dead souls(死魂灵)-第40部分

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o　himself：　'they　told　me　at　the　Commission　to　go　and　make　my　own　means　of　enjoying　myself。　Very　good。　I'll　do　so。'　However；　what　became　of　Kopeikin；　and　whither　he　went；　is　known　to　no　one。　He　sank；　to　use　the　poet's　expression；　into　the　waters　of　Lethe；　and　his　doings　now　lie　buried　in　oblivion。　But　allow　me；　gentlemen；　to　piece　together　the　further　threads　of　the　story。　Not　two　months　later　there　appeared　in　the　forests　of　Riazan　a　band　of　robbers：　and　of　that　band　the　chieftain　was　none　other　than〃

〃Allow　me；〃　put　in　the　Head　of　the　Police　Department。　〃You　have　said　that　Kopeikin　had　lost　an　arm　and　a　leg；　whereas　Chichikov〃

To　say　anything　more　was　unnecessary。　The　Postmaster　clapped　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　and　publicly　called　himself　a　fool；　though；　later；　he　tried　to　excuse　his　mistake　by　saying　that　in　England　the　science　of　mechanics　had　reached　such　a　pitch　that　wooden　legs　were　manufactured　which　would　enable　the　wearer；　on　touching　a　spring；　to　vanish　instantaneously　from　sight。

Various　other　theories　were　then　propounded；　among　them　a　theory　that　Chichikov　was　Napoleon；　escaped　from　St。　Helena　and　travelling　about　the　world　in　disguise。　And　if　it　should　be　supposed　that　no　such　notion　could　possibly　have　been　broached；　let　the　reader　remember　that　these　events　took　place　not　many　years　after　the　French　had　been　driven　out　of　Russia；　and　that　various　prophets　had　since　declared　that　Napoleon　was　Antichrist；　and　would　one　day　escape　from　his　island　prison　to　exercise　universal　sway　on　earth。　Nay；　some　good　folk　had　even　declared　the　letters　of　Napoleon's　name　to　constitute　the　Apocalyptic　cipher！

As　a　last　resort；　the　tchinovniks　decided　to　question　Nozdrev；　since　not　only　had　the　latter　been　the　first　to　mention　the　dead　souls；　but　also　he　was　supposed　to　stand　on　terms　of　intimacy　with　Chichikov。　Accordingly　the　Chief　of　Police　dispatched　a　note　by　the　hand　of　a　commissionaire。　At　the　time　Nozdrev　was　engaged　on　some　very　important　businessso　much　so　that　he　had　not　left　his　room　for　four　days；　and　was　receiving　his　meals　through　the　window；　and　no　visitors　at　all。　The　business　referred　to　consisted　of　the　marking　of　several　dozen　selected　cards　in　such　a　way　as　to　permit　of　his　relying　upon　them　as　upon　his　bosom　friend。　Naturally　he　did　not　like　having　his　retirement　invaded；　and　at　first　consigned　the　commissionaire　to　the　devil；　but　as　soon　as　he　learnt　from　the　note　that；　since　a　novice　at　cards　was　to　be　the　guest　of　the　Chief　of　Police　that　evening；　a　call　at　the　latter's　house　might　prove　not　wholly　unprofitable　he　relented；　unlocked　the　door　of　his　room；　threw　on　the　first　garments　that　came　to　hand；　and　set　forth。　To　every　question　put　to　him　by　the　tchinovniks　he　answered　firmly　and　with　assurance。　Chichikov；　he　averred；　had　indeed　purchased　dead　souls；　and　to　the　tune　of　several　thousand　roubles。　In　fact；　he　（Nozdrev）　had　himself　sold　him　some；　and　still　saw　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　done　so。　Next；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　he　considered　Chichikov　to　be　a　spy；　he　replied　in　the　affirmative；　and　added　that；　as　long　ago　as　his　and　Chichikov's　joint　schooldays；　the　said　Chichikov　had　been　known　as　〃The　Informer；〃　and　repeatedly　been　thrashed　by　his　companions　on　that　account。　Again；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　Chichikov　was　a　forger　of　currency　notes　the　deponent；　as　before；　responded　in　the　affirmative；　and　appended　thereto　an　anecdote　illustrative　of　Chichikov's　extraordinary　dexterity　of　handnamely；　an　anecdote　to　that　effect　that；　once　upon　a　time；　on　learning　that　two　million　roubles　worth　of　counterfeit　notes　were　lying　in　Chichikov's　house；　the　authorities　had　placed　seals　upon　the　building；　and　had　surrounded　it　on　every　side　with　an　armed　guard；　whereupon　Chichikov　had；　during　the　night；　changed　each　of　these　seals　for　a　new　one；　and　also　so　arranged　matters　that；　when　the　house　was　searched；　the　forged　notes　were　found　to　be　genuine　ones！

Again；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　Chichikov　had　schemed　to　abduct　the　Governor's　daughter；　and　also　whether　it　was　true　that　he；　Nozdrev；　had　undertaken　to　aid　and　abet　him　in　the　act；　the　witness　replied　that；　had　he　not　undertaken　to　do　so；　the　affair　would　never　have　come　off。　At　this　point　the　witness　pulled　himself　up；　on　realising　that　he　had　told　a　lie　which　might　get　him　into　trouble；　but　his　tongue　was　not　to　be　deniedthe　details　trembling　on　its　tip　were　too　alluring；　and　he　even　went　on　to　cite　the　name　of　the　village　church　where　the　pair　had　arranged　to　be　married；　that　of　the　priest　who　had　performed　the　ceremony；　the　amount　of　the　fees　paid　for　the　same　（seventy…five　roubles）；　and　statements　（1）　that　the　priest　had　refused　to　solemnise　the　wedding　until　Chichikov　had　frightened　him　by　threatening　to　expose　the　fact　that　he　（the　priest）　had　married　Mikhail；　a　local　corn　dealer；　to　his　paramour；　and　（2）　that　Chichikov　had　ordered　both　a　koliaska　for　the　couple's　conveyance　and　relays　of　horses　from　the　post…houses　on　the　road。　Nay；　the　narrative；　as　detailed　by　Nozdrev；　even　reached　the　point　of　his　mentioning　certain　of　the　postillions　by　name！　Next；　the　tchinovniks　sounded　him　on　the　question　of　Chichikov's　possible　identity　with　Napoleon；　but　before　long　they　had　reason　to　regret　the　step；　for　Nozdrev　responded　with　a　rambling　rigmarole　such　as　bore　no　resemblance　to　anything　possibly　conceivable。　Finally；　the　majority　of　the　audience　left　the　room；　and　only　the　Chief　of　Police　remained　to　listen　（in　the　hope　of　gathering　something　more）；　but　at　last　even　he　found　himself　forced　to　disclaim　the　speaker　with　a　gesture　which　said：　〃The　devil　only　knows　what　the　fellow　is　talking　about！〃　and　so　voiced　the　general　opinion　that　it　was　no　use　trying　to　gather　figs　of　thistles。

Meanwhile　Chichikov　knew　nothing　of　these　events；　for；　having　contracted　a　slight　chill；　coupled　with　a　sore　throat；　he　had　decided　to　keep　his　room　for　three　days；　during　which　time　he　gargled　his　throat　with　milk　and　fig　juice；　consumed　the　fruit　from　which　the　juice　had　been　extracted；　and　wore　around　his　neck　a　poultice　of　camomile　and　camphor。　Also；　to　while　away　the　hours；　he　made　new　and　more　detailed　lists　of　the　souls　which　he　had　bought；　perused　a　work　by　the　Duchesse　de　la　Valliere＇2＇；　rummaged　in　his　portmanteau；　looked　through　various　articles　and　papers　which　he　discovered　in　his　dispatch…box；　and　found　every　one　of　these　occupations　tedious。　Nor　could　he　understand　why　none　of　his　official　friends　had　come　to　see　him　and　inquire　after　his　health；　seeing　that；　not　long　since；　there　had　been　standing　in　front　of　the　inn　the　drozhkis　both　of　the　Postmaster；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　and　the　President　of　the　Council。　He　wondered　and　wondered；　and　then；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　fell　to　pacing　the　room。　At　length　he　felt　better；　and　his　spirits　rose　at　the　prospect　of　once　more　going　out　into　the　fresh　air；　wherefore；　having　shaved　a　plentiful　growth　of　hair　from　his　face；　he　dressed　with　such　alacrity　as　almost　to　cause　a　split　in　his　trousers；　sprinkled　himself　with　eau…de…Cologne；　and　wrapping　himself　in　warm　clothes；　and　turning　up　the　collar　of　his　coat；　sallied　forth　into　the　street。　His　first　destination　was　intended　to　be　the　Governor's　mansion；　and；　as　he　walked　along；　certain　thoughts　concerning　the　Governor's　daughter　would　keep　whirling　through　his　head；　so　that　almost　he　forgot　where　he　was；　and　took　to　smiling　and　cracking　jokes　to　himself。

＇2＇　One　of　the　mistresses　of　Louis　XIV。　of　France。　In　1680　she　wrote　a　　　　　book　called　Reflexions　sur　la　Misericorde　de　Dieu；　par　une　Dame　　　　　Penitente。

Arrived　at　the　Governor's　entrance；　he　was　about　to　divest　himself　of　his　scarf　when　a　Swiss　footman　greeted　him　with　the　words；　〃I　am　forbidden　to　admit　you。〃

〃What？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　do　not　know　me？　Look　at　me　again；　and　see　if　you　do　not　recognise　me。〃

〃Of　course　I　recognise　you；〃　the　footman　replied。　〃I　have　seen　you　before；　but　have　been　ordered　to　admit　any　one　else　rather　than　Monsieur　Chichikov。〃

〃Indeed？　And　why　so？〃

〃Those　are　my　orders；　and　they　must　be　obeyed；〃　said　the　footman；　confronting　Chichikov　with　none　of　that　politeness　with　which；　on　former　occasions；　he　had　hastened　to　divest　our　hero　of　his　wrappings。　Evidently　he　was　of　opinion　that；　since　the　gentry　declined　to　receive　the　visitor；　the　latter　must　certainly　be　a　rogue。

〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　said　Chichikov　to　himself。　Then　he　departed；　and　made　his　way　to　the　house　of　the　President　of　the　Council。　But　so　put　about　was　that　official　by　Chichikov's　entry　that　he　could　not　utter　two　consecutive　wordshe　could　only　murmur　some　rubbish　which　left　both　his　visitor　and　himself　out　of　countenance。　Chichikov　wondered；　as　he　left　the　house；　what　the　President's　muttered　words　could　have　meant；　but　failed　to　make　head　or　tail　of　them。　Next；　he　visited；　in　turn；　the　Chief　of　Police；　the　Vice…Governor；　the　Postmaster；　and　others；　but　in　each　case　he　either　failed　to　be　accorded　admittance　or　was　received　so　strangely；　and　with　such　a　measure　of　constraint　and　conversational　awkwardness　and　absence　of　mind　and　embarrassment；　that　he　began　to　fear　for　the　sanity　of　his　hosts。　Again　and　again　did　he　strive　to　divine　the　cause；　but　could　not　do　so；　so　he　went　wandering　aimlessly　about　the　town；　without　succeeding　in　making　up　his　mind　whether　he　or　the　officials　had　gone　crazy。　At　length；　in　a　state　bordering　upon　bewilderment；　he　returned　to　the　innto　the　establishment　whence；　that　every　afternoon；　he　had　set　forth　in　such　exuberance　of　spirits。　Feeling　the　need　of　something　to　do；　he　ordered　tea；　and；　still　marvelling　at　the　strangeness　of　his　position；　was　about　to　pour　out　the　beverage　when　the　door　opened　and　Nozdrev　made　his　appearance。

〃What　says　the　proverb？〃　he　began。　〃'To　see　a　friend；　seven　versts　is　not　too　long　a　round　to　make。'　I　happened　to　be　passing　the　house；　saw　a　light　in　your　window；　and　thought　to　myself：　'Now；　suppose　I　were　to　run　up　and　pay　him　a　visit？　It　is　unlikely　that　he　will　be　asleep。'　Ah；　ha！　I　see　tea　on　your　table！　Good！　Then　I　will　drink　a　cup　with　you；　for　I　had　wretched　stuff　for　dinner；　and　it　is　beginning　to　lie　heavy　on　my　stomach。　Also；　tell　your　man　to　fill　me　a　pipe。　Where　is　your　own　pipe？〃

〃I　never　sm