dead souls(死魂灵)-第60部分

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would　raise；　as　from　a　nightingale's　throat；　the　opening　staves　of　a　boat　song；　and　then　be　joined　by　five　or　six　more；　until　the　melody　had　come　to　pour　forth　in　a　volume　as　free　and　boundless　as　Russia　herself。　And　Pietukh；　too；　would　give　himself　a　shake；　and　help　lustily　to　support　the　chorus；　and　even　Chichikov　felt　acutely　conscious　of　the　fact　that　he　was　a　Russian。　Only　Platon　reflected：　〃What　is　there　so　splendid　in　these　melancholy　songs？　They　do　but　increase　one's　depression　of　spirits。〃

The　journey　homeward　was　made　in　the　gathering　dusk。　Rhythmically　the　oars　smote　a　surface　which　no　longer　reflected　the　sky；　and　darkness　had　fallen　when　they　reached　the　shore；　along　which　lights　were　twinkling　where　the　fisherfolk　were　boiling　live　eels　for　soup。　Everything　had　now　wended　its　way　homeward　for　the　night；　the　cattle　and　poultry　had　been　housed；　and　the　herdsmen；　standing　at　the　gates　of　the　village　cattle…pens；　amid　the　trailing　dust　lately　raised　by　their　charges；　were　awaiting　the　milk…pails　and　a　summons　to　partake　of　the　eel…broth。　Through　the　dusk　came　the　hum　of　humankind；　and　the　barking　of　dogs　in　other　and　more　distant　villages；　while；　over　all；　the　moon　was　rising；　and　the　darkened　countryside　was　beginning　to　glimmer　to　light　again　under　her　beams。　What　a　glorious　picture！　Yet　no　one　thought　of　admiring　it。　Instead　of　galloping　over　the　countryside　on　frisky　cobs；　Nikolasha　and　Aleksasha　were　engaged　in　dreaming　of　Moscow；　with　its　confectioners'　shops　and　the　theatres　of　which　a　cadet；　newly　arrived　on　a　visit　from　the　capital；　had　just　been　telling　them；　while　their　father　had　his　mind　full　of　how　best　to　stuff　his　guests　with　yet　more　food；　and　Platon　was　given　up　to　yawning。　Only　in　Chichikov　was　a　spice　of　animation　visible。　〃Yes；〃　he　reflected；　〃some　day　I；　too；　will　become　lord　of　such　a　country　place。〃　And　before　his　mind's　eye　there　arose　also　a　helpmeet　and　some　little　Chichikovs。

By　the　time　that　supper　was　finished　the　party　had　again　over…eaten　themselves；　and　when　Chichikov　entered　the　room　allotted　him　for　the　night；　he　lay　down　upon　the　bed；　and　prodded　his　stomach。　〃It　is　as　tight　as　a　drum；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃Not　another　titbit　of　veal　could　now　get　into　it。〃　Also；　circumstances　had　so　brought　it　about　that　next　door　to　him　there　was　situated　his　host's　apartment；　and　since　the　intervening　wall　was　thin；　Chichikov　could　hear　every　word　that　was　said　there。　At　the　present　moment　the　master　of　the　house　was　engaged　in　giving　the　cook　orders　for　what；　under　the　guise　of　an　early　breakfast；　promised　to　constitute　a　veritable　dinner。　You　should　have　heard　Pietukh's　behests！　They　would　have　excited　the　appetite　of　a　corpse。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　sucking　his　lips；　and　drawing　a　deep　breath；　〃in　the　first　place；　make　a　pasty　in　four　divisions。　Into　one　of　the　divisions　put　the　sturgeon's　cheeks　and　some　viaziga＇6＇；　and　into　another　division　some　buckwheat　porridge；　young　mushrooms　and　onions；　sweet　milk；　calves'　brains；　and　anything　else　that　you　may　find　suitableanything　else　that　you　may　have　got　handy。　Also；　bake　the　pastry　to　a　nice　brown　on　one　side；　and　but　lightly　on　the　other。　Yes；　and；　as　to　the　under　side；　bake　it　so　that　it　will　be　all　juicy　and　flaky；　so　that　it　shall　not　crumble　into　bits；　but　melt　in　the　mouth　like　the　softest　snow　that　ever　you　heard　of。〃　And　as　he　said　this　Pietukh　fairly　smacked　his　lips。

＇6＇　Dried　spinal　marrow　of　the　sturgeon。

〃The　devil　take　him！〃　muttered　Chichikov；　thrusting　his　head　beneath　the　bedclothes　to　avoid　hearing　more。　〃The　fellow　won't　give　one　a　chance　to　sleep。〃

Nevertheless　he　heard　through　the　blankets：

〃And　garnish　the　sturgeon　with　beetroot；　smelts；　peppered　mushrooms；　young　radishes；　carrots；　beans；　and　anything　else　you　like；　so　as　to　have　plenty　of　trimmings。　Yes；　and　put　a　lump　of　ice　into　the　pig's　bladder；　so　as　to　swell　it　up。〃

Many　other　dishes　did　Pietukh　order；　and　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　his　talk　of　boiling；　roasting；　and　stewing。　Finally；　just　as　mention　was　being　made　of　a　turkey　cock；　Chichikov　fell　asleep。

Next　morning　the　guest's　state　of　repletion　had　reached　the　point　of　Platon　being　unable　to　mount　his　horse；　wherefore　the　latter　was　dispatched　homeward　with　one　of　Pietukh's　grooms；　and　the　two　guests　entered　Chichikov's　koliaska。　Even　the　dog　trotted　lazily　in　the　rear；　for　he；　too；　had　over…eaten　himself。

〃It　has　been　rather　too　much　of　a　good　thing；〃　remarked　Chichikov　as　the　vehicle　issued　from　the　courtyard。

〃Yes；　and　it　vexes　me　to　see　the　fellow　never　tire　of　it；〃　replied　Platon。

〃Ah；〃　thought　Chichikov　to　himself；　〃if　_I_　had　an　income　of　seventy　thousand　roubles；　as　you　have；　I'd　very　soon　give　tiredness　one　in　the　eye！　Take　Murazov；　the　tax…farmerhe；　again；　must　be　worth　ten　millions。　What　a　fortune！〃

〃Do　you　mind　where　we　drive？〃　asked　Platon。　〃I　should　like　first　to　go　and　take　leave　of　my　sister　and　my　brother…in…law。〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　said　Chichikov。

〃My　brother…in…law　is　the　leading　landowner　hereabouts。　At　the　present　moment　he　is　drawing　an　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　roubles　from　a　property　which；　eight　years　ago；　was　producing　a　bare　twenty　thousand。〃

〃Truly　a　man　worthy　of　the　utmost　respect！　I　shall　be　most　interested　to　make　his　acquaintance。　To　think　of　it！　And　what　may　his　family　name　be？〃

〃Kostanzhoglo。〃

〃And　his　Christian　name　and　patronymic？〃

〃Constantine　Thedorovitch。〃

〃Constantine　Thedorovitch　Kostanzhoglo。　Yes；　it　will　be　a　most　interesting　event　to　make　his　acquaintance。　To　know　such　a　man　must　be　a　whole　education。〃

Here　Platon　set　himself　to　give　Selifan　some　directions　as　to　the　way；　a　necessary　proceeding　in　view　of　the　fact　that　Selifan　could　hardly　maintain　his　seat　on　the　box。　Twice　Petrushka；　too；　had　fallen　headlong；　and　this　necessitated　being　tied　to　his　perch　with　a　piece　of　rope。　〃What　a　clown！〃　had　been　Chichikov's　only　comment。

〃This　is　where　my　brother…in…law's　land　begins；〃　said　Platon。

〃They　give　one　a　change　of　view。〃

And；　indeed；　from　this　point　the　countryside　became　planted　with　timber；　the　rows　of　trees　running　as　straight　as　pistol…shots；　and　having　beyond　them；　and　on　higher　ground；　a　second　expanse　of　forest；　newly　planted　like　the　first；　while　beyond　it；　again；　loomed　a　third　plantation　of　older　trees。　Next　there　succeeded　a　flat　piece　of　the　same　nature。

〃All　this　timber；〃　said　Platon；　〃has　grown　up　within　eight　or　ten　years　at　the　most；　whereas　on　another　man's　land　it　would　have　taken　twenty　to　attain　the　same　growth。〃

〃And　how　has　your　brother…in…law　effected　this？〃

〃You　must　ask　him　yourself。　He　is　so　excellent　a　husbandman　that　nothing　ever　fails　with　him。　You　see；　he　knows　the　soil；　and　also　knows　what　ought　to　be　planted　beside　what；　and　what　kinds　of　timber　are　the　best　neighbourhood　for　grain。　Again；　everything　on　his　estate　is　made　to　perform　at　least　three　or　four　different　functions。　For　instance；　he　makes　his　timber　not　only　serve　as　timber；　but　also　serve　as　a　provider　of　moisture　and　shade　to　a　given　stretch　of　land；　and　then　as　a　fertiliser　with　its　fallen　leaves。　Consequently；　when　everywhere　else　there　is　drought；　he　still　has　water；　and　when　everywhere　else　there　has　been　a　failure　of　the　harvest；　on　his　lands　it　will　have　proved　a　success。　But　it　is　a　pity　that　I　know　so　little　about　it　all　as　to　be　unable　to　explain　to　you　his　many　expedients。　Folk　call　him　a　wizard；　for　he　produces　so　much。　Nevertheless；　personally　I　find　what　he　does　uninteresting。〃

〃Truly　an　astonishing　fellow！〃　reflected　Chichikov　with　a　glance　at　his　companion。　〃It　is　sad　indeed　to　see　a　man　so　superficial　as　to　be　unable　to　explain　matters　of　this　kind。〃

At　length　the　manor　appeared　in　sightan　establishment　looking　almost　like　a　town；　so　numerous　were　the　huts　where　they　stood　arranged　in　three　tiers；　crowned　with　three　churches；　and　surrounded　with　huge　ricks　and　barns。　〃Yes；〃　thought　Chichikov　to　himself；　〃one　can　see　what　a　jewel　of　a　landowner　lives　here。〃　The　huts　in　question　were　stoutly　built　and　the　intervening　alleys　well　laid…out；　while；　wherever　a　waggon　was　visible；　it　looked　serviceable　and　more　or　less　new。　Also；　the　local　peasants　bore　an　intelligent　look　on　their　faces；　the　cattle　were　of　the　best　possible　breed；　and　even　the　peasants'　pigs　belonged　to　the　porcine　aristocracy。　Clearly　there　dwelt　here　peasants　who；　to　quote　the　song；　were　accustomed　to　〃pick　up　silver　by　the　shovelful。〃　Nor　were　Englishified　gardens　and　parterres　and　other　conceits　in　evidence；　but；　on　the　contrary；　there　ran　an　open　view　from　the　manor　house　to　the　farm　buildings　and　the　workmen's　cots；　so　that；　after　the　old　Russian　fashion；　the　barin　should　be　able　to　keep　an　eye　upon　all　that　was　going　on　around　him。　For　the　same　purpose；　the　mansion　was　topped　with　a　tall　lantern　and　a　superstructurea　device　designed；　not　for　ornament；　nor　for　a　vantage…spot　for　the　contemplation　of　the　view；　but　for　supervision　of　the　labourers　engaged　in　distant　fields。　Lastly；　the　brisk；　active　servants　who　received　the　visitors　on　the　verandah　were　very　different　menials　from　the　drunken　Petrushka；　even　though　they　did　not　wear　swallow…tailed　coats；　but　only　Cossack　tchekmenu＇7＇　of　blue　homespun　cloth。

＇7＇　Long；　belted　Tartar　blouses。

The　lady　of　the　house　also　issued　on　to　the　verandah。　With　her　face　of　the　freshness　of　〃blood　and　milk〃　and　the　brightness　of　God's　daylight；　she　as　nearly　resembled　Platon　as　one　pea　resembles　another；　save　that；　whereas　he　was　languid；　she　was　cheerful　and　full　of　talk。

〃Good　day；　brother！〃　she　cried。　〃How　glad　I　am　to　see　you！　Constantine　is　not　at　home；　but　will　be　back　presently。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃Doing　business　in　the　village　with　a　party　of　factors；〃　replied　the　lady　as　she　conducted　her　guests　to　the　drawing…room。

With　no　little　curiosity　did　Chichikov　gaze　at　the　interior　of　the　mansion　inhabited　by　the　man　who　received　an　annual　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　roubles；　for　he　thought　to　discern　therefrom　the　nature　of　its　proprietor；　even　as　from　a　shell　one　may　deduce　the　species　of　oyster　or　snail　which　has　been　its　tenant；　and　has　left　therein　its　impression。　But　no　such　conclusions　were　to　be　drawn。　The　rooms　were　simple；　and　even　bare。　Not　a　fresco　nor　a　pictu