八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > dead souls(死魂灵) >

第15部分

dead souls(死魂灵)-第15部分

小说: dead souls(死魂灵) 字数: 每页4000字

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!




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

〃But I should not have lost them THIS time。 Don't try to make me out a fool。 I should NOT have lost them; I tell you。 Had I only played the right card; I should have broken the bank。〃

〃But you did NOT break the bank;〃 remarked the flaxen…haired man。

〃No。 That was because I did not play my cards right。 But what about your precious major's play? Is THAT good?〃

〃Good or not; at least he beat you。〃

〃Splendid of him! Nevertheless I will get my own back。 Let him play me at doubles; and we shall soon see what sort of a player he is! Friend Chichikov; at first we had a glorious time; for the fair was a tremendous success。 Indeed; the tradesmen said that never yet had there been such a gathering。 I myself managed to sell everything from my estate at a good price。 In fact; we had a magnificent time。 I can't help thinking of it; devil take me! But what a pity YOU were not there! Three versts from the town there is quartered a regiment of dragoons; and you would scarcely believe what a lot of officers it has。 Forty at least there are; and they do a fine lot of knocking about the town and drinking。 In particular; Staff…Captain Potsieluev is a SPLENDID fellow! You should just see his moustache! Why; he calls good claret 'trash'! 'Bring me some of the usual trash;' is his way of ordering it。 And Lieutenant Kuvshinnikov; too! He is as delightful as the other man。 In fact; I may say that every one of the lot is a rake。 I spent my whole time with them; and you can imagine that Ponomarev; the wine merchant; did a fine trade indeed! All the same; he is a rascal; you know; and ought not to be dealt with; for he puts all sorts of rubbish into his liquorIndian wood and burnt cork and elderberry juice; the villain! Nevertheless; get him to produce a bottle from what he calls his 'special cellar;' and you will fancy yourself in the seventh heaven of delight。 And what quantities of champagne we drank! Compared with it; provincial stuff is kvass'1'。 Try to imagine not merely Clicquot; but a sort of blend of Clicquot and MatraduraClicquot of double strength。 Also Ponomarev produced a bottle of French stuff which he calls 'Bonbon。' Had it a bouquet; ask you? Why; it had the bouquet of a rose garden; of anything else you like。 What times we had; to be sure! Just after we had left Pnomarev's place; some prince or another arrived in the town; and sent out for some champagne; but not a bottle was there left; for the officers had drunk every one! Why; I myself got through seventeen bottles at a sitting。〃

'1' A liquor distilled from fermented bread crusts or sour fruit。

〃Come; come! You CAN'T have got through seventeen;〃 remarked the flaxen…haired man。

〃But I did; I give my word of honour;〃 retorted Nozdrev。

〃Imagine what you like; but you didn't drink even TEN bottles at a sitting。〃

〃Will you bet that I did not?〃

〃No; for what would be the use of betting about it?〃

〃Then at least wager the gun which you have bought。〃

〃No; I am not going to do anything of the kind。〃

〃Just as an experiment?〃

〃No。〃

〃It is as well for you that you don't; since; otherwise; you would have found yourself minus both gun and cap。 However; friend Chichikov; it is a pity you were not there。 Had you been there; I feel sure you would have found yourself unable to part with Lieutenant Kuvshinnikov。 You and he would have hit it off splendidly。 You know; he is quite a different sort from the Public Prosecutor and our other provincial skinflintsfellows who shiver in their shoes before they will spend a single kopeck。 HE will play faro; or anything else; and at any time。 Why did you not come with us; instead of wasting your time on cattle breeding or something of the sort? But never mind。 Embrace me。 I like you immensely。 Mizhuev; see how curiously things have turned out。 Chichikov has nothing to do with me; or I with him; yet here is he come from God knows where; and landed in the very spot where I happen to be living! I may tell you that; no matter how many carriages I possessed; I should gamble the lot away。 Recently I went in for a turn at billiards; and lost two jars of pomade; a china teapot; and a guitar。 Then I staked some more things; and; like a fool; lost them all; and six roubles in addition。 What a dog is that Kuvshinnikov! He and I attended nearly every ball in the place。 In particular; there was a womandecolletee; and such a swell! I merely thought to myself; 'The devil take her!' but Kuvshinnikov is such a wag that he sat down beside her; and began paying her strings of compliments in French。 However; I did not neglect the damsels altogetheralthough HE calls that sort of thing 'going in for strawberries。' By the way; I have a splendid piece of fish and some caviare with me。 'Tis all I HAVE brought back! In fact it is a lucky chance that I happened to buy the stuff before my money was gone。 Where are you for?〃

〃I am about to call on a friend。〃

〃On what friend? Let him go to the devil; and come to my place instead。〃

〃I cannot; I cannot。 I have business to do。〃

〃Oh; business again! I thought so!〃

〃But I HAVE business to doand pressing business at that。〃

〃I wager that you're lying。 If not; tell me whom you're going to call upon。〃

〃Upon Sobakevitch。〃

Instantly Nozdrev burst into a laugh compassable only by a healthy man in whose head every tooth still remains as white as sugar。 By this I mean the laugh of quivering cheeks; the laugh which causes a neighbour who is sleeping behind double doors three rooms away to leap from his bed and exclaim with distended eyes; 〃Hullo! Something HAS upset him!〃

〃What is there to laugh at?〃 asked Chichikov; a trifle nettled; but Nozdrev laughed more unrestrainedly than ever; ejaculating: 〃Oh; spare us all! The thing is so amusing that I shall die of it!〃

〃I say that there is nothing to laugh at;〃 repeated Chichikov。 〃It is in fulfilment of a promise that I am on my way to Sobakevitch's。〃

〃Then you will scarcely be glad to be alive when you've got there; for he is the veriest miser in the countryside。 Oh; _I_ know you。 However; if you think to find there either faro or a bottle of 'Bonbon' you are mistaken。 Look here; my good friend。 Let Sobakevitch go to the devil; and come to MY place; where at least I shall have a piece of sturgeon to offer you for dinner。 Ponomarev said to me on parting: 'This piece is just the thing for you。 Even if you were to search the whole market; you would never find a better one。' But of course he is a terrible rogue。 I said to him outright: 'You and the Collector of Taxes are the two greatest skinflints in the town。' But he only stroked his beard and smiled。 Every day I used to breakfast with Kuvshinnikov in his restaurant。 Well; what I was nearly forgetting is this: that; though I am aware that you can't forgo your engagement; I am not going to give you upno; not for ten thousand roubles of money。 I tell you that in advance。〃

Here he broke off to run to the window and shout to his servant (who was holding a knife in one hand and a crust of bread and a piece of sturgeon in the otherhe had contrived to filch the latter while fumbling in the britchka for something else):

〃Hi; Porphyri! Bring here that puppy; you rascal! What a puppy it is! Unfortunately that thief of a landlord has given it nothing to eat; even though I have promised him the roan filly which; as you may remember; I swopped from Khvostirev。〃 As a matter of act; Chichikov had never in his life seen either Khvostirev or the roan filly。

〃Barin; do you wish for anything to eat?〃 inquired the landlady as she entered。

〃No; nothing at all。 Ah; friend Chichikov; what times we had! Yes; give me a glass of vodka; old woman。 What sort to you keep?〃

〃Aniseed。〃

〃Then bring me a glass of it;〃 repeated Nozdrev。

〃And one for me as well;〃 added the flaxen…haired man。

〃At the theatre;〃 went on Nozdrev; 〃there was an actress who sang like a canary。 Kuvshinnikov; who happened to be sitting with me; said: 'My boy; you had better go and gather that strawberry。' As for the booths at the fair; they numbered; I should say; fifty。〃 At this point he broke off to take the glass of vodka from the landlady; who bowed low in acknowledgement of his doing so。 At the same moment Porphyria fellow dressed like his master (that is to say; in a greasy; wadded overcoat)entered with the puppy。

〃Put the brute down here;〃 commanded Nozdrev; 〃and then fasten it up。〃

Porphyri deposited the animal upon the floor; whereupon it proceeded to act after the manner of dogs。

〃THERE'S a puppy for you!〃 cried Nozdrev; catching hold of it by the back; and lifting it up。 The puppy uttered a piteous yelp。

〃I can see that you haven't done what I told you to do;〃 he continued to Porphyri after an inspection of the animal's belly。 〃You have quite forgotten to brush him。〃

〃I DID brush him;〃 protested Porphyri。

〃Then where did these fleas come from?〃

〃I cannot think。 Perhaps they have leapt into his coat out of the britchka。〃

〃You liar! As a matter of fact; you have forgotten to brush him。 Nevertheless; look at these ears; Chichikov。 Just feel them。〃

〃Why should I? Without doing that; I can see that he is well…bred。〃

〃Nevertheless; catch hold of his ears and feel them。〃

To humour the fellow Chichikov did as he had requested; remarking: 〃Yes; he seems likely to turn out well。〃

〃And feel the coldness of his nose! Just take it in your hand。〃

Not wishing to offend his interlocutor; Chichikov felt the puppy's nose; saying: 〃Some day he will have an excellent scent。〃

〃Yes; will he not? 'Tis the right sort of muzzle for that。 I must say that I have long been wanting such a puppy。 Porphyri; take him away again。〃

Porphyri lifted up the puppy; and bore it downstairs。

〃Look here; Chichikov;〃 resumed Nozdrev。 〃You MUST come to my place。 It lies only five versts away; and we can go there like the wind; and you can visit Sobakevitch afterwards。〃

〃Shall I; or shall I not; go to Nozdrev's?〃 reflected Chichikov。 〃Is he likely to prove any more useful than the rest? Well; at least he is as promising; even though he has lost so much at play。 But he 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的