dead souls(死魂灵)-第62章

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　declivity　with　their　straggling　profusion。　Also；　at　the　edge　of　the　summit　there　can　be　seen　mingling　with　the　green　of　the　trees　the　red　roofs　of　a　manorial　homestead；　while　behind　the　upper　stories　of　the　mansion　proper　and　its　carved　balcony　and　a　great　semi…circular　window　there　gleam　the　tiles　and　gables　of　some　peasants'　huts。　Lastly；　over　this　combination　of　trees　and　roofs　there　risesovertopping　everything　with　its　gilded；　sparkling　steeplean　old　village　church。　On　each　of　its　pinnacles　a　cross　of　carved　gilt　is　stayed　with　supports　of　similar　gilding　and　design；　with　the　result　that　from　a　distance　the　gilded　portions　have　the　effect　of　hanging　without　visible　agency　in　the　air。　And　the　wholethe　three　successive　tiers　of　woodland；　roofs；　and　crosses　wholelies　exquisitely　mirrored　in　the　river　below；　where　hollow　willows；　grotesquely　shaped　（some　of　them　rooted　on　the　river's　banks；　and　some　in　the　water　itself；　and　all　drooping　their　branches　until　their　leaves　have　formed　a　tangle　with　the　water　lilies　which　float　on　the　surface）；　seem　to　be　gazing　at　the　marvellous　reflection　at　their　feet。

Thus　the　view　from　below　is　beautiful　indeed。　But　the　view　from　above　is　even　better。　No　guest；　no　visitor；　could　stand　on　the　balcony　of　the　mansion　and　remain　indifferent。　So　boundless　is　the　panorama　revealed　that　surprise　would　cause　him　to　catch　at　his　breath；　and　exclaim：　〃Lord　of　Heaven；　but　what　a　prospect！〃　Beyond　meadows　studded　with　spinneys　and　water…mills　lie　forests　belted　with　green；　while　beyond；　again；　there　can　be　seen　showing　through　the　slightly　misty　air　strips　of　yellow　heath；　and；　again；　wide…rolling　forests　（as　blue　as　the　sea　or　a　cloud）；　and　more　heath；　paler　than　the　first；　but　still　yellow。　Finally；　on　the　far　horizon　a　range　of　chalk…topped　hills　gleams　white；　even　in　dull　weather；　as　though　it　were　lightened　with　perpetual　sunshine；　and　here　and　there　on　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　its　lower　slopes　some　plaster…like；　nebulous　patches　represent　far…off　villages　which　lie　too　remote　for　the　eye　to　discern　their　details。　Indeed；　only　when　the　sunlight　touches　a　steeple　to　gold　does　one　realise　that　each　such　patch　is　a　human　settlement。　Finally；　all　is　wrapped　in　an　immensity　of　silence　which　even　the　far；　faint　echoes　of　persons　singing　in　the　void　of　the　plain　cannot　shatter。

Even　after　gazing　at　the　spectacle　for　a　couple　of　hours　or　so；　the　visitor　would　still　find　nothing　to　say；　save：　〃Lord　of　Heaven；　but　what　a　prospect！〃　Then　who　is　the　dweller　in；　the　proprietor　of；　this　manora　manor　to　which；　as　to　an　impregnable　fortress；　entrance　cannot　be　gained　from　the　side　where　we　have　been　standing；　but　only　from　the　other　approach；　where　a　few　scattered　oaks　offer　hospitable　welcome　to　the　visitor；　and　then；　spreading　above　him　their　spacious　branches　（as　in　friendly　embrace）；　accompany　him　to　the　facade　of　the　mansion　whose　top　we　have　been　regarding　from　the　reverse　aspect；　but　which　now　stands　frontwise　on　to　us；　and　has；　on　one　side　of　it；　a　row　of　peasants'　huts　with　red　tiles　and　carved　gables；　and；　on　the　other；　the　village　church；　with　those　glittering　golden　crosses　and　gilded　open…work　charms　which　seem　to　hang　suspended　in　the　air？　Yes；　indeed！to　what　fortunate　individual　does　this　corner　of　the　world　belong？　It　belongs　to　Andrei　Ivanovitch　Tientietnikov；　landowner　of　the　canton　of　Tremalakhan；　and；　withal；　a　bachelor　of　about　thirty。

Should　my　lady　readers　ask　of　me　what　manner　of　man　is　Tientietnikov；　and　what　are　his　attributes　and　peculiarities；　I　should　refer　them　to　his　neighbours。　Of　these；　a　member　of　the　almost　extinct　tribe　of　intelligent　staff　officers　on　the　retired　list　once　summed　up　Tientietnikov　in　the　phrase；　〃He　is　an　absolute　blockhead；〃　while　a　General　who　resided　ten　versts　away　was　heard　to　remark　that　〃he　is　a　young　man　who；　though　not　exactly　a　fool；　has　at　least　too　much　crowded　into　his　head。　I　myself　might　have　been　of　use　to　him；　for　not　only　do　I　maintain　certain　connections　with　St。　Petersburg；　but　also〃　And　the　General　left　his　sentence　unfinished。　Thirdly；　a　captain…superintendent　of　rural　police　happened　to　remark　in　the　course　of　conversation：　〃To…morrow　I　must　go　and　see　Tientietnikov　about　his　arrears。〃　Lastly；　a　peasant　of　Tientietnikov's　own　village；　when　asked　what　his　barin　was　like；　returned　no　answer　at　all。　All　of　which　would　appear　to　show　that　Tientietnikov　was　not　exactly　looked　upon　with　favour。

To　speak　dispassionately；　however；　he　was　not　a　bad　sort　of　fellowmerely　a　star…gazer；　and　since　the　world　contains　many　watchers　of　the　skies；　why　should　Tientietnikov　not　have　been　one　of　them？　However；　let　me　describe　in　detail　a　specimen　day　of　his　existenceone　that　will　closely　resemble　the　rest；　and　then　the　reader　will　be　enabled　to　judge　of　Tientietnikov's　character；　and　how　far　his　life　corresponded　to　the　beauties　of　nature　with　which　he　lived　surrounded。

On　the　morning　of　the　specimen　day　in　question　he　awoke　very　late；　and；　raising　himself　to　a　sitting　posture；　rubbed　his　eyes。　And　since　those　eyes　were　small；　the　process　of　rubbing　them　occupied　a　very　long　time；　and　throughout　its　continuance　there　stood　waiting　by　the　door　his　valet；　Mikhailo；　armed　with　a　towel　and　basin。　For　one　hour；　for　two　hours；　did　poor　Mikhailo　stand　there：　then　he　departed　to　the　kitchen；　and　returned　to　find　his　master　still　rubbing　his　eyes　as　he　sat　on　the　bed。　At　length；　however；　Tientietnikov　rose；　washed　himself；　donned　a　dressing…gown；　and　moved　into　the　drawing…room　for　morning　tea；　coffee；　cocoa；　and　warm　milk；　of　all　of　which　he　partook　but　sparingly；　while　munching　a　piece　of　bread；　and　scattering　tobacco　ash　with　complete　insouciance。　Two　hours　did　he　sit　over　this　meal；　then　poured　himself　out　another　cup　of　the　rapidly　cooling　tea；　and　walked　to　the　window。　This　faced　the　courtyard；　and　outside　it；　as　usual；　there　took　place　the　following　daily　altercation　between　a　serf　named　Grigory　（who　purported　to　act　as　butler）　and　the　housekeeper；　Perfilievna。

Grigory。　Ah；　you　nuisance；　you　good…for…nothing；　you　had　better　hold　your　stupid　tongue。

Perfilievna。　Yes；　and　don't　you　wish　that　I　would？

Grigory。　What？　You　so　thick　with　that　bailiff　of　yours；　you　housekeeping　jade！

Perfilievna。　Nay；　he　is　as　big　a　thief　as　you　are。　Do　you　think　the　barin　doesn't　know　you？　And　there　he　is！　He　must　have　heard　everything！

Grigory。　Where？

Perfilievna。　Theresitting　by　the　window；　and　looking　at　us！

Next；　to　complete　the　hubbub；　a　serf　child　which　had　been　clouted　by　its　mother　broke　out　into　a　bawl；　while　a　borzoi　puppy　which　had　happened　to　get　splashed　with　boiling　water　by　the　cook　fell　to　yelping　vociferously。　In　short；　the　place　soon　became　a　babel　of　shouts　and　squeals；　and；　after　watching　and　listening　for　a　time；　the　barin　found　it　so　impossible　to　concentrate　his　mind　upon　anything　that　he　sent　out　word　that　the　noise　would　have　to　be　abated。

The　next　item　was　that；　a　couple　of　hours　before　luncheon　time；　he　withdrew　to　his　study；　to　set　about　employing　himself　upon　a　weighty　work　which　was　to　consider　Russia　from　every　point　of　view：　from　the　political；　from　the　philosophical；　and　from　the　religious；　as　well　as　to　resolve　various　problems　which　had　arisen　to　confront　the　Empire；　and　to　define　clearly　the　great　future　to　which　the　country　stood　ordained。　In　short；　it　was　to　be　the　species　of　compilation　in　which　the　man　of　the　day　so　much　delights。　Yet　the　colossal　undertaking　had　progressed　but　little　beyond　the　sphere　of　projection；　since；　after　a　pen　had　been　gnawed　awhile；　and　a　few　strokes　had　been　committed　to　paper；　the　whole　would　be　laid　aside　in　favour　of　the　reading　of　some　book；　and　that　reading　would　continue　also　during　luncheon　and　be　followed　by　the　lighting　of　a　pipe；　the　playing　of　a　solitary　game　of　chess；　and　the　doing　of　more　or　less　nothing　for　the　rest　of　the　day。

The　foregoing　will　give　the　reader　a　pretty　clear　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　it　was　possible　for　this　man　of　thirty…three　to　waste　his　time。　Clad　constantly　in　slippers　and　a　dressing…gown；　Tientietnikov　never　went　out；　never　indulged　in　any　form　of　dissipation；　and　never　walked　upstairs。　Nothing　did　he　care　for　fresh　air；　and　would　bestow　not　a