dead souls(死魂灵)-第59部分

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〃Well；　boast　away；　but　have　you　yourself　never　been　tired　of　things？〃

〃Never　in　my　life。　I　do　not　so　much　as　know　whether　I　should　find　time　to　be　tired。　In　the　morning；　when　one　awakes；　the　cook　is　waiting；　and　the　dinner　has　to　be　ordered。　Then　one　drinks　one's　morning　tea；　and　then　the　bailiff　arrives　for　HIS　orders；　and　then　there　is　fishing　to　be　done；　and　then　one's　dinner　has　to　be　eaten。　Next；　before　one　has　even　had　a　chance　to　utter　a　snore；　there　enters　once　again　the　cook；　and　one　has　to　order　supper；　and　when　she　has　departed；　behold；　back　she　comes　with　a　request　for　the　following　day's　dinner！　What　time　does　THAT　leave　one　to　be　weary　of　things？〃

Throughout　this　conversation；　Chichikov　had　been　taking　stock　of　the　newcomer；　who　astonished　him　with　his　good　looks；　his　upright；　picturesque　figure；　his　appearance　of　fresh；　unwasted　youthfulness；　and　the　boyish　purity；　innocence；　and　clarity　of　his　features。　Neither　passion　nor　care　nor　aught　of　the　nature　of　agitation　or　anxiety　of　mind　had　ventured　to　touch　his　unsullied　face；　or　to　lay　a　single　wrinkle　thereon。　Yet　the　touch　of　life　which　those　emotions　might　have　imparted　was　wanting。　The　face　was；　as　it　were；　dreaming；　even　though　from　time　to　time　an　ironical　smile　disturbed　it。

〃I；　too；　cannot　understand；〃　remarked　Chichikov；　〃how　a　man　of　your　appearance　can　find　things　wearisome。　Of　course；　if　a　man　is　hard　pressed　for　money；　or　if　he　has　enemies　who　are　lying　in　wait　for　his　life　（as　have　certain　folk　of　whom　I　know）；　well；　then〃

〃Believe　me　when　I　say；〃　interrupted　the　handsome　guest；　〃that；　for　the　sake　of　a　diversion；　I　should　be　glad　of　ANY　sort　of　an　anxiety。　Would　that　some　enemy　would　conceive　a　grudge　against　me！　But　no　one　does　so。　Everything　remains　eternally　dull。〃

〃But　perhaps　you　lack　a　sufficiency　of　land　or　souls？〃

〃Not　at　all。　I　and　my　brother　own　ten　thousand　desiatins＇4＇　of　land；　and　over　a　thousand　souls。〃

＇4＇　The　desiatin　=　2。86　English　acres。

〃Curious！　I　do　not　understand　it。　But　perhaps　the　harvest　has　failed；　or　you　have　sickness　about；　and　many　of　your　male　peasants　have　died　of　it？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　everything　is　in　splendid　order；　for　my　brother　is　the　best　of　managers。〃

〃Then　to　find　things　wearisome！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov。　〃It　passes　my　comprehension。〃　And　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Well；　we　will　soon　put　weariness　to　flight；〃　interrupted　the　host。　〃Aleksasha；　do　you　run　helter…skelter　to　the　kitchen；　and　there　tell　the　cook　to　serve　the　fish　pasties。　Yes；　and　where　have　that　gawk　of　an　Emelian　and　that　thief　of　an　Antoshka　got　to？　Why　have　they　not　handed　round　the　zakuski？〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　the　〃gawk〃　and　the　〃thief〃　in　question　made　their　appearance　with　napkins　and　a　traythe　latter　bearing　six　decanters　of　variously…coloured　beverages。　These　they　placed　upon　the　table；　and　then　ringed　them　about　with　glasses　and　platefuls　of　every　conceivable　kind　of　appetiser。　That　done；　the　servants　applied　themselves　to　bringing　in　various　comestibles　under　covers；　through　which　could　be　heard　the　hissing　of　hot　roast　viands。　In　particular　did　the　〃gawk〃　and　the　〃thief〃　work　hard　at　their　tasks。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　their　appellations　had　been　given　them　merely　to　spur　them　to　greater　activity；　for；　in　general；　the　barin　was　no　lover　of　abuse；　but；　rather；　a　kind…hearted　man　who；　like　most　Russians；　could　not　get　on　without　a　sharp　word　or　two。　That　is　to　say；　he　needed　them　for　his　tongue　as　he　need　a　glass　of　vodka　for　his　digestion。　What　else　could　you　expect？　It　was　his　nature　to　care　for　nothing　mild。

To　the　zakuski　succeeded　the　meal　itself；　and　the　host　became　a　perfect　glutton　on　his　guests'　behalf。　Should　he　notice　that　a　guest　had　taken　but　a　single　piece　of　a　comestible；　he　added　thereto　another　one；　saying：　〃Without　a　mate；　neither　man　nor　bird　can　live　in　this　world。〃　Should　any　one　take　two　pieces；　he　added　thereto　a　third；　saying：　〃What　is　the　good　of　the　number　2？　God　loves　a　trinity。〃　Should　any　one　take　three　pieces；　he　would　say：　〃Where　do　you　see　a　waggon　with　three　wheels？　Who　builds　a　three…cornered　hut？〃　Lastly；　should　any　one　take　four　pieces；　he　would　cap　them　with　a　fifth；　and　add　thereto　the　punning　quip；　〃Na　piat　opiat＇5＇〃。　After　devouring　at　least　twelve　steaks　of　sturgeon；　Chichikov　ventured　to　think　to　himself；　〃My　host　cannot　possibly　add　to　THEM；〃　but　found　that　he　was　mistaken；　for；　without　a　word；　Pietukh　heaped　upon　his　plate　an　enormous　portion　of　spit…roasted　veal；　and　also　some　kidneys。　And　what　veal　it　was！

＇5＇　〃One　more　makes　five。〃

〃That　calf　was　fed　two　years　on　milk；〃　he　explained。　〃I　cared　for　it　like　my　own　son。〃

〃Nevertheless　I　can　eat　no　more；〃　said　Chichikov。

〃Do　you　try　the　veal　before　you　say　that　you　can　eat　no　more。〃

〃But　I　could　not　get　it　down　my　throat。　There　is　no　room　left。〃

〃If　there　be　no　room　in　a　church　for　a　newcomer；　the　beadle　is　sent　for；　and　room　is　very　soon　madeyes；　even　though　before　there　was　such　a　crush　that　an　apple　couldn't　have　been　dropped　between　the　people。　Do　you　try　the　veal；　I　say。　That　piece　is　the　titbit　of　all。〃

So　Chichikov　made　the　attempt；　and　in　very　truth　the　veal　was　beyond　all　praise；　and　room　was　found　for　it；　even　though　one　would　have　supposed　the　feat　impossible。

〃Fancy　this　good　fellow　removing　to　St。　Petersburg　or　Moscow！〃　said　the　guest　to　himself。　〃Why；　with　a　scale　of　living　like　this；　he　would　be　ruined　in　three　years。〃　For　that　matter；　Pietukh　might　well　have　been　ruined　already；　for　hospitality　can　dissipate　a　fortune　in　three　months　as　easily　as　it　can　in　three　years。

The　host　also　dispensed　the　wine　with　a　lavish　hand；　and　what　the　guests　did　not　drink　he　gave　to　his　sons；　who　thus　swallowed　glass　after　glass。　Indeed；　even　before　coming　to　table；　it　was　possible　to　discern　to　what　department　of　human　accomplishment　their　bent　was　turned。　When　the　meal　was　over；　however；　the　guests　had　no　mind　for　further　drinking。　Indeed；　it　was　all　that　they　could　do　to　drag　themselves　on　to　the　balcony；　and　there　to　relapse　into　easy　chairs。　Indeed；　the　moment　that　the　host　subsided　into　his　seatit　was　large　enough　for　fourhe　fell　asleep；　and　his　portly　presence；　converting　itself　into　a　sort　of　blacksmith's　bellows；　started　to　vent；　through　open　mouth　and　distended　nostrils；　such　sounds　as　can　have　greeted　the　reader's　ear　but　seldomsounds　as　of　a　drum　being　beaten　in　combination　with　the　whistling　of　a　flute　and　the　strident　howling　of　a　dog。

〃Listen　to　him！〃　said　Platon。

Chichikov　smiled。

〃Naturally；　on　such　dinners　as　that；〃　continued　the　other；　〃our　host　does　NOT　find　the　time　dull。　And　as　soon　as　dinner　is　ended　there　can　ensue　sleep。〃

〃Yes；　but；　pardon　me；　I　still　fail　to　understand　why　you　should　find　life　wearisome。　There　are　so　many　resources　against　ennui！〃

〃As　for　instance？〃

〃For　a　young　man；　dancing；　the　playing　of　one　or　another　musical　instrument；　andwell；　yes；　marriage。〃

〃Marriage　to　whom？〃

〃To　some　maiden　who　is　both　charming　and　rich。　Are　there　none　in　these　parts？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then；　were　I　you；　I　should　travel；　and　seek　a　maiden　elsewhere。〃　And　a　brilliant　idea　therewith　entered　Chichikov's　head。　〃This　last　resource；〃　he　added；　〃is　the　best　of　all　resources　against　ennui。〃

〃What　resource　are　you　speaking　of？〃

〃Of　travel。〃

〃But　whither？〃

〃Well；　should　it　so　please　you；　you　might　join　me　as　my　companion。〃　This　said；　the　speaker　added　to　himself　as　he　eyed　Platon：　〃Yes；　that　would　suit　me　exactly；　for　then　I　should　have　half　my　expenses　paid；　and　could　charge　him　also　with　the　cost　of　mending　the　koliaska。〃

〃And　whither　should　we　go？〃

〃In　that　respect　I　am　not　wholly　my　own　master；　as　I　have　business　to　do　for　others　as　well　as　for　myself。　For　instance；　General　Betristchevan　intimate　friend　and；　I　might　add；　a　generous　benefactor　of　minehas　charged　me　with　commissions　to　certain　of　his　relatives。　However；　though　relatives　are　relatives；　I　am　travelling　likewise　on　my　own　account；　since　I　wish　to　see　the　world　and　the　whirligig　of　humanitywhich；　in　spite　of　what　people　may　say；　is　as　good　as　a　living　book　or　a　second　education。〃　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Chichikov　was　reflecting；　〃Yes；　the　plan　is　an　excellent　one。　I　might　even　contrive　that　he　should　have　to　bear　the　whole　of　our　expenses；　and　that　his　horses　should　be　used　while　my　own　should　be　put　out　to　graze　on　his　farm。〃

〃Well；　why　should　I　not　adopt　the　suggestion？〃　was　Platon's　thought。　〃There　is　nothing　for　me　to　do　at　home；　since　the　management　of　the　estate　is　in　my　brother's　hands；　and　my　going　would　cause　him　no　inconvenience。　Yes；　why　should　I　not　do　as　Chichikov　has　suggested？〃

Then　he　added　aloud：

〃Would　you　come　and　stay　with　my　brother　for　a　couple　of　days？　Otherwise　he　might　refuse　me　his　consent。〃

〃With　great　pleasure；〃　said　Chichikov。　〃Or　even　for　three　days。〃

〃Then　here　is　my　hand　on　it。　Let　us　be　off　at　once。〃　Platon　seemed　suddenly　to　have　come　to　life　again。

〃Where　are　you　off　to？〃　put　in　their　host　unexpectedly　as　he　roused　himself　and　stared　in　astonishment　at　the　pair。　〃No；　no；　my　good　sirs。　I　have　had　the　wheels　removed　from　your　koliaska；　Monsieur　Chichikov；　and　have　sent　your　horse；　Platon　Mikhalitch；　to　a　grazing　ground　fifteen　versts　away。　Consequently　you　must　spend　the　night　here；　and　depart　to…morrow　morning　after　breakfast。〃

What　could　be　done　with　a　man　like　Pietukh？　There　was　no　help　for　it　but　to　remain。　In　return；　the　guests　were　rewarded　with　a　beautiful　spring　evening；　for；　to　spend　the　time；　the　host　organised　a　boating　expedition　on　the　river；　and　a　dozen　rowers；　with　a　dozen　pairs　of　oars；　conveyed　the　party　（to　the　accompaniment　of　song）　across　the　smooth　surface　of　the　lake　and　up　a　great　river　with　towering　banks。　From　time　to　time　the　boat　would　pass　under　ropes；　stretched　across　for　purposes　of　fishing；　and　at　each　turn　of　the　rippling　current　new　vistas　unfolded　themselves　as　tier　upon　tier　of　woodland　delighted　the　eye　with　a　diversity　of　timber　and　foliage。　In　unison　did　the　rowers　ply　their　sculls；　yet　it　was　though　of　itself　that　the　skiff　shot　forward；　bird…like；　over　the　glassy　surface　of　the　water；　while　at　intervals　the　broad…shouldered　young　oarsman　who　was　seated　third　from　the　bow　would　raise；