dead souls(死魂灵)-第76章

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no　such　conclusions　were　to　be　drawn。　The　rooms　were　simple；　and　even　bare。　Not　a　fresco　nor　a　picture　nor　a　bronze　nor　a　flower　nor　a　china　what…not　nor　a　book　was　there　to　be　seen。　In　short；　everything　appeared　to　show　that　the　proprietor　of　this　abode　spent　the　greater　part　of　his　time；　not　between　four　walls；　but　in　the　field；　and　that　he　thought　out　his　plans；　not　in　sybaritic　fashion　by　the　fireside；　nor　in　an　easy　chair　beside　the　stove；　but　on　the　spot　where　work　was　actually　in　progressthat；　in　a　word；　where　those　plans　were　conceived；　there　they　were　put　into　execution。　Nor　in　these　rooms　could　Chichikov　detect　the　least　trace　of　a　feminine　hand；　beyond　the　fact　that　certain　tables　and　chairs　bore　drying…boards　whereon　were　arranged　some　sprinklings　of　flower　petals。

〃What　is　all　this　rubbish　for？〃　asked　Platon。

〃It　is　not　rubbish；〃　replied　the　lady　of　the　house。　〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　the　best　possible　remedy　for　fever。　Last　year　we　cured　every　one　of　our　sick　peasants　with　it。　Some　of　the　petals　I　am　going　to　make　into　an　ointment；　and　some　into　an　infusion。　You　may　laugh　as　much　as　you　like　at　my　potting　and　preserving；　yet　you　yourself　will　be　glad　of　things　of　the　kind　when　you　set　out　on　your　travels。〃

Platon　moved　to　the　piano；　and　began　to　pick　out　a　note　or　two。

〃Good　Lord；　what　an　ancient　instrument！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Are　you　not　ashamed　of　it；　sister？〃

〃Well；　the　truth　is　that　I　get　no　time　to　practice　my　music。　You　see；〃　she　added　to　Chichikov；　〃I　have　an　eight…year…old　daughter　to　educate；　and　to　hand　her　over　to　a　foreign　governess　in　order　that　I　may　have　leisure　for　my　own　piano…playingwell；　that　is　a　thing　which　I　could　never　bring　myself　to　do。〃

〃You　have　become　a　wearisome　sort　of　person；〃　commented　Platon；　and　walked　away　to　the　window。　〃Ah；　here　comes　Constantine；〃　presently　he　added。

Chichikov　also　glanced　out　of　the　window；　and　saw　approaching　the　verandah　a　brisk；　swarthy…complexioned　man　of　about　forty；　a　man　clad　in　a　rough　cloth　jacket　and　a　velveteen　cap。　Evidently　he　was　one　of　those　who　care　little　for　the　niceties　of　dress。　With　him；　bareheaded；　there　came　a　couple　of　men　of　a　somewhat　lower　station　in　life；　and　all　three　were　engaged　in　an　animated　discussion。　One　of　the　barin's　two　companions　was　a　plain　peasant；　and　the　other　（clad　in　a　blue　Siberian　smock）　a　travelling　factor。　The　fact　that　the　party　halted　awhile　by　the　entrance　steps　made　it　possible　to　overhear　a　portion　of　their　conversation　from　within。

〃This　is　what　you　peasants　had　better　do；〃　the　barin　was　saying。　〃Purchase　your　release　from　your　present　master。　I　will　lend　you　the　necessary　money；　and　afterwards　you　can　work　for　me。〃

〃No；　Constantine　Thedorovitch；〃　replied　the　peasant。　〃Why　should　we　do　that？　Remove　us　just　as　we　are。　You　will　know　how　to　arrange　it；　for　a　cleverer　gentleman　than　you　is　nowhere　to　be　found。　The　misfortune　of　us　muzhiks　is　that　we　cannot　protect　ourselves　properly。　The　tavern…keepers　sell　us　such　liquor　that；　before　a　man　knows　where　he　is；　a　glassful　of　it　has　eaten　a　hole　through　his　stomach；　and　made　him　feel　as　though　he　could　drink　a　pail　of　water。　Yes；　it　knocks　a　man　over　before　he　can　look　around。　Everywhere　temptation　lies　in　wait　for　the　peasant；　and　he　needs　to　be　cunning　if　he　is　to　get　through　the　world　at　all。　In　fact；　things　seem　to　be　contrived　for　nothing　but　to　make　us　peasants　lose　our　wits；　even　to　the　tobacco　which　they　sell　us。　What　are　folk　like　ourselves　to　do；　Constantine　Thedorovitch？　I　tell　you　it　is　terribly　difficult　for　a　muzhik　to　look　after　himself。〃

〃Listen　to　me。　This　is　how　things　are　done　here。　When　I　take　on　a　serf；　I　fit　him　out　with　a　cow　and　a　horse。　On　the　other　hand；　I　demand　of　him　thereafter　more　than　is　demanded　of　a　peasant　anywhere　else。　That　is　to　say；　first　and　foremost　I　make　him　work。　Whether　a　peasant　be　working　for　himself　or　for　me；　never　do　I　let　him　waste　time。　I　myself　toil　like　a　bullock；　and　I　force　my　peasants　to　do　the　same；　for　experience　has　taught　me　that　that　is　the　only　way　to　get　through　life。　All　the　mischief　in　the　world　comes　through　lack　of　employment。　Now；　do　you　go　and　consider　the　matter；　and　talk　it　over　with　your　mir＇8＇。〃

＇8＇　Village　commune。

〃We　have　done　that　already；　Constantine　Thedorovitch；　and　our　elders'　opinion　is：　'There　is　no　need　for　further　talk。　Every　peasant　belonging　to　Constantine　Thedorovitch　is　well　off；　and　hasn't　to　work　for　nothing。　The　priests　of　his　village；　too；　are　men　of　good　heart；　whereas　ours　have　been　taken　away；　and　there　is　no　one　to　bury　us。'〃

〃Nevertheless；　do　you　go　and　talk　the　matter　over　again。〃

〃We　will；　barin。〃

Here　the　factor　who　had　been　walking　on　the　barin's　other　side　put　in　a　word。

〃Constantine　Thedorovitch；〃　he　said；　〃I　beg　of　you　to　do　as　I　have　requested。〃

〃I　have　told　you　before；〃　replied　the　barin；　〃that　I　do　not　care　to　play　the　huckster。　I　am　not　one　of　those　landowners　whom　fellows　of　your　sort　visit　on　the　very　day　that　the　interest　on　a　mortgage　is　due。　Ah；　I　know　your　fraternity　thoroughly；　and　know　that　you　keep　lists　of　all　who　have　mortgages　to　repay。　But　what　is　there　so　clever　about　that？　Any　man；　if　you　pinch　him　sufficiently；　will　surrender　you　a　mortgage　at　half…price；any　man；　that　is　to　say；　except　myself；　who　care　nothing　for　your　money。　Were　a　loan　of　mine　to　remain　out　three　years；　I　should　never　demand　a　kopeck　of　interest　on　it。〃

〃Quite　so；　Constantine　Thedorovitch；〃　replied　the　factor。　〃But　I　am　asking　this　of　you　more　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　us　on　a　business　footing　than　because　I　desire　to　win　your　favour。　Prey；　therefore；　accept　this　earnest　money　of　three　thousand　roubles。〃　And　the　man　drew　from　his　breast　pocket　a　dirty　roll　of　bank…notes；　which；　carelessly　receiving；　Kostanzhoglo　thrust；　uncounted；　into　the　back　pocket　of　his　overcoat。

〃Hm！〃　thought　Chichikov。　〃For　all　he　cares；　the　notes　might　have　been　a　handkerchief。〃

When　Kostanzhoglo　appeared　at　closer　quartersthat　is　to　say；　in　the　doorway　of　the　drawing…roomhe　struck　Chichikov　more　than　ever　with　the　swarthiness　of　his　complexion；　the　dishevelment　of　his　black；　slightly　grizzled　locks；　the　alertness　of　his　eye；　and　the　impression　of　fiery　southern　origin　which　his　whole　personality　diffused。　For　he　was　not　wholly　a　Russian；　nor　could　he　himself　say　precisely　who　his　forefathers　had　been。　Yet；　inasmuch　as　he　accounted　genealogical　research　no　part　of　the　science　of　estate…management；　but　a　mere　superfluity；　he　looked　upon　himself　as；　to　all　intents　and　purposes；　a　native　of　Russia；　and　the　more　so　since　the　Russian　language　was　the　only　tongue　he　knew。

Platon　presented　Chichikov；　and　the　pair　exchanged　greetings。

〃To　get　rid　of　my　depression；　Constantine；〃　continued　Platon；　〃I　am　thinking　of　accompanying　our　guest　on　a　tour　through　a　few　of　the　provinces。〃

〃An　excellent　idea；〃　said　Kostanzhoglo。　〃But　precisely　whither？〃　he　added；　turning　hospitably　to　Chichikov。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；〃　replied　that　personage　with　an　affable　inclination　of　the　head　as　he　smoothed　the　arm　of　his　chair　with　his　hand；　〃I　am　travelling　less　on　my　own　affairs　than　on　the　affairs　of　others。　That　is　to　say；　General　Betristchev；　an　intimate　friend；　and；　I　might　add；　a　generous　benefactor；　of　mine；　has　charged　me　with　commissions　to　some　of　his　relatives。　Nevertheless；　though　relatives　are　relatives；　I　may　say　that　I　am　travelling　on　my　own　account　as　well；　in　that；　in　addition　to　possible　benefit　to　my　health；　I　desire　to　see　the　world　and　the　whirligig　of　humanity；　which　constitute；　so　to　speak；　a　living　book；　a　second　course　of　education。〃

〃Yes；　there　is　no　harm　in　looking　at　other　corners　of　the　world　besides　one's　own。〃

〃You　speak　truly。　There　IS　no　harm　in　such　a　proceeding。　Thereby　one　may　see　things　which　one　has　not　before　encountered；　one　may　meet　men　with　whom　one　has　not　before　come　in　contact。　And　with　some　men　of　that　kind　a　conversation　is　as　precious　a　benefit　as　has　been　conferred　upon　me　by　the　present　occasion。　I　come　to　you；　most　worthy　Constantine　Thedorovitch；　for　instruction；　and　again　for　instruction；　and　beg　of　you　to　assuage　my　thirst　with　an　exposition　of　the　truth　as　it　is。　I　hunger　for　the　favour　of　your　w