dead souls(死魂灵)-第68部分

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xposed　their　faults　and　failings！　How　thoroughly　he　knew　the　story　of　certain　ruined　gentrythe　story　of　how；　why；　and　through　what　cause　they　had　fallen　upon　evil　days！　With　what　comic　originality　could　he　describe　their　little　habits　and　customs！

In　short；　his　guests　found　themselves　charmed　with　his　discourse；　and　felt　inclined　to　vote　him　a　man　of　first…rate　intellect。

〃What　most　surprises　me；〃　said　Chichikov；　〃is　how；　in　view　of　your　ability；　you　come　to　be　so　destitute　of　means　or　resources。〃

〃But　I　have　plenty　of　both；〃　said　Khlobuev；　and　with　that　went　on　to　deliver　himself　of　a　perfect　avalanche　of　projects。　Yet　those　projects　proved　to　be　so　uncouth；　so　clumsy；　so　little　the　outcome　of　a　knowledge　of　men　and　things；　that　his　hearers　could　only　shrug　their　shoulders　and　mentally　exclaim：　〃Good　Lord！　What　a　difference　between　worldly　wisdom　and　the　capacity　to　use　it！〃　In　every　case　the　projects　in　question　were　based　upon　the　imperative　necessity　of　at　once　procuring　from　somewhere　two　hundredor　at　least　one　hundredthousand　roubles。　That　done　（so　Khlobuev　averred）；　everything　would　fall　into　its　proper　place；　the　holes　in　his　pockets　would　become　stopped；　his　income　would　be　quadrupled；　and　he　would　find　himself　in　a　position　to　liquidate　his　debts　in　full。　Nevertheless　he　ended　by　saying：　〃What　would　you　advise　me　to　do？　I　fear　that　the　philanthropist　who　would　lend　me　two　hundred　thousand　roubles　or　even　a　hundred　thousand；　does　not　exist。　It　is　not　God's　will　that　he　should。〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　inwardly　ejaculated　Chichikov。　〃To　suppose　that　God　would　send　such　a　fool　two　hundred　thousand　roubles！〃

〃However；〃　went　on　Khlobuev；　〃I　possess　an　aunt　worth　three　millionsa　pious　old　woman　who　gives　freely　to　churches　and　monasteries；　but　finds　a　difficulty　in　helping　her　neighbour。　At　the　same　time；　she　is　a　lady　of　the　old　school；　and　worth　having　a　peep　at。　Her　canaries　alone　number　four　hundred；　and；　in　addition；　there　is　an　army　of　pug…dogs；　hangers…on；　and　servants。　Even　the　youngest　of　the　servants　is　sixty；　but　she　calls　them　all　'young　fellows；'　and　if　a　guest　happens　to　offend　her　during　dinner；　she　orders　them　to　leave　him　out　when　handing　out　the　dishes。　THERE'S　a　woman　for　you！〃

Platon　laughed。

〃And　what　may　her　family　name　be？〃　asked　Chichikov。　〃And　where　does　she　live？〃

〃She　lives　in　the　county　town；　and　her　name　is　Alexandra　Ivanovna　Khanasarov。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　not　apply　to　her？〃　asked　Platon　earnestly。　〃It　seems　to　me　that；　once　she　realised　the　position　of　your　family；　she　could　not　possibly　refuse　you。〃

〃Alas！　nothing　is　to　be　looked　for　from　that　quarter；〃　replied　Khlobuev。　〃My　aunt　is　of　a　very　stubborn　dispositiona　perfect　stone　of　a　woman。　Moreover；　she　has　around　her　a　sufficient　band　of　favourites　already。　In　particular　is　there　a　fellow　who　is　aiming　for　a　Governorship；　and　to　that　end　has　managed　to　insinuate　himself　into　the　circle　of　her　kinsfolk。　By　the　way；〃　the　speaker　added；　turning　to　Platon；　〃would　you　do　me　a　favour？　Next　week　I　am　giving　a　dinner　to　the　associated　guilds　of　the　town。〃

Platon　stared。　He　had　been　unaware　that　both　in　our　capitals　and　in　our　provincial　towns　there　exists　a　class　of　men　whose　lives　are　an　enigmamen　who；　though　they　will　seem　to　have　exhausted　their　substance；　and　to　have　become　enmeshed　in　debt；　will　suddenly　be　reported　as　in　funds；　and　on　the　point　of　giving　a　dinner！　And　though；　at　this　dinner；　the　guests　will　declare　that　the　festival　is　bound　to　be　their　host's　last　fling；　and　that　for　a　certainty　he　will　be　haled　to　prison　on　the　morrow；　ten　years　or　more　will　elapse；　and　the　rascal　will　still　be　at　liberty；　even　though；　in　the　meanwhile；　his　debts　will　have　increased！

In　the　same　way　did　the　conduct　of　Khlobuev's　menage　afford　a　curious　phenomenon；　for　one　day　the　house　would　be　the　scene　of　a　solemn　Te　Deum；　performed　by　a　priest　in　vestments；　and　the　next　of　a　stage　play　performed　by　a　troupe　of　French　actors　in　theatrical　costume。　Again；　one　day　would　see　not　a　morsel　of　bread　in　the　house；　and　the　next　day　a　banquet　and　generous　largesse　given　to　a　party　of　artists　and　sculptors。　During　these　seasons　of　scarcity　（sufficiently　severe　to　have　led　any　one　but　Khlobuev　to　seek　suicide　by　hanging　or　shooting）；　the　master　of　the　house　would　be　preserved　from　rash　action　by　his　strongly　religious　disposition；　which；　contriving　in　some　curious　way　to　conform　with　his　irregular　mode　of　life；　enabled　him　to　fall　back　upon　reading　the　lives　of　saints；　ascetics；　and　others　of　the　type　which　has　risen　superior　to　its　misfortunes。　And　at　such　times　his　spirit　would　become　softened；　his　thoughts　full　of　gentleness；　and　his　eyes　wet　with　tears；　he　would　fall　to　saying　his　prayers；　and　invariably　some　strange　coincidence　would　bring　an　answer　thereto　in　the　shape　of　an　unexpected　measure　of　assistance。　That　is　to　say；　some　former　friend　of　his　would　remember　him；　and　send　him　a　trifle　in　the　way　of　money；　or　else　some　female　visitor　would　be　moved　by　his　story　to　let　her　impulsive；　generous　heart　proffer　him　a　handsome　gift；　or　else　a　suit　whereof　tidings　had　never　even　reached　his　ears　would　end　by　being　decided　in　his　favour。　And　when　that　happened　he　would　reverently　acknowledge　the　immensity　of　the　mercy　of　Providence；　gratefully　tender　thanksgiving　for　the　same；　and　betake　himself　again　to　his　irregular　mode　of　existence。

〃Somehow　I　feel　sorry　for　the　man；〃　said　Platon　when　he　and　Chichikov　had　taken　leave　of　their　host；　and　left　the　house。

〃Perhaps　so；　but　he　is　a　hopeless　prodigal；〃　replied　the　other。　〃Personally　I　find　it　impossible　to　compassionate　such　fellows。〃

And　with　that　the　pair　ceased　to　devote　another　thought　to　Khlobuev。　In　the　case　of　Platon；　this　was　because　he　contemplated　the　fortunes　of　his　fellows　with　the　lethargic；　half…somnolent　eye　which　he　turned　upon　all　the　rest　of　the　world；　for　though　the　sight　of　distress　of　others　would　cause　his　heart　to　contract　and　feel　full　of　sympathy；　the　impression　thus　produced　never　sank　into　the　depths　of　his　being。　Accordingly；　before　many　minutes　were　over　he　had　ceased　to　bestow　a　single　thought　upon　his　late　host。　With　Chichikov；　however；　things　were　different。　Whereas　Platon　had　ceased　to　think　of　Khlobuev　no　more　than　he　had　ceased　to　think　of　himself；　Chichikov's　mind　had　strayed　elsewhere；　for　the　reason　that　it　had　become　taken　up　with　grave　meditation　on　the　subject　of　the　purchase　just　made。　Suddenly　finding　himself　no　longer　a　fictitious　proprietor；　but　the　owner　of　a　real；　an　actually　existing；　estate；　he　became　contemplative；　and　his　plans　and　ideas　assumed　such　a　serious　vein　as　imparted　to　his　features　an　unconsciously　important　air。

〃Patience　and　hard　work！〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃The　thing　will　not　be　difficult；　for　with　those　two　requisites　I　have　been　familiar　from　the　days　of　my　swaddling　clothes。　Yes；　no　novelty　will　they　be　to　me。　Yet；　in　middle　age；　shall　I　be　able　to　compass　the　patience　whereof　I　was　capable　in　my　youth？〃

However；　no　matter　how　he　regarded　the　future；　and　no　matter　from　what　point　of　view　he　considered　his　recent　acquisition；　he　could　see　nothing　but　advantage　likely　to　accrue　from　the　bargain。　For　one　thing；　he　might　be　able　to　proceed　so　that；　first　the　whole　of　the　estate　should　be　mortgaged；　and　then　the　better　portions　of　land　sold　outright。　Or　he　might　so　contrive　matters　as　to　manage　the　property　for　a　while　（and　thus　become　a　landowner　like　Kostanzhoglo；　whose　advice；　as　his　neighbour　and　his　benefactor；　he　intended　always　to　follow）；　and　then　to　dispose　of　the　property　by　private　treaty　（provided　he　did　not　wish　to　continue　his　ownership）；　and　still　to　retain　in　his　hands　the　dead　and　abandoned　souls。　And　another　possible　coup　occurred　to　his　mind。　That　is　to　say；　he　might　contrive　to　withdraw　from　the　district　without　having　repaid　Kostanzhoglo　at　all！　Truly　a　splendid　idea！　Yet　it　is　only　fair　to　say　that　the　idea　was　not　one　of　Chichikov's　own　conception。　Rather；　it　had　presented　itselfmocking；　laughing；　and　winkingunbidden。　Yet　the　impudent；　the　wanton　thing！　Who　is　the　procreator　of　suddenly　born　ideas　of　the　kind？　The　thought　that　he　was　now　a　real；　an　actual；　proprietor　instead　of　a　fictitiousthat　he　was　now　a　proprietor　of　real　land；　real　rights　of　timber　and　pasture；　and　real　serfs　who　existed　not　only　in　the　imagination；　but　also　in　veritable　actualitygreatly　elated　our　hero。　So　he　took　to　dancing　up　and　down　in　his　seat；　to　rubbing　his　hands　together；　to　winking　at　himself；　to　holding　his　fist；　trumpet…wise；　to　his　mouth　（while　making　believe　to　execute　a　march）；　and　even　to　uttering　aloud　such　encouraging　nicknames　and　phrases　as　〃bulldog〃　and　〃little　fat　capon。〃　Then　suddenly　recollecting　that　he　was　not　alone；　he　hastened　to　moderate　his　behaviour　and　endeavoured　to　stifle　the　endless　flow　of　his　good　spirits；　with　the　result　that　when　Platon；　mistaking　certain　sounds　for　utterances　addressed　to　himself；　inquired　what　his　companion　had　said；　the　latter　retained　the　presence　of　mind　to　reply　〃Nothing。〃

Presently；　as　Chichikov　gazed　about　him；　he　saw　that　for　some　time　past　the　koliaska　had　been　skirting　a　beautiful　wood；　and　that　on　either　side　the　road　was　bordered　with　an　edging　of　birch　trees；　the　tenderly…green；　recently…opened　leaves　of　which　caused　their　tall；　slender　trunks　to　show　up　with　the　whiteness　of　a　snowdrift。　Likewise　nightingales　were　warbling　from　the　recesses　of　the　foliage；　and　some　wood　tulips　were　glowing　yellow　in　the　grass。　Next　（and　almost　before　Chichikov　had　realised　how　he　came　to　be　in　such　a　beautiful　spot　when；　but　a　moment　before；　there　had　been　visible　only　open　fields）　there　glimmered　among　the　trees　the　stony　whiteness　of　a　church；　with；　on　the　further　side　of　it；　the　intermittent；　foliage…buried　line　of　a　fence；　while　from　the　upper　end　of　a　village　street　there　was　advancing　to　meet　the　vehicle　a　gentleman　with　a　cap　on　his　head；　a　knotted　cudgel　in　his　hands；　and　a　slender…limbed　English　dog　by　his　side。

〃This　is　my　brother；〃　said　Platon。　〃Stop；　coachman。〃　And　he　descended　from　the　koliaska；　while　Chichikov　followed　his　example。　Yarb　and　the　strange　dog　saluted　one　another；　and　then　the　active；　thin…legged；　slender…tongued　Azor　relinquished　his　licking　of　Y