caked　with　snuff　of　the　consistency　of　thick　coffee；　and　that　his　coat　had　parted　in　front　and　was　disclosing　some　very　unseemly　underclothing。　〃What　comfort　you　have　brought　to　an　old　man！　Yes；　as　God　is　my　witness！〃

For　the　moment　he　could　say　no　more。　Yet　barely　a　minute　had　elapsed　before　this　instantaneously　aroused　emotion　had；　as　instantaneously；　disappeared　from　his　wooden　features。　Once　more　they　assumed　a　careworn　expression；　and　he　even　wiped　his　face　with　his　handkerchief；　then　rolled　it　into　a　ball；　and　rubbed　it　to　and　fro　against　his　upper　lip。

〃If　it　will　not　annoy　you　again　to　state　the　proposal；〃　he　went　on；　〃what　you　undertake　to　do　is　to　pay　the　annual　tax　upon　these　souls；　and　to　remit　the　money　either　to　me　or　to　the　Treasury？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　how　it　shall　be　done。　We　will　draw　up　a　deed　of　purchase　as　though　the　souls　were　still　alive　and　you　had　sold　them　to　myself。〃

〃Quite　soa　deed　of　purchase；〃　echoed　Plushkin；　once　more　relapsing　into　thought　and　the　chewing　motion　of　the　lips。　〃But　a　deed　of　such　a　kind　will　entail　certain　expenses；　and　lawyers　are　so　devoid　of　conscience！　In　fact；　so　extortionate　is　their　avarice　that　they　will　charge　one　half　a　rouble；　and　then　a　sack　of　flour；　and　then　a　whole　waggon…load　of　meal。　I　wonder　that　no　one　has　yet　called　attention　to　the　system。〃

Upon　that　Chichikov　intimated　that；　out　of　respect　for　his　host；　he　himself　would　bear　the　cost　of　the　transfer　of　souls。　This　led　Plushkin　to　conclude　that　his　guest　must　be　the　kind　of　unconscionable　fool　who；　while　pretending　to　have　been　a　member　of　the　Civil　Service；　has　in　reality　served　in　the　army　and　run　after　actresses；　wherefore　the　old　man　no　longer　disguised　his　delight；　but　called　down　blessings　alike　upon　Chichikov's　head　and　upon　those　of　his　children　（he　had　never　even　inquired　whether　Chichikov　possessed　a　family）。　Next；　he　shuffled　to　the　window；　and；　tapping　one　of　its　panes；　shouted　the　name　of　〃Proshka。〃　Immediately　some　one　ran　quickly　into　the　hall；　and；　after　much　stamping　of　feet；　burst　into　the　room。　This　was　Proshkaa　thirteen…year…old　youngster　who　was　shod　with　boots　of　such　dimensions　as　almost　to　engulf　his　legs　as　he　walked。　The　reason　why　he　had　entered　thus　shod　was　that　Plushkin　only　kept　one　pair　of　boots　for　the　whole　of　his　domestic　staff。　This　universal　pair　was　stationed　in　the　hall　of　the　mansion；　so　that　any　servant　who　was　summoned　to　the　house　might　don　the　said　boots　after　wading　barefooted　through　the　mud　of　the　courtyard；　and　enter　the　parlour　dry…shodsubsequently　leaving　the　boots　where　he　had　found　them；　and　departing　in　his　former　barefooted　condition。　Indeed；　had　any　one；　on　a　slushy　winter's　morning；　glanced　from　a　window　into　the　said　courtyard；　he　would　have　seen　Plushkin's　servitors　performing　saltatory　feats　worthy　of　the　most　vigorous　of　stage…dancers。

〃Look　at　that　boy's　face！〃　said　Plushkin　to　Chichikov　as　he　pointed　to　Proshka。　〃It　is　stupid　enough；　yet；　lay　anything　aside；　and　in　a　trice　he　will　have　stolen　it。　Well；　my　lad；　what　do　you　want？〃

He　paused　a　moment　or　two；　but　Proshka　made　no　reply。

〃Come；　come！〃　went　on　the　old　man。　〃Set　out　the　samovar；　and　then　give　Mavra　the　key　of　the　store…roomhere　it　isand　tell　her　to　get　out　some　loaf　sugar　for　tea。　Here！　Wait　another　moment；　fool！　Is　the　devil　in　your　legs　that　they　itch　so　to　be　off？　Listen　to　what　more　I　have　to