dead souls(死魂灵)-第39部分

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oo　respectable　for　him　to　be　a　forger　or　a　disguised　brigand。　That　is　to　say；　all　SEEMED　to　agree　on　the　point；　until　a　sudden　shout　arose　from　the　direction　of　the　Postmaster；　who　for　some　time　past　had　been　sitting　plunged　in　thought。

〃_I_　can　tell　you；〃　he　cried；　〃who　Chichikov　is！〃

〃Who；　then？〃　replied　the　crowd　in　great　excitement。

〃He　is　none　other　than　Captain　Kopeikin。〃

〃And　who　may　Captain　Kopeikin　be？〃

Taking　a　pinch　of　snuff　（which　he　did　with　the　lid　of　his　snuff…box　half…open；　lest　some　extraneous　person　should　contrive　to　insert　a　not　over…clean　finger　into　the　stuff）；　the　Postmaster　related　the　following　story＇1＇。

＇1＇　To　reproduce　this　story　with　a　raciness　worthy　of　the　Russian　　　　　original　is　practically　impossible。　The　translator　has　not　　　　　attempted　the　task。

〃After　fighting　in　the　campaign　of　1812；　there　was　sent　home；　wounded；　a　certain　Captain　Kopeikina　headstrong；　lively　blade　who；　whether　on　duty　or　under　arrest；　made　things　lively　for　everybody。　Now；　since　at　Krasni　or　at　Leipzig　（it　matters　not　which）　he　had　lost　an　arm　and　a　leg；　and　in　those　days　no　provision　was　made　for　wounded　soldiers；　and　he　could　not　work　with　his　left　arm　alone；　he　set　out　to　see　his　father。　Unfortunately　his　father　could　only　just　support　himself；　and　was　forced　to　tell　his　son　so；　wherefore　the　Captain　decided　to　go　and　apply　for　help　in　St。　Petersburg；　seeing　that　he　had　risked　his　life　for　his　country；　and　had　lost　much　blood　in　its　service。　You　can　imagine　him　arriving　in　the　capital　on　a　baggage　waggonin　the　capital　which　is　like　no　other　city　in　the　world！　Before　him　there　lay　spread　out　the　whole　field　of　life；　like　a　sort　of　Arabian　Nightsa　picture　made　up　of　the　Nevski　Prospect；　Gorokhovaia　Street；　countless　tapering　spires；　and　a　number　of　bridges　apparently　supported　on　nothingin　fact；　a　regular　second　Nineveh。　Well；　he　made　shift　to　hire　a　lodging；　but　found　everything　so　wonderfully　furnished　with　blinds　and　Persian　carpets　and　so　forth　that　he　saw　it　would　mean　throwing　away　a　lot　of　money。　True；　as　one　walks　the　streets　of　St。　Petersburg　one　seems　to　smell　money　by　the　thousand　roubles；　but　our　friend　Kopeikin's　bank　was　limited　to　a　few　score　coppers　and　a　little　silvernot　enough　to　buy　a　village　with！　At　length；　at　the　price　of　a　rouble　a　day；　he　obtained　a　lodging　in　the　sort　of　tavern　where　the　daily　ration　is　a　bowl　of　cabbage　soup　and　a　crust　of　bread；　and　as　he　felt　that　he　could　not　manage　to　live　very　long　on　fare　of　that　kind　he　asked　folk　what　he　had　better　do。　'What　you　had　better　do？'　they　said。　'Well　the　Government　is　not　hereit　is　in　Paris；　and　the　troops　have　not　yet　returned　from　the　war；　but　there　is　a　TEMPORARY　Commission　sitting；　and　you　had　better　go　and　see　what　IT　can　do　for　you。'　'All　right！'　he　said。　'I　will　go　and　tell　the　Commission　that　I　have　shed　my　blood；　and　sacrificed　my　life；　for　my　country。'　And　he　got　up　early　one　morning；　and　shaved　himself　with　his　left　hand　（since　the　expense　of　a　barber　was　not　worth　while）；　and　set　out；　wooden　leg　and　all；　to　see　the　President　of　the　Commission。　But　first　he　asked　where　the　President　lived；　and　was　told　that　his　house　was　in　Naberezhnaia　Street。　And　you　may　be　sure　that　it　was　no　peasant's　hut；　with　its　glazed　windows　and　great　mirrors　and　statues　and　lacqueys　and　brass　door　handles！　Rather；　it　was　the　sort　of　place　which　you　would　enter　only　after　you　had　bought　a　cheap　cake　of　soap　and　indulged　in　a　two　hours'　wash。　Also；　at　the　entrance　there　was　posted　a　grand　Swiss　footman　with　a　baton　and　an　embroidered　collara　fellow　looking　like　a　fat；　over…fed　pug　dog。　However；　friend　Kopeikin　managed　to　get　himself　and　his　wooden　leg　into　the　reception　room；　and　there　squeezed　himself　away　into　a　corner；　for　fear　lest　he　should　knock　down　the　gilded　china　with　his　elbow。　And　he　stood　waiting　in　great　satisfaction　at　having　arrived　before　the　President　had　so　much　as　left　his　bed　and　been　served　with　his　silver　wash…basin。　Nevertheless；　it　was　only　when　Kopeikin　had　been　waiting　four　hours　that　a　breakfast　waiter　entered　to　say；　'The　President　will　soon　be　here。'　By　now　the　room　was　as　full　of　people　as　a　plate　is　of　beans；　and　when　the　President　left　the　breakfast…room　he　brought　with　him；　oh；　such　dignity　and　refinement；　and　such　an　air　of　the　metropolis！　First　he　walked　up　to　one　person；　and　then　up　to　another；　saying：　'What　do　YOU　want？　And　what　do　YOU　want？　What　can　I　do　for　YOU？　What　is　YOUR　business？'　And　at　length　he　stopped　before　Kopeikin；　and　Kopeikin　said　to　him：　'I　have　shed　my　blood；　and　lost　both　an　arm　and　a　leg；　for　my　country；　and　am　unable　to　work。　Might　I　therefore　dare　to　ask　you　for　a　little　help；　if　the　regulations　should　permit　of　it；　or　for　a　gratuity；　or　for　a　pension；　or　something　of　the　kind？'　Then　the　President　looked　at　him；　and　saw　that　one　of　his　legs　was　indeed　a　wooden　one；　and　that　an　empty　right　sleeve　was　pinned　to　his　uniform。　'Very　well；'　he　said。　'Come　to　me　again　in　a　few　days'　time。'　Upon　this　friend　Kopeikin　felt　delighted。　'NOW　I　have　done　my　job！'　he　thought　to　himself；　and　you　may　imagine　how　gaily　he　trotted　along　the　pavement；　and　how　he　dropped　into　a　tavern　for　a　glass　of　vodka；　and　how　he　ordered　a　cutlet　and　some　caper　sauce　and　some　other　things　for　luncheon；　and　how　he　called　for　a　bottle　of　wine；　and　how　he　went　to　the　theatre　in　the　evening！　In　short；　he　did　himself　thoroughly　well。　Next；　he　saw　in　the　street　a　young　English　lady；　as　graceful　as　a　swan；　and　set　off　after　her　on　his　wooden　leg。　'But　no；'　he　thought　to　himself。　'To　the　devil　with　that　sort　of　thing　just　now！　I　will　wait　until　I　have　drawn　my　pension。　For　the　present　I　have　spent　enough。'　（And　I　may　tell　you　that　by　now　he　had　got　through　fully　half　his　money。）　Two　or　three　days　later　he　went　to　see　the　President　of　the　Commission　again。　'I　should　be　glad　to　know；'　he　said；　'whether　by　now　you　can　do　anything　for　me　in　return　for　my　having　shed　my　blood　and　suffered　sickness　and　wounds　on　military　service。'　'First　of　all；'　said　the　President；　'I　must　tell　you　that　nothing　can　be　decided　in　your　case　without　the　authority　of　the　Supreme　Government。　Without　that　sanction　we　cannot　move　in　the　matter。　Surely　you　see　how　things　stand　until　the　army　shall　have　returned　from　the　war？　All　that　I　can　advise　you　to　do　is　wait　for　the　Minister　to　return；　and；　in　the　meanwhile；　to　have　patience。　Rest　assured　that　then　you　will　not　be　overlooked。　And　if　for　the　moment　you　have　nothing　to　live　upon；　this　is　the　best　that　I　can　do　for　you。'　With　that　he　handed　Kopeikin　a　trifle　until　his　case　should　have　been　decided。　However；　that　was　not　what　Kopeikin　wanted。　He　had　supposed　that　he　would　be　given　a　gratuity　of　a　thousand　roubles　straight　away；　whereas；　instead　of　　'Drink　and　be　merry；'　it　was　'Wait；　for　the　time　is　not　yet。'　Thus；　though　his　head　had　been　full　of　soup　plates　and　cutlets　and　English　girls；　he　now　descended　the　steps　with　his　ears　and　his　tail　downlooking；　in　fact；　like　a　poodle　over　which　the　cook　has　poured　a　bucketful　of　water。　You　see；　St。　Petersburg　life　had　changed　him　not　a　little　since　first　he　had　got　a　taste　of　it；　and；　now　that　the　devil　only　knew　how　he　was　going　to　live；　it　came　all　the　harder　to　him　that　he　should　have　no　more　sweets　to　look　forward　to。　Remember　that　a　man　in　the　prime　of　years　has　an　appetite　like　a　wolf；　and　as　he　passed　a　restaurant　he　could　see　a　round…faced；　holland…shirted；　snow…white　aproned　fellow　of　a　French　chef　preparing　a　dish　delicious　enough　to　make　it　turn　to　and　eat　itself；　while；　again；　as　he　passed　a　fruit　shop　he　could　see　delicacies　looking　out　of　a　window　for　fools　to　come　and　buy　them　at　a　hundred　roubles　apiece。　Imagine；　therefore；　his　position！　On　the　one　hand；　so　to　speak；　were　salmon　and　water…melons；　while　on　the　other　hand　was　the　bitter　fare　which　passed　at　a　tavern　for　luncheon。　'Well；'　he　thought　to　himself；　'let　them　do　what　they　like　with　me　at　the　Commission；　but　I　intend　to　go　and　raise　the　whole　place；　and　to　tell　every　blessed　functionary　there　that　I　have　a　mind　to　do　as　I　choose。'　And　in　truth　this　bold　impertinence　of　a　man　did　have　the　hardihood　to　return　to　the　Commission。　'What　do　you　want？'　said　the　President。　'Why　are　you　here　for　the　third　time？　You　have　had　your　orders　given　you。'　'I　daresay　I　have；'　he　retorted；　'but　I　am　not　going　to　be　put　off　with　THEM。　I　want　some　cutlets　to　eat；　and　a　bottle　of　French　wine；　and　a　chance　to　go　and　amuse　myself　at　the　theatre。'　'Pardon　me；'　said　the　President。　'What　you　really　need　（if　I　may　venture　to　mention　it）　is　a　little　patience。　You　have　been　given　something　for　food　until　the　Military　Committee　shall　have　met；　and　then；　doubtless；　you　will　receive　your　proper　reward；　seeing　that　it　would　not　be　seemly　that　a　man　who　has　served　his　country　should　be　left　destitute。　On　the　other　hand；　if；　in　the　meanwhile；　you　desire　to　indulge　in　cutlets　and　theatre…going；　please　understand　that　we　cannot　help　you；　but　you　must　make　your　own　resources；　and　try　as　best　you　can　to　help　yourself。'　You　can　imagine　that　this　went　in　at　one　of　Kopeikin's　ears；　and　out　at　the　other；　that　it　was　like　shooting　peas　at　a　stone　wall。　Accordingly　he　raised　a　turmoil　which　sent　the　staff　flying。　One　by　one；　he　gave　the　mob　of　secretaries　and　clerks　a　real　good　hammering。　'You；　and　you；　and　you；'　he　said；　'do　not　even　know　your　duties。　You　are　law…breakers。'　Yes；　he　trod　every　man　of　them　under　foot。　At　length　the　General　himself　arrived　from　another　office；　and　sounded　the　alarm。　What　was　to　be　done　with　a　fellow　like　Kopeikin？　The　President　saw　that　strong　measures　were　imperative。　'Very　well；'　he　said。　'Since　you　decline　to　rest　satisfied　with　what　has　been　given　you；　and　quietly　to　await　the　decision　of　your　case　in　St。　Petersburg；　I　must　find　you　a　lodging。　Here；　constable；　remove　the　man　to　gaol。'　Then　a　constable　who　had　been　called　to　the　doora　constable　three　ells　in　height；　and　armed　with　a　carbinea　man　well　fitted　to　guard　a　bankplaced　our　friend　in　a　police　waggon。　'Well；'　reflected　Kopeikin；　'at　least　I　shan't　have　to　pay　my　fare　for　THIS　ride。　That's　one　comfort。'　Again；　after　he　had　ridden　a　little　way；　he　said　to　himself：　'they　told　me　at　the　Commission　to　go　and　make　my　own　means　of　enjoying　myself。　Very　good