dead souls(死魂灵)-第49部分

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this　expression　of　paternal　feeling　uttered；　Kifa　Mokievitch　left　Moki　Kifovitch　to　his　heroic　exploits；　and　himself　returned　to　his　beloved　subject　of　speculation；　which　now　included　also　the　problem；　〃Suppose　elephants　were　to　take　to　being　hatched　from　eggs；　would　not　the　shell　of　such　eggs　be　of　a　thickness　proof　against　cannonballs；　and　necessitate　the　invention　of　some　new　type　of　firearm？〃　Thus　at　the　end　of　this　little　story　we　have　these　two　denizens　of　a　peaceful　corner　of　Russia　looking　thence；　as　from　a　window；　in　less　terror　of　doing　what　was　scandalous　than　of　having　it　SAID　of　them　that　they　were　acting　scandalously。　Yes；　the　feeling　animating　our　so…called　〃patriots〃　is　not　true　patriotism　at　all。　Something　else　lies　beneath　it。　Who；　if　not　an　author；　is　to　speak　aloud　the　truth？　Men　like　you；　my　pseudo…patriots；　stand　in　dread　of　the　eye　which　is　able　to　discern；　yet　shrink　from　using　your　own；　and　prefer；　rather；　to　glance　at　everything　unheedingly。　Yes；　after　laughing　heartily　over　Chichikov's　misadventures；　and　perhaps　even　commending　the　author　for　his　dexterity　of　observation　and　pretty　turn　of　wit；　you　will　look　at　yourselves　with　redoubled　pride　and　a　self…satisfied　smile；　and　add：　〃Well；　we　agree　that　in　certain　parts　of　the　provinces　there　exists　strange　and　ridiculous　individuals；　as　well　as　unconscionable　rascals。〃

Yet　which　of　you；　when　quiet；　and　alone；　and　engaged　in　solitary　self…communion；　would　not　do　well　to　probe　YOUR　OWN　souls；　and　to　put　to　YOURSELVES　the　solemn　question；　〃Is　there　not　in　ME　an　element　of　Chichikov？〃　For　how　should　there　not　be？　Which　of　you　is　not　liable　at　any　moment　to　be　passed　in　the　street　by　an　acquaintance　who；　nudging　his　neighbour；　may　say　of　you；　with　a　barely　suppressed　sneer：　〃Look！　there　goes　Chichikov！　That　is　Chichikov　who　has　just　gone　by！〃

But　here　are　we　talking　at　the　top　of　our　voices　whilst　all　the　time　our　hero　lies　slumbering　in　his　britchka！　Indeed；　his　name　has　been　repeated　so　often　during　the　recital　of　his　life's　history　that　he　must　almost　have　heard　us！　And　at　any　time　he　is　an　irritable；　irascible　fellow　when　spoken　of　with　disrespect。　True；　to　the　reader　Chichikov's　displeasure　cannot　matter　a　jot；　but　for　the　author　it　would　mean　ruin　to　quarrel　with　his　hero；　seeing　that；　arm　in　arm；　Chichikov　and　he　have　yet　far　to　go。

〃Tut；　tut；　tut！〃　came　in　a　shout　from　Chichikov。　〃Hi；　Selifan！〃

〃What　is　it？〃　came　the　reply；　uttered　with　a　drawl。

〃What　is　it？　Why；　how　dare　you　drive　like　that？　Come！　Bestir　yourself　a　little！〃

And　indeed；　Selifan　had　long　been　sitting　with　half…closed　eyes；　and　hands　which　bestowed　no　encouragement　upon　his　somnolent　steeds　save　an　occasional　flicking　of　the　reins　against　their　flanks；　whilst　Petrushka　had　lost　his　cap；　and　was　leaning　backwards　until　his　head　had　come　to　rest　against　Chichikov's　kneesa　position　which　necessitated　his　being　awakened　with　a　cuff。　Selifan　also　roused　himself；　and　apportioned　to　the　skewbald　a　few　cuts　across　the　back　of　a　kind　which　at　least　had　the　effect　of　inciting　that　animal　to　trot；　and　when；　presently；　the　other　two　horses　followed　their　companion's　example；　the　light　britchka　moved　forwards　like　a　piece　of　thistledown。　Selifan　flourished　his　whip　and　shouted；　〃Hi；　hi！〃　as　the　inequalities　of　the　road　jerked　him　vertically　on　his　seat；　and　meanwhile；　reclining　against　the　leather　cushions　of　the　vehicle's　interior；　Chichikov　smiled　with　gratification　at　the　sensation　of　driving　fast。　For　what　Russian　does　not　love　to　drive　fast？　Which　of　us　does　not　at　times　yearn　to　give　his　horses　their　head；　and　to　let　them　go；　and　to　cry；　〃To　the　devil　with　the　world！〃？　At　such　moments　a　great　force　seems　to　uplift　one　as　on　wings；　and　one　flies；　and　everything　else　flies；　but　contrariwiseboth　the　verst　stones；　and　traders　riding　on　the　shafts　of　their　waggons；　and　the　forest　with　dark　lines　of　spruce　and　fir　amid　which　may　be　heard　the　axe　of　the　woodcutter　and　the　croaking　of　the　raven。　Yes；　out　of　a　dim；　remote　distance　the　road　comes　towards　one；　and　while　nothing　save　the　sky　and　the　light　clouds　through　which　the　moon　is　cleaving　her　way　seem　halted；　the　brief　glimpses　wherein　one　can　discern　nothing　clearly　have　in　them　a　pervading　touch　of　mystery。　Ah；　troika；　troika；　swift　as　a　bird；　who　was　it　first　invented　you？　Only　among　a　hardy　race　of　folk　can　you　have　come　to　birthonly　in　a　land　which；　though　poor　and　rough；　lies　spread　over　half　the　world；　and　spans　versts　the　counting　whereof　would　leave　one　with　aching　eyes。　Nor　are　you　a　modishly…fashioned　vehicle　of　the　roada　thing　of　clamps　and　iron。　Rather；　you　are　a　vehicle　but　shapen　and　fitted　with　the　axe　or　chisel　of　some　handy　peasant　of　Yaroslav。　Nor　are　you　driven　by　a　coachman　clothed　in　German　livery；　but　by　a　man　bearded　and　mittened。　See　him　as　he　mounts；　and　flourishes　his　whip；　and　breaks　into　a　long…drawn　song！　Away　like　the　wind　go　the　horses；　and　the　wheels；　with　their　spokes；　become　transparent　circles；　and　the　road　seems　to　quiver　beneath　them；　and　a　pedestrian；　with　a　cry　of　astonishment；　halts　to　watch　the　vehicle　as　it　flies；　flies；　flies　on　its　way　until　it　becomes　lost　on　the　ultimate　horizona　speck　amid　a　cloud　of　dust！

And　you；　Russia　of　mineare　not　you　also　speeding　like　a　troika　which　nought　can　overtake？　Is　not　the　road　smoking　beneath　your　wheels；　and　the　bridges　thundering　as　you　cross　them；　and　everything　being　left　in　the　rear；　and　the　spectators；　struck　with　the　portent；　halting　to　wonder　whether　you　be　not　a　thunderbolt　launched　from　heaven？　What　does　that　awe…inspiring　progress　of　yours　foretell？　What　is　the　unknown　force　which　lies　within　your　mysterious　steeds？　Surely　the　winds　themselves　must　abide　in　their　manes；　and　every　vein　in　their　bodies　be　an　ear　stretched　to　catch　the　celestial　message　which　bids　them；　with　iron…girded　breasts；　and　hooves　which　barely　touch　the　earth　as　they　gallop；　fly　forward　on　a　mission　of　God？　Whither；　then；　are　you　speeding；　O　Russia　of　mine？　Whither？　Answer　me！　But　no　answer　comesonly　the　weird　sound　of　your　collar…bells。　Rent　into　a　thousand　shreds；　the　air　roars　past　you；　for　you　are　overtaking　the　whole　world；　and　shall　one　day　force　all　nations；　all　empires　to　stand　aside；　to　give　you　way！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1841。






PART　II



CHAPTER　I

Why　do　I　so　persistently　paint　the　poverty；　the　imperfections　of　Russian　life；　and　delve　into　the　remotest　depths；　the　most　retired　holes　and　corners；　of　our　Empire　for　my　subjects？　The　answer　is　that　there　is　nothing　else　to　be　done　when　an　author's　idiosyncrasy　happens　to　incline　him　that　way。　So　again　we　find　ourselves　in　a　retired　spot。　But　what　a　spot！

Imagine；　if　you　can；　a　mountain　range　like　a　gigantic　fortress；　with　embrasures　and　bastions　which　appear　to　soar　a　thousand　versts　towards　the　heights　of　heaven；　and；　towering　grandly　over　a　boundless　expanse　of　plain；　are　broken　up　into　precipitous；　overhanging　limestone　cliffs。　Here　and　there　those　cliffs　are　seamed　with　water…courses　and　gullies；　while　at　other　points　they　are　rounded　off　into　spurs　of　greenspurs　now　coated　with　fleece…like　tufts　of　young　undergrowth；　now　studded　with　the　stumps　of　felled　trees；　now　covered　with　timber　which　has；　by　some　miracle；　escaped　the　woodman's　axe。　Also；　a　river　winds　awhile　between　its　banks；　then　leaves　the　meadow　land；　divides　into　runlets　（all　flashing　in　the　sun　like　fire）；　plunges；　re…united；　into　the　midst　of　a　thicket　of　elder；　birth；　and　pine；　and；　lastly；　speeds　triumphantly　past　bridges　and　mills　and　weirs　which　seem　to　be　lying　in　wait　for　it　at　every　turn。

At　one　particular　spot　the　steep　flank　of　the　mountain　range　is　covered　with　billowy　verdure　of　denser　growth　than　the　rest；　and　here　the　aid　of　skilful　planting；　added　to　the　shelter　afforded　by　a　rugged　ravine；　has　enabled　the　flora　of　north　and　south　so　to　be　brought　together　that；　twined　about　with　sinuous　hop…tendrils；　the　oak；　the　spruce　fir；　the　wild　pear；　the　maple；　the　cherry；　the　thorn；　and　the　mountain　ash　either　assist　or　check　one　another's　growth；　and　everywhere　cover　the　declivity　with　their　straggling　profusion。　Also；　at　the　edge　of　the　summit　there　can　be　seen　mingling　with　the　green　of　the　trees　the　red　roofs　of　a　manorial　homestead；　while　behind　the　upper　stories　of　the　mansion　proper　and　its　carved　balcony　and　a　great　semi…circular　window　there　gleam　the　tiles　and　gables　of　some　peasants'　huts。　Lastly；　over　this　combination　of　trees　and　roofs　there　risesovertopping　everything　with　its　gilded；　sparkling　steeplean　old　village　church。　On　each　of　its　pinnacles　a　cross　of　carved　gilt　is　stayed　with　supports　of　similar　gilding　and　design；　with　the　result　that　from　a　distance　the　gilded　portions　have　the　effect　of　hanging　without　visible　agency　in　the　air。　And　the　wholethe　three　successive　tiers　of　woodland；　roofs；　and　crosses　wholelies　exquisitely　mirrored　in　the　river　below；　where　hollow　willows；　grotesquely　shaped　（some　of　them　rooted　on　the　river's　banks；　and　some　in　the　water　itself；　and　all　drooping　their　branches　until　their　leaves　have　formed　a　tangle　with　the　water　lilies　which　float　on　the　surface）；　seem　to　be　gazing　at　the　marvellous　reflection　at　their　feet。

Thus　the　view　from　below　is　beautiful　indeed。　But　the　view　from　above　is　even　better。　No　guest；　no　visitor；　could　stand　on　the　balcony　of　the　mansion　and　remain　indifferent。　So　boundless　is　the　panorama　revealed　that　surprise　would　cause　him　to　catch　at　his　breath；　and　exclaim：　〃Lord　of　Heaven；　but　what　a　prospect！〃　Beyond　meadows　studded　with　spinneys　and　water…mills　lie　forests　belted　with　green；　while　beyond；　again；　there　can　be　seen　showing　through　the　slightly　misty　air　strips　of　yellow　heath；　and；　again；　wide…rolling　forests　（as　blue　as　the　sea　or　a　cloud）；　and　more　heath；　paler　than　the　first；　but　still　yellow。　Finally；　on　the　far　horizon　a　range　of　chalk…topped　hills　gleams　white；　even　in　dull　weather；　as　though　it　were　lightened　with　perpetual　sunshine；　and　here　and　there　on　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　its　lower　slopes　some　plaster…like；　nebulous　patches　represent　far…off　villages　which　lie　too　remote　for　the　eye　to　discern　their　details。　Indeed；　only　when　the　sunlight　touches　a　steeple　to　gold　does　one