dead souls(死魂灵)-第14部分

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ook　its　head。　〃Heaven　knows　where　he　does　not　keep　beating　meacross　the　back；　and　even　where　I　am　tenderer　still。　Yes；　he　keeps　catching　the　whip　in　my　ears；　and　lashing　me　under　the　belly。〃

〃To　the　right；　eh？〃　snapped　Selifan　to　the　girl　beside　him　as　he　pointed　to　a　rain…soaked　road　which　trended　away　through　fresh　green　fields。

〃No；　no；〃　she　replied。　〃I　will　show　you　the　road　when　the　time　comes。〃

〃Which　way；　then？〃　he　asked　again　when　they　had　proceeded　a　little　further。

〃This　way。〃　And　she　pointed　to　the　road　just　mentioned。

〃Get　along　with　you！〃　retorted　the　coachman。　〃That　DOES　go　to　the　right。　You　don't　know　your　right　hand　from　your　left。〃

The　weather　was　fine；　but　the　ground　so　excessively　sodden　that　the　wheels　of　the　britchka　collected　mire　until　they　had　become　caked　as　with　a　layer　of　felt；　a　circumstance　which　greatly　increased　the　weight　of　the　vehicle；　and　prevented　it　from　clearing　the　neighbouring　parishes　before　the　afternoon　was　arrived。　Also；　without　the　girl's　help　the　finding　of　the　way　would　have　been　impossible；　since　roads　wiggled　away　in　every　direction；　like　crabs　released　from　a　net；　and；　but　for　the　assistance　mentioned；　Selifan　would　have　found　himself　left　to　his　own　devices。　Presently　she　pointed　to　a　building　ahead；　with　the　words；　〃THERE　is　the　main　road。〃

〃And　what　is　the　building？〃　asked　Selifan。

〃A　tavern；〃　she　said。

〃Then　we　can　get　along　by　ourselves；〃　he　observed。　〃Do　you　get　down；　and　be　off　home。〃

With　that　he　stopped；　and　helped　her　to　alightmuttering　as　he　did　so：　〃Ah；　you　blackfooted　creature！〃

Chichikov　added　a　copper　groat；　and　she　departed　well　pleased　with　her　ride　in　the　gentleman's　carriage。



CHAPTER　IV

On　reaching　the　tavern；　Chichikov　called　a　halt。　His　reasons　for　this　were　twofoldnamely；　that　he　wanted　to　rest　the　horses；　and　that　he　himself　desired　some　refreshment。　In　this　connection　the　author　feels　bound　to　confess　that　the　appetite　and　the　capacity　of　such　men　are　greatly　to　be　envied。　Of　those　well…to…do　folk　of　St。　Petersburg　and　Moscow　who　spend　their　time　in　considering　what　they　shall　eat　on　the　morrow；　and　in　composing　a　dinner　for　the　day　following；　and　who　never　sit　down　to　a　meal　without　first　of　all　injecting　a　pill　and　then　swallowing　oysters　and　crabs　and　a　quantity　of　other　monsters；　while　eternally　departing　for　Karlsbad　or　the　Caucasus；　the　author　has　but　a　small　opinion。　Yes；　THEY　are　not　the　persons　to　inspire　envy。　Rather；　it　is　the　folk　of　the　middle　classesfolk　who　at　one　posthouse　call　for　bacon；　and　at　another　for　a　sucking　pig；　and　at　a　third　for　a　steak　of　sturgeon　or　a　baked　pudding　with　onions；　and　who　can　sit　down　to　table　at　any　hour；　as　though　they　had　never　had　a　meal　in　their　lives；　and　can　devour　fish　of　all　sorts；　and　guzzle　and　chew　it　with　a　view　to　provoking　further　appetitethese；　I　say；　are　the　folk　who　enjoy　heaven's　most　favoured　gift。　To　attain　such　a　celestial　condition　the　great　folk　of　whom　I　have　spoken　would　sacrifice　half　their　serfs　and　half　their　mortgaged　and　non…mortgaged　property；　with　the　foreign　and　domestic　improvements　thereon；　if　thereby　they　could　compass　such　a　stomach　as　is　possessed　by　the　folk　of　the　middle　class。　But；　unfortunately；　neither　money　nor　real　estate；　whether　improved　or　non…improved；　can　purchase　such　a　stomach。

The　little　wooden　tavern；　with　its　narrow；　but　hospitable；　curtain　suspended　from　a　pair　of　rough…hewn　doorposts　like　old　church　candlesticks；　seemed　to　invite　Chichikov　to　enter。　True；　the　establishment　was　only　a　Russian　hut　of　the　ordinary　type；　but　it　was　a　hut　of　larger　dimensions　than　usual；　and　had　around　its　windows　and　gables　carved　and　patterned　cornices　of　bright…coloured　wood　which　threw　into　relief　the　darker　hue　of　the　walls；　and　consorted　well　with　the　flowered　pitchers　painted　on　the　shutters。

Ascending　the　narrow　wooden　staircase　to　the　upper　floor；　and　arriving　upon　a　broad　landing；　Chichikov　found　himself　confronted　with　a　creaking　door　and　a　stout　old　woman　in　a　striped　print　gown。　〃This　way；　if　you　please；〃　she　said。　Within　the　apartment　designated　Chichikov　encountered　the　old　friends　which　one　invariably　finds　in　such　roadside　hostelriesto　wit；　a　heavy　samovar；　four　smooth；　bescratched　walls　of　white　pine；　a　three…cornered　press　with　cups　and　teapots；　egg…cups　of　gilded　china　standing　in　front　of　ikons　suspended　by　blue　and　red　ribands；　a　cat　lately　delivered　of　a　family；　a　mirror　which　gives　one　four　eyes　instead　of　two　and　a　pancake　for　a　face；　and；　beside　the　ikons；　some　bunches　of　herbs　and　carnations　of　such　faded　dustiness　that；　should　one　attempt　to　smell　them；　one　is　bound　to　burst　out　sneezing。

〃Have　you　a　sucking…pig？〃　Chichikov　inquired　of　the　landlady　as　she　stood　expectantly　before　him。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　some　horse…radish　and　sour　cream？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　serve　them。〃

The　landlady　departed　for　the　purpose；　and　returned　with　a　plate；　a　napkin　（the　latter　starched　to　the　consistency　of　dried　bark）；　a　knife　with　a　bone　handle　beginning　to　turn　yellow；　a　two…pronged　fork　as　thin　as　a　wafer；　and　a　salt…cellar　incapable　of　being　made　to　stand　upright。

Following　the　accepted　custom；　our　hero　entered　into　conversation　with　the　woman；　and　inquired　whether　she　herself　or　a　landlord　kept　the　tavern；　how　much　income　the　tavern　brought　in；　whether　her　sons　lived　with　her；　whether　the　oldest　was　a　bachelor　or　married；　whom　the　eldest　had　taken　to　wife；　whether　the　dowry　had　been　large；　whether　the　father…in…law　had　been　satisfied；　and　whether　the　said　father…in…law　had　not　complained　of　receiving　too　small　a　present　at　the　wedding。　In　short；　Chichikov　touched　on　every　conceivable　point。　Likewise　（of　course）　he　displayed　some　curiosity　as　to　the　landowners　of　the　neighbourhood。　Their　names；　he　ascertained；　were　Blochin；　Potchitaev；　Minoi；　Cheprakov；　and　Sobakevitch。

〃Then　you　are　acquainted　with　Sobakevitch？〃　he　said；　whereupon　the　old　woman　informed　him　that　she　knew　not　only　Sobakevitch；　but　also　Manilov；　and　that　the　latter　was　the　more　delicate　eater　of　the　two；　since；　whereas　Manilov　always　ordered　a　roast　fowl　and　some　veal　and　mutton；　and　then　tasted　merely　a　morsel　of　each；　Sobakevitch　would　order　one　dish　only；　but　consume　the　whole　of　it；　and　then　demand　more　at　the　same　price。

Whilst　Chichikov　was　thus　conversing　and　partaking　of　the　sucking　pig　until　only　a　fragment　of　it　seemed　likely　to　remain；　the　sound　of　an　approaching　vehicle　made　itself　heard。　Peering　through　the　window；　he　saw　draw　up　to　the　tavern　door　a　light　britchka　drawn　by　three　fine　horses。　From　it　there　descended　two　menone　flaxen…haired　and　tall；　and　the　other　dark…haired　and　of　slighter　build。　While　the　flaxen…haired　man　was　clad　in　a　dark…blue　coat；　the　other　one　was　wrapped　in　a　coat　of　striped　pattern。　Behind　the　britchka　stood　a　second；　but　an　empty；　turn…out；　drawn　by　four　long…coated　steeds　in　ragged　collars　and　rope　harnesses。　The　flaxen…haired　man　lost　no　time　in　ascending　the　staircase；　while　his　darker　friend　remained　below　to　fumble　at　something　in　the　britchka；　talking；　as　he　did　so；　to　the　driver　of　the　vehicle　which　stood　hitched　behind。　Somehow；　the　dark…haired　man's　voice　struck　Chichikov　as　familiar；　and　as　he　was　taking　another　look　at　him　the　flaxen…haired　gentleman　entered　the　room。　The　newcomer　was　a　man　of　lofty　stature；　with　a　small　red　moustache　and　a　lean；　hard…bitten　face　whose　redness　made　it　evident　that　its　acquaintance；　if　not　with　the　smoke　of　gunpowder；　at　all　events　with　that　of　tobacco；　was　intimate　and　extensive。　Nevertheless　he　greeted　Chichikov　civilly；　and　the　latter　returned　his　bow。　Indeed；　the　pair　would　have　entered　into　conversation；　and　have　made　one　another's　acquaintance　（since　a　beginning　was　made　with　their　simultaneously　expressing　satisfaction　at　the　circumstance　that　the　previous　night's　rain　had　laid　the　dust　on　the　roads；　and　thereby　made　driving　cool　and　pleasant）　when　the　gentleman's　darker…favoured　friend　also　entered　the　room；　and；　throwing　his　cap　upon　the　table；　pushed　back　a　mass　of　dishevelled　black　locks　from　his　brow。　The　latest　arrival　was　a　man　of　medium　height；　but　well　put　together；　and　possessed　of　a　pair　of　full　red　cheeks；　a　set　of　teeth　as　white　as　snow；　and　coal…black　whiskers。　Indeed；　so　fresh　was　his　complexion　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　compounded　of　blood　and　milk；　while　health　danced　in　his　every　feature。

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　he　cried　with　a　gesture　of　astonishment　at　the　sight　of　Chichikov。　〃What　chance　brings　YOU　here？〃

Upon　that　Chichikov　recognised　Nozdrevthe　man　whom　he　had　met　at　dinner　at　the　Public　Prosecutor's；　and　who；　within　a　minute　or　two　of　the　introduction；　had　become　so　intimate　with　his　fellow　guest　as　to　address　him　in　the　second　person　singular；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Chichikov　had　given　him　no　opportunity　for　doing　so。

〃Where　have　you　been　to…day？〃　Nozdrev　inquired；　and；　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　went　on：　〃For　myself；　I　am　just　from　the　fair；　and　completely　cleaned　out。　Actually；　I　have　had　to　do　the　journey　back　with　stage　horses！　Look　out　of　the　window；　and　see　them　for　yourself。〃　And　he　turned　Chichikov's　head　so　sharply　in　the　desired　direction　that　he　came　very　near　to　bumping　it　against　the　window　frame。　〃Did　you　ever　see　such　a　bag　of　tricks？　The　cursed　things　have　only　just　managed　to　get　here。　In　fact；　on　the　way　I　had　to　transfer　myself　to　this　fellow's　britchka。〃　He　indicated　his　companion　with　a　finger。　〃By　the　way；　don't　you　know　one　another？　He　is　Mizhuev；　my　brother…in…law。　He　and　I　were　talking　of　you　only　this　morning。　'Just　you　see；'　said　I　to　him；　'if　we　do　not　fall　in　with　Chichikov　before　we　have　done。'　Heavens；　how　completely　cleaned　out　I　am！　Not　only　have　I　lost　four　good　horses；　but　also　my　watch　and　chain。〃　Chichikov　perceived　that　in　very　truth　his　interlocutor　was　minus　the　articles　named；　as　well　as　that　one　of　Nozdrev's　whiskers　was　less　bushy　in　appearance　than　the　other　one。　〃Had　I　had　another　twenty　roubles　in　my　pocket；〃　went　on　Nozdrev；　〃I　should　have　won　back　all　that　I　have　lost；　as　well　as　have　pouched　a　further　thirty　thousand。　Yes；　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　on　that。〃

〃But　you　were　saying　the　same　thing　when　last　I　met　you；〃　put　in　the　flaxen…haired　man。　〃Yet；　even　though　I　lent　you　fif