dead souls(死魂灵)-第70章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


mselsall　singing　in　chorus　（and　laughing　as　they　sang　it）；　〃Boyars；　show　me　my　bridegroom！〃　and　dusk　was　falling　gently；　and　from　the　other　side　of　the　river　there　kept　coming　far；　faint；　plaintive　echoes　of　the　melodywell；　then　our　Selifan　hardly　knew　whether　he　were　standing　upon　his　head　or　his　heels。　Later；　when　sleeping　and　when　waking；　both　at　noon　and　at　twilight；　he　would　seem　still　to　be　holding　a　pair　of　white　hands；　and　moving　in　the　dance。

Chichikov's　horses　also　found　nothing　of　which　to　disapprove。　Yes；　both　the　bay；　the　Assessor；　and　the　skewbald　accounted　residence　at　Tientietnikov's　a　most　comfortable　affair；　and　voted　the　oats　excellent；　and　the　arrangement　of　the　stables　beyond　all　cavil。　True；　on　this　occasion　each　horse　had　a　stall　to　himself；　yet；　by　looking　over　the　intervening　partition；　it　was　possible　always　to　see　one's　fellows；　and；　should　a　neighbour　take　it　into　his　head　to　utter　a　neigh；　to　answer　it　at　once。

As　for　the　errand　which　had　hitherto　led　Chichikov　to　travel　about　Russia；　he　had　now　decided　to　move　very　cautiously　and　secretly　in　the　matter。　In　fact；　on　noticing　that　Tientietnikov　went　in　absorbedly　for　reading　and　for　talking　philosophy；　the　visitor　said　to　himself；　〃NoI　had　better　begin　at　the　other　end；〃　and　proceeded　first　to　feel　his　way　among　the　servants　of　the　establishment。　From　them　he　learnt　several　things；　and；　in　particular；　that　the　barin　had　been　wont　to　go　and　call　upon　a　certain　General　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　that　the　General　possessed　a　daughter；　and　that　she　and　Tientietnikov　had　had　an　affair　of　some　sort；　but　that　the　pair　had　subsequently　parted；　and　gone　their　several　ways。　For　that　matter；　Chichikov　himself　had　noticed　that　Tientietnikov　was　in　the　habit　of　drawing　heads　of　which　each　representation　exactly　resembled　the　rest。

Once；　as　he　sat　tapping　his　silver　snuff…box　after　luncheon；　Chichikov　remarked：

〃One　thing　you　lack；　and　only　one；　Andrei　Ivanovitch。〃

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　his　host。

〃A　female　friend　or　two；〃　replied　Chichikov。

Tientietnikov　made　no　rejoinder；　and　the　conversation　came　temporarily　to　an　end。

But　Chichikov　was　not　to　be　discouraged；　wherefore；　while　waiting　for　supper　and　talking　on　different　subjects；　he　seized　an　opportunity　to　interject：

〃Do　you　know；　it　would　do　you　no　harm　to　marry。〃

As　before；　Tientietnikov　did　not　reply；　and　the　renewed　mention　of　the　subject　seemed　to　have　annoyed　him。

For　the　third　timeit　was　after　supperChichikov　returned　to　the　charge　by　remarking：

〃To…day；　as　I　was　walking　round　your　property；　I　could　not　help　thinking　that　marriage　would　do　you　a　great　deal　of　good。　Otherwise　you　will　develop　into　a　hypochondriac。〃

Whether　Chichikov's　words　now　voiced　sufficiently　the　note　of　persuasion；　or　whether　Tientietnikov　happened；　at　the　moment；　to　be　unusually　disposed　to　frankness；　at　all　events　the　young　landowner　sighed；　and　then　responded　as　he　expelled　a　puff　of　tobacco　smoke：

〃To　attain　anything；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　one　needs　to　have　been　born　under　a　lucky　star。〃

And　he　related　to　his　guest　the　whole　history　of　his　acquaintanceship　and　subsequent　rupture　with　the　General。

As　Chichikov　listened　to　the　recital；　and　gradually　realised　that　the　affair　had　arisen　merely　out　of　a　chance　word　on　the　General's　part；　he　was　astounded　beyond　measure；　and　gazed　at　Tientietnikov　without　knowing　what　to　make　of　him。

〃Andrei　Ivanovitch；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃what　was　there　to　take　offence　at？〃

〃Nothing；　as　regards　the　actual　words　spoken；〃　replied　the　other。　〃The　offence　lay；　rather；　in　the　insult　conveyed　in　the　General's　tone。〃　Tientietnikov　was　a　kindly　and　peaceable　man；　yet　his　eyes　flashed　as　he　said　this；　and　his　voice　vibrated　with　wounded　feeling。

〃Yet；　even　then；　need　you　have　taken　it　so　much　amiss？〃

〃What？　Could　I　have　gone　on　visiting　him　as　before？〃

〃Certainly。　No　great　harm　had　been　done？〃

〃I　disagree　with　you。　Had　he　been　an　old　man　in　a　humble　station　of　life；　instead　of　a　proud　and　swaggering　officer；　I　should　not　have　minded　so　much。　But；　as　it　was；　I　could　not；　and　would　not；　brook　his　words。〃

〃A　curious　fellow；　this　Tientietnikov！〃　thought　Chichikov　to　himself。

〃A　curious　fellow；　this　Chichikov！〃　was　Tientietnikov's　inward　reflection。

〃I　tell　you　what；〃　resumed　Chichikov。　〃To…morrow　I　myself　will　go　and　see　the　General。〃

〃To　what　purpose？〃　asked　Tientietnikov；　with　astonishment　and　distrust　in　his　eyes。

〃To　offer　him　an　assurance　of　my　personal　respect。〃

〃A　strange　fellow；　this　Chichikov！〃　reflected　Tientietnikov。

〃A　strange　fellow；　this　Tientietnikov！〃　thought　Chichikov；　and　then　added　aloud：　〃Yes；　I　will　go　and　see　him　at　ten　o'clock　to…morrow；　but　since　my　britchka　is　not　yet　altogether　in　travelling　order；　would　you　be　so　good　as　to　lend　me　your　koliaska　for　the　purpose？〃



CHAPTER　II

Tientietnikov's　good　horses　covered　the　ten　versts　to　the　General's　house　in　a　little　over　half　an　hour。　Descending　from　the　koliaska　with　features　attuned　to　deference；　Chichikov　inquired　for　the　master　of　the　house；　and　was　at　once　ushered　into　his　presence。　Bowing　with　head　held　respectfully　on　one　side　and　hands　extended　like　those　of　a　waiter　carrying　a　trayful　of　teacups；　the　visitor　inclined　his　whole　body　forward；　and　said：

〃I　have　deemed　it　my　duty　to　present　myself　to　your　Excellency。　I　have　deemed　it　my　duty　because　in　my　heart　I　cherish　a　most　profound　respect　for　the　valiant　men　who；　on　the　field　of　battle；　have　proved　the　saviours　of　their　country。〃

That　this　preliminary　attack　did　not　wholly　displease　the　General　was　proved　by　the　fact　that；　responding　with　a　gracious　inclination　of　the　head；　he　replied：

〃I　am　glad　to　make　your　acquaintance。　Pray　be　so　good　as　to　take　a　seat。　In　what　capacity　or　capacities　have　you　yourself　seen　service？〃

〃Of　my　service；〃　said　Chichikov；　depositing　his　form；　not　exactly　in　the　centre　of　the　chair；　but　rather　on　one　side　of　it；　and　resting　a　hand　upon　one　of　its　arms；　〃of　my　service　the　scene　was　laid；　in　the　first　instance；　in　the　Treasury；　while　its　further　course　bore　me　successively　into　the　employ　of　the　Public　Buildings　Commission；　of　the　Customs　Board；　and　of　other　Government　Offices。　But；　throughout；　my　life　has　resembled　a　barque　tossed　on　the　crests　of　perfidious　billows。　In　suffering　I　have　been　swathed　and　wrapped　until　I　have　come　to　be；　as　it　were；　suffering　personified；　while　of　the　extent　to　which　my　life　has　been　sought　by　foes；　no　words；　no　colouring；　no　（if　I　may　so　express　it？）　painter's　brush　could　ever　convey　to　you　an　adequate　idea。　And　now；　at　length；　in　my　declining　years；　I　am　seeking　a　corner　in　which　to　eke　out　the　remainder　of　my　miserable　existence；　while　at　the　present　moment　I　am　enjoying　the　hospitality　of　a　neighbour　of　your　acquaintance。〃

〃And　who　is　that？〃

〃Your　neighbour　Tientietnikov；　your　Excellency。〃

Upon　that　the　General　frowned。

〃Led　me　add；〃　put　in　Chichikov　hastily；　〃that　he　greatly　regrets　that　on　a　former　occasion　he　should　have　failed　to　show　a　proper　respect　forfor〃

〃For　what？〃　asked　the　General。

〃For　the　services　to　the　public　which　your　Excellency　has　rendered。　Indeed；　he　cannot　find　words　to　express　his　sorrow；　but　keeps　repeating　to　himself：　'Would　that　I　had　valued　at　their　true　worth　the　men　who　have　saved　our　fatherland！'〃

〃And　why　should　he　say　that？〃　asked　the　mollified　General。　〃I　bear　him　no　grudge。　In　fact；　I　have　never　cherished　aught　but　a　sincere　liking　for　him；　a　sincere　esteem；　and　do　not　doubt　but　that；　in　time；　he　may　become　a　useful　member　of　society。〃

〃In　the　words　which　you　have　been　good　enough　to　utter；〃　said　Chichikov　with　a　bow；　〃there　is　embodied　much　justice。　Yes；　Tientietnikov　is　in　very　truth　a　man　of　worth。　Not　only　does　he　possess　the　gift　of　eloquence；　but　also　he　is　a　master　of　the　pen。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　he　DOES　write　rubbish　of　some　sort；　doesn't　he？　Verses；　or　something　of　the　kind？〃

〃Not　rubbish；　your　Excellency；　but　practical　stuff。　In　short；　he　is　inditing　a　history。〃

〃A　HISTORY？　But　a　history　of　what？〃

〃A　history　of；　of〃　For　a　moment　or　two　Chichikov　hesitated。　Then；　whether　because　it　was　a　General　that　was　seated　in　front　of　him；　or　because　he　desired　to　impa