dead souls(死魂灵)-第96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！


ts　my　eyes。〃

〃Go　to　the　coachbuilder's；〃　commanded　Chichikov；　〃and　have　sledge…runners　fitted　to　the　koliaska。〃

Chichikov　then　made　his　way　into　the　townthough　not　with　the　object　of　paying　farewell　visits　（in　view　of　recent　events；　that　might　have　given　rise　to　some　awkwardness）；　but　for　the　purpose　of　paying　an　unobtrusive　call　at　the　shop　where　he　had　obtained　the　cloth　for　his　latest　suit。　There　he　now　purchased　four　more　arshins　of　the　same　smoked…grey…shot…with…flame…colour　material　as　he　had　had　before；　with　the　intention　of　having　it　made　up　by　the　tailor　who　had　fashioned　the　previous　costume；　and　by　promising　double　remuneration　he　induced　the　tailor　in　question　so　to　hasten　the　cutting　out　of　the　garments　that；　through　sitting　up　all　night　over　the　work；　the　man　might　have　the　whole　ready　by　break　of　day。　True；　the　goods　were　delivered　a　trifle　after　the　appointed　hour；　yet　the　following　morning　saw　the　coat　and　breeches　completed；　and　while　the　horses　were　being　put　to；　Chichikov　tried　on　the　clothes；　and　found　them　equal　to　the　previous　creation；　even　though　during　the　process　he　caught　sight　of　a　bald　patch　on　his　head；　and　was　led　mournfully　to　reflect：　〃Alas！　Why　did　I　give　way　to　such　despair？　Surely　I　need　not　have　torn　my　hair　out　so　freely？〃

Then；　when　the　tailor　had　been　paid；　our　hero　left　the　town。　But　no　longer　was　he　the　old　Chichikovhe　was　only　a　ruin　of　what　he　had　been；　and　his　frame　of　mind　might　have　been　compared　to　a　building　recently　pulled　down　to　make　room　for　a　new　one；　while　the　new　one　had　not　yet　been　erected　owing　to　the　non…receipt　of　the　plans　from　the　architect。　Murazov；　too；　had　departed；　but　at　an　earlier　hour；　and　in　a　tilt…waggon　with　Ivan　Potapitch。

An　hour　later　the　Governor…General　issued　to　all　and　sundry　officials　a　notice　that；　on　the　occasion　of　his　departure　for　St。　Petersburg；　he　would　be　glad　to　see　the　corps　of　tchinovniks　at　a　private　meeting。　Accordingly　all　ranks　and　grades　of　officialdom　repaired　to　his　residence；　and　there　awaitednot　without　a　certain　measure　of　trepidation　and　of　searching　of　heartthe　Governor…General's　entry。　When　that　took　place　he　looked　neither　clear　nor　dull。　Yet　his　bearing　was　proud；　and　his　step　assured。　The　tchinovniks　bowedsome　of　them　to　the　waist；　and　he　answered　their　salutations　with　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head。　Then　he　spoke　as　follows：

〃Since　I　am　about　to　pay　a　visit　to　St。　Petersburg；　I　have　thought　it　right　to　meet　you；　and　to　explain　to　you　privately　my　reasons　for　doing　so。　An　affair　of　a　most　scandalous　character　has　taken　place　in　our　midst。　To　what　affair　I　am　referring　I　think　most　of　those　present　will　guess。　Now；　an　automatic　process　has　led　to　that　affair　bringing　about　the　discovery　of　other　matters。　Those　matters　are　no　less　dishonourable　than　the　primary　one；　and　to　that　I　regret　to　have　to　add　that　there　stand　involved　in　them　certain　persons　whom　I　had　hitherto　believed　to　be　honourable。　Of　the　object　aimed　at　by　those　who　have　complicated　matters　to　the　point　of　making　their　resolution　almost　impossible　by　ordinary　methods　I　am　aware；　as　also　I　am　aware　of　the　identity　of　the　ringleader；　despite　the　skill　with　which　he　has　sought　to　conceal　his　share　in　the　scandal。　But　the　principal　point　is；　that　I　propose　to　decide　these　matters；　not　by　formal　documentary　process；　but　by　the　more　summary　process　of　court…martial；　and　that　I　hope；　when　the　circumstances　have　been　laid　before　his　Imperial　Majesty；　to　receive　from　him　authority　to　adopt　the　course　which　I　have　mentioned。　For　I　conceive　that　when　it　has　become　impossible　to　resolve　a　case　by　civil　means；　and　some　of　the　necessary　documents　have　been　burnt；　and　attempts　have　been　made　（both　through　the　adduction　of　an　excess　of　false　and　extraneous　evidence　and　through　the　framing　of　fictitious　reports）　to　cloud　an　already　sufficiently　obscure　investigation　with　an　added　measure　of　complexity；when　all　these　circumstances　have　arisen；　I　conceive　that　the　only　possible　tribunal　to　deal　with　them　is　a　military　tribunal。　But　on　that　point　I　should　like　your　opinion。〃

The　Prince　paused　for　a　moment　or　two；　as　though　awaiting　a　reply；　but　none　came；　seeing　that　every　man　had　his　eyes　bent　upon　the　floor；　and　many　of　the　audience　had　turned　white　in　the　face。

〃Then；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　may　say　that　I　am　aware　also　of　a　matter　which　those　who　have　carried　it　through　believe　to　lie　only　within　the　cognisance　of　themselves。　The　particulars　of　that　matter　will　not　be　set　forth　in　documentary　form；　but　only　through　process　of　myself　acting　as　plaintiff　and　petitioner；　and　producing　none　but　ocular　evidence。〃

Among　the　throng　of　tchinovniks　some　one　gave　a　start；　and　thereby　caused　others　of　the　more　apprehensive　sort　to　fall　to　trembling　in　their　shoes。

〃Without　saying　does　it　go　that　the　prime　conspirators　ought　to　undergo　deprivation　of　rank　and　property；　and　that　the　remainder　ought　to　be　dismissed　from　their　posts；　for　though　that　course　would　cause　a　certain　proportion　of　the　innocent　to　suffer　with　the　guilty；　there　would　seem　to　be　no　other　course　available；　seeing　that　the　affair　is　one　of　the　most　disgraceful　nature；　and　calls　aloud　for　justice。　Therefore；　although　I　know　that　to　some　my　action　will　fail　to　serve　as　a　lesson；　since　it　will　lead　to　their　succeeding　to　the　posts　of　dismissed　officials；　as　well　as　that　others　hitherto　considered　honourable　will　lose　their　reputation；　and　others　entrusted　with　new　responsibilities　will　continue　to　cheat　and　betray　their　trust；although　all　this　is　known　to　me；　I　still　have　no　choice　but　to　satisfy　the　claims　of　justice　by　proceeding　to　take　stern　measures。　I　am　also　aware　that　I　shall　be　accused　of　undue　severity；　but；　lastly；　I　am　aware　that　it　is　my　duty　to　put　aside　all　personal　feeling；　and　to　act　as　the　unconscious　instrument　of　that　retribution　which　justice　demands。〃

Over　ever　face　there　passed　a　shudder。　Yet　the　Prince　had　spoken　calmly；　and　not　a　trace　of　anger　or　any　other　kind　of　emotion　had　been　visible　on　his　features。

〃Nevertheless；〃　he　went　on；　〃the　very　man　in　whose　hands　the　fate　of　so　many　now　lies；　the　very　man　whom　no　prayer　for　mercy　could　ever　have　influenced；　himself　desires　to　make　a　request　of　you。　Should　you　grant　that　request；　all　will　be　forgotten　and　blotted　out　and　pardoned；　for　I　myself　will　intercede　with　the　Throne　on　your　behalf。　That　request　is　this。　I　know　that　by　no　manner　of　means；　by　no　preventive　measures；　and　by　no　penalties　will　dishonesty　ever　be　completely　extirpated　from　our　midst；　for　the　reason　that　its　roots　have　struck　too　deep；　and　that　the　dishonourable　traffic　in　bribes　has　become　a　necessity　to；　even　the　mainstay　of；　some　whose　nature　is　not　innately　venal。　Also；　I　know　that；　to　many　men；　it　is　an　impossibility　to　swim　against　the　stream。　Yet　now；　at　this　solemn　and　critical　juncture；　when　the　country　is　calling　aloud　for　saviours；　and　it　is　the　duty　of　every　citizen　to　contribute　and　to　sacrifice　his　all；　I　feel　that　I　cannot　but　issue　an　appeal　to　every　man　in　whom　a　Russian　heart　and　a　spark　of　what　we　understand　by　the　word　'nobility'　exist。　For；　after　all；　which　of　us　is　more　guilty　than　his　fellow？　It　may　be　to　ME　the　greatest　culpability　should　be　assigned；　in　that　at　first　I　may　have　adopted　towards　you　too　reserved　an　attitude；　that　I　may　have　been　over…hasty　in　repelling　those　who　desired　but　to　serve　me；　even　though　of　their　services　I　did　not　actually　stand　in　need。　Yet；　had　they　really　loved　justice　and　the　good　of　their　country；　I　think　that　they　would　have　been　less　prone　to　take　offence　at　the　coldness　of　my　attitude；　but　would　have　sacrificed　their　feelings　and　their　personality　to　their　superior　convictions。　For　hardly　can　it　be　that　I　failed　to　note　their　overtures　and　the　loftiness　of　their　motives；　or　that　I　would　not　have　accepted　any　wise　and　useful　advice　proffered。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　for　a　subordinate　to　adapt　himself　to　the　tone　of　his　superior；　rather　than　for　a　superior　to　adapt　himself　to　the　tone　of　his　subordinate。　Such　a　course　is　at　once　more　regular　and　more　smooth　of　working；　since　a　corps　of　subordinates　has　but　one　director；　whereas　a　director　may　have　a　hundred　subordinates。　But　let　us　put　aside　the　ques