dead souls(死魂灵)-第41部分

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　heavy　on　my　stomach。　Also；　tell　your　man　to　fill　me　a　pipe。　Where　is　your　own　pipe？〃

〃I　never　smoke；〃　rejoined　Chichikov　drily。

〃Rubbish！　As　if　I　did　not　know　what　a　chimney…pot　you　are！　What　is　your　man's　name？　Hi；　Vakhramei！　Come　here！〃

〃Petrushka　is　his　name；　not　Vakhramei。〃

〃Indeed？　But　you　USED　to　have　a　man　called　Vakhramei；　didn't　you？〃

〃No；　never。〃

〃Oh；　well。　Then　it　must　be　Derebin's　man　I　am　thinking　of。　What　a　lucky　fellow　that　Derebin　is！　An　aunt　of　his　has　gone　and　quarrelled　with　her　son　for　marrying　a　serf　woman；　and　has　left　all　her　property　to　HIM；　to　Derebin。　Would　that　_I_　had　an　aunt　of　that　kind　to　provide　against　future　contingencies！　But　why　have　you　been　hiding　yourself　away？　I　suppose　the　reason　has　been　that　you　go　in　for　abstruse　subjects　and　are　fond　of　reading〃　（why　Nozdrev　should　have　drawn　these　conclusions　no　one　could　possibly　have　saidleast　of　all　Chichikov　himself）。　〃By　the　way；　I　can　tell　you　of　something　that　would　have　found　you　scope　for　your　satirical　vein〃　（the　conclusion　as　to　Chichikov's　〃satirical　vein〃　was；　as　before；　altogether　unwarranted　on　Nozdrev's　part）。　〃That　is　to　say；　you　would　have　seen　merchant　Likhachev　losing　a　pile　of　money　at　play。　My　word；　you　would　have　laughed！　A　fellow　with　me　named　Perependev　said：　'Would　that　Chichikov　had　been　here！　It　would　have　been　the　very　thing　for　him！'〃　（As　a　matter　of　fact；　never　since　the　day　of　his　birth　had　Nozdrev　met　any　one　of　the　name　of　Perependev。）　〃However；　my　friend；　you　must　admit　that　you　treated　me　rather　badly　the　day　that　we　played　that　game　of　chess；　but；　as　I　won　the　game；　I　bear　you　no　malice。　A　propos；　I　am　just　from　the　President's；　and　ought　to　tell　you　that　the　feeling　against　you　in　the　town　is　very　strong；　for　every　one　believes　you　to　be　a　forger　of　currency　notes。　I　myself　was　sent　for　and　questioned　about　you；　but　I　stuck　up　for　you　through　thick　and　thin；　and　told　the　tchinovniks　that　I　had　been　at　school　with　you；　and　had　known　your　father。　In　fact；　I　gave　the　fellows　a　knock　or　two　for　themselves。〃

〃You　say　that　I　am　believed　to　be　a　forger？〃　said　Chichikov；　starting　from　his　seat。

〃Yes；〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Why　have　you　gone　and　frightened　everybody　as　you　have　done？　Some　of　our　folk　are　almost　out　of　their　minds　about　it；　and　declare　you　to　be　either　a　brigand　in　disguise　or　a　spy。　Yesterday　the　Public　Prosecutor　even　died　of　it；　and　is　to　be　buried　to…morrow〃　（this　was　true　in　so　far　as　that；　on　the　previous　day；　the　official　in　question　had　had　a　fatal　strokeprobably　induced　by　the　excitement　of　the　public　meeting）。　〃Of　course；　_I_　don't　suppose　you　to　be　anything　of　the　kind；　but；　you　see；　these　fellows　are　in　a　blue　funk　about　the　new　Governor…General；　for　they　think　he　will　make　trouble　for　them　over　your　affair。　A　propos；　he　is　believed　to　be　a　man　who　puts　on　airs；　and　turns　up　his　nose　at　everything；　and　if　so；　he　will　get　on　badly　with　the　dvoriane；　seeing　that　fellows　of　that　sort　need　to　be　humoured　a　bit。　Yes；　my　word！　Should　the　new　Governor…General　shut　himself　up　in　his　study；　and　give　no　balls；　there　will　be　the　very　devil　to　pay！　By　the　way；　Chichikov；　that　is　a　risky　scheme　of　yours。〃

〃What　scheme　to　you　mean？〃　Chichikov　asked　uneasily。

〃Why；　that　scheme　of　carrying　off　the　Governor's　daughter。　However；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　was　expecting　something　of　the　kind。　No　sooner　did　I　see　you　and　her　together　at　the　ball　than　I　said　to　myself：　'Ah；　ha！　Chichikov　is　not　here　for　nothing！'　For　my　own　part；　I　think　you　have　made　a　poor　choice；　for　I　can　see　nothing　in　her　at　all。　On　the　other　hand；　the　niece　of　a　friend　of　mine　named　Bikusovshe　IS　a　girl；　and　no　mistake！　A　regular　what　you　might　call　'miracle　in　muslin！'〃

〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Chichikov　with　his　eyes　distended。　〃HOW　could　I　carry　off　the　Governor's　daughter？　What　on　earth　do　you　mean？〃

〃Come；　come！　What　a　secretive　fellow　you　are！　My　only　object　in　having　come　to　see　you　is　to　lend　you　a　helping　hand　in　the　matter。　Look　here。　On　condition　that　you　will　lend　me　three　thousand　roubles；　I　will　stand　you　the　cost　of　the　wedding；　the　koliaska；　and　the　relays　of　horses。　I　must　have　the　money　even　if　I　die　for　it。〃

Throughout　Nozdrev's　maunderings　Chichikov　had　been　rubbing　his　eyes　to　ascertain　whether　or　not　he　was　dreaming。　What　with　the　charge　of　being　a　forger；　the　accusation　of　having　schemed　an　abduction；　the　death　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　（whatever　might　have　been　its　cause）；　and　the　advent　of　a　new　Governor…General；　he　felt　utterly　dismayed。

〃Things　having　come　to　their　present　pass；〃　he　reflected；　〃I　had　better　not　linger　hereI　had　better　be　off　at　once。〃

Getting　rid　of　Nozdrev　as　soon　as　he　could；　he　sent　for　Selifan；　and　ordered　him　to　be　up　at　daybreak；　in　order　to　clean　the　britchka　and　to　have　everything　ready　for　a　start　at　six　o'clock。　Yet；　though　Selifan　replied；　〃Very　well；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　he　hesitated　awhile　by　the　door。　Next；　Chichikov　bid　Petrushka　get　out　the　dusty　portmanteau　from　under　the　bed；　and　then　set　to　work　to　cram　into　it；　pell…mell；　socks；　shirts；　collars　（both　clean　and　dirty）；　boot　trees；　a　calendar；　and　a　variety　of　other　articles。　Everything　went　into　the　receptacle　just　as　it　came　to　hand；　since　his　one　object　was　to　obviate　any　possible　delay　in　the　morning's　departure。　Meanwhile　the　reluctant　Selifan　slowly；　very　slowly；　left　the　room；　as　slowly　descended　the　staircase　（on　each　separate　step　of　which　he　left　a　muddy　foot…print）；　and；　finally；　halted　to　scratch　his　head。　What　that　scratching　may　have　meant　no　one　could　say；　for；　with　the　Russian　populace；　such　a　scratching　may　mean　any　one　of　a　hundred　things。



CHAPTER　XI

Nevertheless　events　did　not　turn　out　as　Chichikov　had　intended　they　should。　In　the　first　place；　he　overslept　himself。　That　was　check　number　one。　In　the　second　place；　on　his　rising　and　inquiring　whether　the　britchka　had　been　harnessed　and　everything　got　ready；　he　was　informed　that　neither　of　those　two　things　had　been　done。　That　was　check　number　two。　Beside　himself　with　rage；　he　prepared　to　give　Selifan　the　wigging　of　his　life；　and；　meanwhile；　waited　impatiently　to　hear　what　the　delinquent　had　got　to　say　in　his　defence。　It　goes　without　saying　that　when　Selifan　made　his　appearance　in　the　doorway　he　had　only　the　usual　excuses　to　offerthe　sort　of　excuses　usually　offered　by　servants　when　a　hasty　departure　has　become　imperatively　necessary。

〃Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　he　said；　〃the　horses　require　shoeing。〃

〃Blockhead！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov。　〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　of　that　before；　you　damned　fool？　Was　there　not　time　enough　for　them　to　be　shod？〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　there　was；〃　agreed　Selifan。　〃Also　one　of　the　wheels　is　in　want　of　a　new　tyre；　for　the　roads　are　so　rough　that　the　old　tyre　is　worn　through。　Also；　the　body　of　the　britchka　is　so　rickety　that　probably　it　will　not　last　more　than　a　couple　of　stages。〃

〃Rascal！〃　shouted　Chichikov；　clenching　his　fists　and　approaching　Selifan　in　such　a　manner　that；　fearing　to　receive　a　blow；　the　man　backed　and　dodged　aside。　〃Do　you　mean　to　ruin　me；　and　to　break　all　our　bones　on　the　road；　you　cursed　idiot？　For　these　three　weeks　past　you　have　been　doing　nothing　at　all；　yet　now；　at　the　last　moment；　you　come　here　stammering　and　playing　the　fool！　Do　you　think　I　keep　you　just　to　eat　and　to　drive　yourself　about？　You　must　have　known　of　this　before？　Did　you；　or　did　you　not；　know　it？　Answer　me　at　once。〃

〃Yes；　I　did　know　it；〃　replied　Selifan；　hanging　his　head。

〃Then　why　didn't　you　tell　me　about　it？〃

Selifan　had　no　reply　immediately　ready；　so　continued　to　hang　his　head　while　quietly　saying　to　himself：　〃See　how　well　I　have　managed　things！　I　knew　what　was　the　matter；　yet　I　did　not　say。〃

〃And　now；〃　continued　Chichikov；　〃go　you　at　once　and　fetch　a　blacksmith。　Tell　him　that　everything　must　be　put　right　within　two　hours　at　the　most。　Do　you　hear？　If　that　should　not　be　done；　I；　II　will　give　you　the　best　flogging　that　ever　you　had　in　your　life。〃　Truly　Chichikov　was　almost　beside　himself　with　fury。

Turning　towards　the　door；　as　though　for　the　purpose　of　going　and　carrying　out　his　orders；　Selifan　halted　and　added：

〃That　skewbald；　barinyou　might　think　it　well　to　sell　him；　seeing　that　he　is　nothing　but　a　rascal？　A　horse　like　that　is　more　of　a　hindrance　than　a　help。〃

〃What？　Do　you　expect　me　to　go　NOW　to　the　market…place　and　sell　him？〃

〃Well；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　he　is　good　for　nothing　but　show；　since　by　nature　he　is　a　most　cunning　beast。　Never　in　my　life　have　I　seen　such　a　horse。〃

〃Fool！　Whenever　I　may　wish　to　sell　him　I　SHALL　sell　him。　Meanwhile；　don't　you　trouble　your　head　about　what　doesn't　concern　you；　but　go　and　fetch　a　blacksmith；　and　see　that　everything　is　put　right　within　two　hours。　Otherwise　I　will　take　the　very　hair　off　your　head；　and　beat　you　till　you　haven't　a　face　left。　Be　off！　Hurry！〃

Selifan　departed；　and　Chichikov；　his　ill…humour　vented；　threw　down　upon　the　floor　the　poignard　which　he　always　took　with　him　as　a　means　of　instilling　respect　into　whomsoever　it　might　concern；　and　spent　the　next　quarter　of　an　hour　in　disputing　with　a　couple　of　blacksmithsmen　who；　as　usual；　were　rascals　of　the　type　which；　on　perceiving　that　something　is　wanted　in　a　hurry；　at　once　multiplies　its　terms　for　providing　the　same。　Indeed；　for　all　Chichikov's　storming　and　raging　as　he　dubbed　the　fellows　robbers　and　extortioners　and　thieves；　he　could　make　no　impression　upon　the　pair；　since；　true　to　their　character；　they　declined　to　abate　their　prices；　and；　even　when　they　had　begun　their　work；　spent　upon　it；　not　two　hours；　but　five　and　a　half。　Meanwhile　he　had　the　satisfaction　of　experiencing　that　delightful　time　with　which　all　travellers　are　familiarnamely；　the　time　during　which　one　sits　in　a　room　where；　except　for　a　litter　of　string；　waste　paper；　and　so　forth；　everything　else　has　been　packed。　But　to　all　things　there　comes　an　end；　and　there　arrived　also　the　long…awaited　moment　when　the　britchka　had　received　the　luggage；　the　faulty　wheel　had　been　fitted　with　a　new　tyre；　the　horses　had　been　re…shod；　and　the　predatory　blacksmiths　had　departed　with　their　gains。　〃Thank　God！〃　thought　Chichikov　as　the　britchka　rolled　out　of　the　gates　of　the　inn；　and　the　vehicle　began　to　jolt　over　the　cobblestones。　Yet　a　feeling　which　he