dead souls(死魂灵)-第29部分

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t；　because　I　came　home　late；　so　I　handed　it　to　Antip　Prochorov；　the　bell…ringer；　for　him　to　take　care　of。'　'Bell…ringer；　indeed！　Then　HE　gave　you　a　passport？'　'No；　I　did　not　receive　a　passport　from　him　either。'　'What？'and　here　the　Captain　shouts　another　expletive'How　dare　you　keep　on　lying？　Where　is　YOUR　OWN　passport？'　'I　had　one　all　right；'　you　reply　cunningly；　'but　must　have　dropped　it　somewhere　on　the　road　as　I　came　along。'　'And　what　about　that　soldier's　coat？'　asks　the　Captain　with　an　impolite　addition。　'Whence　did　you　get　it？　And　what　of　the　priest's　cashbox　and　copper　money？''　'About　them　I　know　nothing；'　you　reply　doggedly。　'Never　at　any　time　have　I　committed　a　theft。'　'Then　how　is　it　that　the　coat　was　found　at　your　place？'　'I　do　not　know。　Probably　some　one　else　put　it　there。'　'You　rascal；　you　rascal！'　shouts　the　Captain；　shaking　his　head；　and　closing　in　upon　you。　'Put　the　leg…irons　upon　him；　and　off　with　him　to　prison！'　'With　pleasure；'　you　reply　as；　taking　a　snuff…box　from　your　pocket；　you　offer　a　pinch　to　each　of　the　two　gendarmes　who　are　manacling　you；　while　also　inquiring　how　long　they　have　been　discharged　from　the　army；　and　in　what　wars　they　may　have　served。　And　in　prison　you　remain　until　your　case　comes　on；　when　the　justice　orders　you　to　be　removed　from　Tsarev…Kokshaika　to　such　and　such　another　prison；　and　a　second　justice　orders　you　to　be　transferred　thence　to　Vesiegonsk　or　somewhere　else；　and　you　go　flitting　from　gaol　to　gaol；　and　saying　each　time；　as　you　eye　your　new　habitation；　'The　last　place　was　a　good　deal　cleaner　than　this　one　is；　and　one　could　play　babki＇3＇　there；　and　stretch　one's　legs；　and　see　a　little　society。'〃

＇1＇　The　names　Kariakin　and　Volokita　might；　perhaps；　be　translated　as　　　　　〃Gallant〃　and　〃Loafer。〃

＇2＇　Tradesman　or　citizen。

＇3＇　The　game　of　knucklebones。

〃'Abakum　Thirov；'〃　Chichikov　went　on　after　a　pause。　〃What　of　YOU；　brother？　Where；　and　in　what　capacity；　are　YOU　disporting　yourself？　Have　you　gone　to　the　Volga　country；　and　become　bitten　with　the　life　of　freedom；　and　joined　the　fishermen　of　the　river？〃

Here；　breaking　off；　Chichikov　relapsed　into　silent　meditation。　Of　what　was　he　thinking　as　he　sat　there？　Was　he　thinking　of　the　fortunes　of　Abakum　Thirov；　or　was　he　meditating　as　meditates　every　Russian　when　his　thoughts　once　turn　to　the　joys　of　an　emancipated　existence？

〃Ah；　well！〃　he　sighed；　looking　at　his　watch。　〃It　has　now　gone　twelve　o'clock。　Why　have　I　so　forgotten　myself？　There　is　still　much　to　be　done；　yet　I　go　shutting　myself　up　and　letting　my　thoughts　wander！　What　a　fool　I　am！〃

So　saying；　he　exchanged　his　Scottish　costume　（of　a　shirt　and　nothing　else）　for　attire　of　a　more　European　nature；　after　which　he　pulled　tight　the　waistcoat　over　his　ample　stomach；　sprinkled　himself　with　eau…de…Cologne；　tucked　his　papers　under　his　arm；　took　his　fur　cap；　and　set　out　for　the　municipal　offices；　for　the　purpose　of　completing　the　transfer　of　souls。　The　fact　that　he　hurried　along　was　not　due　to　a　fear　of　being　late　（seeing　that　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　was　an　intimate　acquaintance　of　his；　as　well　as　a　functionary　who　could　shorten　or　prolong　an　interview　at　will；　even　as　Homer's　Zeus　was　able　to　shorten　or　to　prolong　a　night　or　a　day；　whenever　it　became　necessary　to　put　an　end　to　the　fighting　of　his　favourite　heroes；　or　to　enable　them　to　join　battle）；　but　rather　to　a　feeling　that　he　would　like　to　have　the　affair　concluded　as　quickly　as　possible；　seeing　that；　throughout；　it　had　been　an　anxious　and　difficult　business。　Also；　he　could　not　get　rid　of　the　idea　that　his　souls　were　unsubstantial　things；　and　that　therefore；　under　the　circumstances；　his　shoulders　had　better　be　relieved　of　their　load　with　the　least　possible　delay。　Pulling　on　his　cinnamon…coloured；　bear…lined　overcoat　as　he　went；　he　had　just　stepped　thoughtfully　into　the　street　when　he　collided　with　a　gentleman　dressed　in　a　similar　coat　and　an　ear…lappeted　fur　cap。　Upon　that　the　gentleman　uttered　an　exclamation。　Behold；　it　was　Manilov！　At　once　the　friends　became　folded　in　a　strenuous　embrace；　and　remained　so　locked　for　fully　five　minutes。　Indeed；　the　kisses　exchanged　were　so　vigorous　that　both　suffered　from　toothache　for　the　greater　portion　of　the　day。　Also；　Manilov's　delight　was　such　that　only　his　nose　and　lips　remained　visiblethe　eyes　completely　disappeared。　Afterwards　he　spent　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　in　holding　Chichikov's　hand　and　chafing　it　vigorously。　Lastly；　he；　in　the　most　pleasant　and　exquisite　terms　possible；　intimated　to　his　friend　that　he　had　just　been　on　his　way　to　embrace　Paul　Ivanovitch；　and　upon　this　followed　a　compliment　of　the　kind　which　would　more　fittingly　have　been　addressed　to　a　lady　who　was　being　asked　to　accord　a　partner　the　favour　of　a　dance。　Chichikov　had　opened　his　mouth　to　replythough　even　HE　felt　at　a　loss　how　to　acknowledge　what　had　just　been　saidwhen　Manilov　cut　him　short　by　producing　from　under　his　coat　a　roll　of　paper　tied　with　red　riband。

〃What　have　you　there？〃　asked　Chichikov。

〃The　list　of　my　souls。〃

〃Ah！〃　And　as　Chichikov　unrolled　the　document　and　ran　his　eye　over　it　he　could　not　but　marvel　at　the　elegant　neatness　with　which　it　had　been　inscribed。

〃It　is　a　beautiful　piece　of　writing；〃　he　said。　〃In　fact；　there　will　be　no　need　to　make　a　copy　of　it。　Also；　it　has　a　border　around　its　edge！　Who　worked　that　exquisite　border？〃

〃Do　not　ask　me；〃　said　Manilov。

〃Did　YOU　do　it？〃

〃No；　my　wife。〃

〃Dear；　dear！〃　Chichikov　cried。　〃To　think　that　I　should　have　put　her　to　so　much　trouble！〃

〃NOTHING　could　be　too　much　trouble　where　Paul　Ivanovitch　is　concerned。

Chichikov　bowed　his　acknowledgements。　Next；　on　learning　that　he　was　on　his　way　to　the　municipal　offices　for　the　purpose　of　completing　the　transfer；　Manilov　expressed　his　readiness　to　accompany　him；　wherefore　the　pair　linked　arm　in　arm　and　proceeded　together。　Whenever　they　encountered　a　slight　rise　in　the　groundeven　the　smallest　unevenness　or　difference　of　levelManilov　supported　Chichikov　with　such　energy　as　almost　to　lift　him　off　his　feet；　while　accompanying　the　service　with　a　smiling　implication　that　not　if　HE　could　help　it　should　Paul　Ivanovitch　slip　or　fall。　Nevertheless　this　conduct　appeared　to　embarrass　Chichikov；　either　because　he　could　not　find　any　fitting　words　of　gratitude　or　because　he　considered　the　proceeding　tiresome；　and　it　was　with　a　sense　of　relief　that　he　debouched　upon　the　square　where　the　municipal　officesa　large；　three…storied　building　of　a　chalky　whiteness　which　probably　symbolised　the　purity　of　the　souls　engaged　withinwere　situated。　No　other　building　in　the　square　could　vie　with　them　in　size；　seeing　that　the　remaining　edifices　consisted　only　of　a　sentry…box；　a　shelter　for　two　or　three　cabmen；　and　a　long　hoardingthe　latter　adorned　with　the　usual　bills；　posters；　and　scrawls　in　chalk　and　charcoal。　At　intervals；　from　the　windows　of　the　second　and　third　stories　of　the　municipal　offices；　the　incorruptible　heads　of　certain　of　the　attendant　priests　of　Themis　would　peer　quickly　forth；　and　as　quickly　disappear　againprobably　for　the　reason　that　a　superior　official　had　just　entered　the　room。　Meanwhile　the　two　friends　ascended　the　staircasenay；　almost　flew　up　it；　since；　longing　to　get　rid　of　Manilov's　ever…supporting　arm；　Chichikov　hastened　his　steps；　and　Manilov　kept　darting　forward　to　anticipate　any　possible　failure　on　the　part　of　his　companion's　legs。　Consequently　the　pair　were　breathless　when　they　reached　the　first　corridor。　In　passing　it　may　be　remarked　that　neither　corridors　nor　rooms　evinced　any　of　that　cleanliness　and　purity　which　marked　the　exterior　of　the　building；　for　such　attributes　were　not　troubled　about　within；　and　anything　that　was　dirty　remained　so；　and　donned　no　meritricious；　purely　external；　disguise。　It　was　as　though　Themis　received　her　visitors　in　neglige　and　a　dressing…gown。　The　author　would　also　give　a　description　of　the　various　offices　through　which　our　hero　passed；　were　it　not　that　he　（the　author）　stands　in　awe　of　such　legal　haunts。

Approaching　the　first　desk　which　he　happened　to　encounter；　Chichikov　inquired　of　the　two　young　officials　who　were　seated　at　it　whether　they　would　kindly　tell　him　where　business　relating　to　serf…indenture　was　transacted。

〃Of　what　nature；　precisely；　IS　your　business？〃　countered　one　of　the　youthful　officials　as　he　turned　himself　round。

〃I　desire　to　make　an　application。〃

〃In　connection　with　a　purchase？〃

〃Yes。　But；　as　I　say；　I　should　like　first　to　know　where　I　can　find　the　desk　devoted　to　such　business。　Is　it　here　or　elsewhere？〃

〃You　must　state　what　it　is　you　have　bought；　and　for　how　much。　THEN　we　shall　be　happy　to　give　you　the　information。〃

Chichikov　perceived　that　the　officials'　motive　was　merely　one　of　curiosity；　as　often　happens　when　young　tchinovniks　desire　to　cut　a　more　important　and　imposing　figure　than　is　rightfully　theirs。

〃Look　here；　young　sirs；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　for　a　fact　that　all　serf　business；　no　matter　to　what　value；　is　transacted　at　one　desk　alone。　Consequently　I　again　request　you　to　direct　me　to　that　desk。　Of　course；　if　you　do　not　know　your　business　I　can　easily　ask　some　one　else。〃

To　this　the　tchinovniks　made　no　reply　beyond　pointing　towards　a　corner　of　the　room　where　an　elderly　man　appeared　to　be　engaged　in　sorting　some　papers。　Accordingly　Chichikov　and　Manilov　threaded　their　way　in　his　direction　through　the　desks；　whereupon　the　elderly　man　became　violently　busy。

〃Would　you　mind　telling　me；〃　said　Chichikov；　bowing；　〃whether　this　is　the　desk　for　serf　affairs？〃

The　elderly　man　raised　his　eyes；　and　said　stiffly：

〃This　is　NOT　the　desk　for　serf　affairs。〃

〃Where　is　it；　then？〃

〃In　the　Serf　Department。〃

〃And　where　might　the　Serf　Department　be？〃

〃In　charge　of　Ivan　Antonovitch。〃

〃And　where　is　Ivan　Antonovitch？〃

The　elderly　man　pointed　to　another　corner　of　the　room；　whither　Chichikov　and　Manilov　next　directed　their　steps。　As　they　advanced；　Ivan　Antonovitch　cast　an　eye　backwards　and　viewed　them　askance。　Then；　with　renewed　ardour；　he　resumed　his　work　of　writing。

〃Would　you　mind　telling　me；〃　said　Chichikov；　bowing；　〃whether　this　is　the　desk　for　serf　affairs？〃

It　appeared　as　though　Ivan　Antonovitch　had　not　heard；　so　completely　did　he　bury　himself　in　his　papers　and　return　no　reply。　Instantly　it　became　plain　that　HE