dead souls(死魂灵)-第69部分

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ed　one　another；　and　then　the　active；　thin…legged；　slender…tongued　Azor　relinquished　his　licking　of　Yarb's　blunt　jowl；　licked　Platon's　hands　instead；　and；　leaping　upon　Chichikov；　slobbered　right　into　his　ear。

The　two　brothers　embraced。

〃Really；　Platon；〃　said　the　gentleman　（whose　name　was　Vassili）；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　treating　me　like　this？〃

〃How　so？〃　said　Platon　indifferently。

〃What？　For　three　days　past　I　have　seen　and　heard　nothing　of　you！　A　groom　from　Pietukh's　brought　your　cob　home；　and　told　me　you　had　departed　on　an　expedition　with　some　barin。　At　least　you　might　have　sent　me　word　as　to　your　destination　and　the　probable　length　of　your　absence。　What　made　you　act　so？　God　knows　what　I　have　not　been　wondering！〃

〃Does　it　matter？〃　rejoined　Platon。　〃I　forgot　to　send　you　word；　and　we　have　been　no　further　than　Constantine's　（who；　with　our　sister；　sends　you　his　greeting）。　By　the　way；　may　I　introduce　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov？〃

The　pair　shook　hands　with　one　another。　Then；　doffing　their　caps；　they　embraced。

〃What　sort　of　man　is　this　Chichikov？〃　thought　Vassili。　〃As　a　rule　my　brother　Platon　is　not　over…nice　in　his　choice　of　acquaintances。〃　And；　eyeing　our　hero　as　narrowly　as　civility　permitted；　he　saw　that　his　appearance　was　that　of　a　perfectly　respectable　individual。

Chichikov　returned　Vassili's　scrutiny　with　a　similar　observance　of　the　dictates　of　civility；　and　perceived　that　he　was　shorter　than　Platon；　that　his　hair　was　of　a　darker　shade；　and　that　his　features；　though　less　handsome；　contained　far　more　life；　animation；　and　kindliness　than　did　his　brother's。　Clearly　he　indulged　in　less　dreaming；　though　that　was　an　aspect　which　Chichikov　little　regarded。

〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　go　touring　our　Holy　Russia　with　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　Platon。　〃Perhaps　it　will　rid　me　of　my　melancholy。〃

〃What　has　made　you　come　to　such　a　sudden　decision？〃　asked　the　perplexed　Vassili　（very　nearly　he　added：　〃Fancy　going　travelling　with　a　man　whose　acquaintance　you　have　just　made；　and　who　may　turn　out　to　be　a　rascal　or　the　devil　knows　what！〃　But；　in　spite　of　his　distrust；　he　contented　himself　with　another　covert　scrutiny　of　Chichikov；　and　this　time　came　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　no　fault　to　be　found　with　his　exterior）。

The　party　turned　to　the　right；　and　entered　the　gates　of　an　ancient　courtyard　attached　to　an　old…fashioned　house　of　a　type　no　longer　builtthe　type　which　has　huge　gables　supporting　a　high…pitched　roof。　In　the　centre　of　the　courtyard　two　great　lime　trees　covered　half　the　surrounding　space　with　shade；　while　beneath　them　were　ranged　a　number　of　wooden　benches；　and　the　whole　was　encircled　with　a　ring　of　blossoming　lilacs　and　cherry　trees　which；　like　a　beaded　necklace；　reinforced　the　wooden　fence；　and　almost　buried　it　beneath　their　clusters　of　leaves　and　flowers。　The　house；　too；　stood　almost　concealed　by　this　greenery；　except　that　the　front　door　and　the　windows　peered　pleasantly　through　the　foliage；　and　that　here　and　there　between　the　stems　of　the　trees　there　could　be　caught　glimpses　of　the　kitchen　regions；　the　storehouses；　and　the　cellar。　Lastly；　around　the　whole　stood　a　grove；　from　the　recesses　of　which　came　the　echoing　songs　of　nightingales。

Involuntarily　the　place　communicated　to　the　soul　a　sort　of　quiet；　restful　feeling；　so　eloquently　did　it　speak　of　that　care…free　period　when　every　one　lived　on　good　terms　with　his　neighbour；　and　all　was　simple　and　unsophisticated。　Vassili　invited　Chichikov　to　seat　himself；　and　the　party　approached；　for　that　purpose；　the　benches　under　the　lime　trees；　after　which　a　youth　of　about　seventeen；　and　clad　in　a　red　shirt；　brought　decanters　containing　various　kinds　of　kvass　（some　of　them　as　thick　as　syrup；　and　others　hissing　like　aerated　lemonade）；　deposited　the　same　upon　the　table；　and；　taking　up　a　spade　which　he　had　left　leaning　against　a　tree；　moved　away　towards　the　garden。　The　reason　of　this　was　that　in　the　brothers'　household；　as　in　that　of　Kostanzhoglo；　no　servants　were　kept；　since　the　whole　staff　were　rated　as　gardeners；　and　performed　that　duty　in　rotationVassili　holding　that　domestic　service　was　not　a　specialised　calling；　but　one　to　which　any　one　might　contribute　a　hand；　and　therefore　one　which　did　not　require　special　menials　to　be　kept　for　the　purpose。　Moreover；　he　held　that　the　average　Russian　peasant　remains　active　and　willing　（rather　than　lazy）　only　so　long　as　he　wears　a　shirt　and　a　peasant's　smock；　but　that　as　soon　as　ever　he　finds　himself　put　into　a　German　tailcoat；　he　becomes　awkward；　sluggish；　indolent；　disinclined　to　change　his　vest　or　take　a　bath；　fond　of　sleeping　in　his　clothes；　and　certain　to　breed　fleas　and　bugs　under　the　German　apparel。　And　it　may　be　that　Vassili　was　right。　At　all　events；　the　brothers'　peasantry　were　exceedingly　well　cladthe　women；　in　particular；　having　their　head…dresses　spangled　with　gold；　and　the　sleeves　of　their　blouses　embroidered　after　the　fashion　of　a　Turkish　shawl。

〃You　see　here　the　species　of　kvass　for　which　our　house　has　long　been　famous；〃　said　Vassili　to　Chichikov。　The　latter　poured　himself　out　a　glassful　from　the　first　decanter　which　he　lighted　upon；　and　found　the　contents　to　be　linden　honey　of　a　kind　never　tasted　by　him　even　in　Poland；　seeing　that　it　had　a　sparkle　like　that　of　champagne；　and　also　an　effervescence　which　sent　a　pleasant　spray　from　the　mouth　into　the　nose。

〃Nectar！〃　he　proclaimed。　Then　he　took　some　from　a　second　decanter。　It　proved　to　be　even　better　than　the　first。　〃A　beverage　of　beverages！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃At　your　respected　brother…in…law's　I　tasted　the　finest　syrup　which　has　ever　come　my　way；　but　here　I　have　tasted　the　very　finest　kvass。〃

〃Yet　the　recipe　for　the　syrup　also　came　from　here；〃　said　Vassili；　〃seeing　that　my　sister　took　it　with　her。　By　the　way；　to　what　part　of　the　country；　and　to　what　places；　are　you　thinking　of　travelling？〃

〃To　tell　the　truth；〃　replied　Chichikov；　rocking　himself　to　and　fro　on　the　bench；　and　smoothing　his　knee　with　his　hand；　and　gently　inclining　his　head；　〃I　am　travelling　less　on　my　own　affairs　than　on　the　affairs　of　others。　That　is　to　say；　General　Betristchev；　an　intimate　friend；　and；　I　might　add；　a　generous　benefactor　of　mine；　has　charged　me　with　commissions　to　some　of　his　relatives。　Nevertheless；　though　relatives　are　relatives；　I　may　say　that　I　am　travelling　on　my　own　account　as　well；　in　that；　in　addition　to　possible　benefit　to　my　health；　I　desire　to　see　the　world　and　the　whirligig　of　humanity；　which　constitute；　to　so　speak；　a　living　book；　a　second　course　of　education。〃

Vassili　took　thought。　〃The　man　speaks　floridly；〃　he　reflected；　〃yet　his　words　contain　a　certain　element　of　truth。〃　After　a　moment's　silence　he　added　to　Platon：　〃I　am　beginning　to　think　that　the　tour　might　help　you　to　bestir　yourself。　At　present　you　are　in　a　condition　of　mental　slumber。　You　have　fallen　asleep；　not　so　much　from　weariness　or　satiety；　as　through　a　lack　of　vivid　perceptions　and　impressions。　For　myself；　I　am　your　complete　antithesis。　I　should　be　only　too　glad　if　I　could　feel　less　acutely；　if　I　could　take　things　less　to　heart。〃

〃Emotion　has　become　a　disease　with　you；〃　said　Platon。　〃You　seek　your　own　troubles；　and　make　your　own　anxieties。〃

〃How　can　you　say　that　when　ready…made　anxieties　greet　one　at　every　step？〃　exclaimed　Vassili。　〃For　example；　have　you　heard　of　the　trick　which　Lienitsin　has　just　played　usof　his　seizing　the　piece　of　vacant　land　whither　our　peasants　resort　for　their　sports？　That　piece　I　would　not　sell　for　all　the　money　in　the　world。　It　has　long　been　our　peasants'　play…ground；　and　all　the　traditions　of　our　village　are　bound　up　with　it。　Moreover；　for　me；　old　custom　is　a　sacred　thing　for　which　I　would　gladly　sacrifice　everything　else。〃

〃Lienitsin　cannot　have　known　of　this；　or　he　would　not　have　seized　the　land；〃　said　Platon。　〃He　is　a　newcomer；　just　arrived　from　St。　Petersburg。　A　few　words　of　explanation　ought　to　meet　the　case。〃

〃But　he　DOES　know　of　what　I　have　stated；　he　DOES　know　of　it。　Purposely　I　sent　him　word　to　that　affect；　yet　he　has　returned　me　the　rudest　of　answers。〃

〃Then　go　yourself　and　explain　matters　to　him。〃

〃No；　I　will　not　do　that；　he　has　tried　to　carry　off　things　with　too　high　a　hand。　But　YOU　can　go　if　you　like。〃

〃I　would　certainly　go　were　it　not　that　I　scarcely　like　to　interfere。　Also；　I　am　a　man　whom　he　could　easily　hoodwink　and　outwit。〃

〃Would　it　help　you　if　_I_　were　to　go？〃　put　in　Chichikov。　〃Pray　enlighten　me　as　to　the　matter。〃

Vassili　glanced　at　the　speaker；　and　thought　to　himself：　〃What　a　passion　the　man　has　for　travelling！〃

〃Yes；　pray　give　me　an　idea　of　the　kind　of　fellow；〃　repeated　Chichikov；　〃and　also　outline　to　me　the　affair。〃

〃I　should　be　ashamed　to　trouble　you　with　such　an　unpleasant　commission；〃　replied　Vassili。　〃He　is　a　man　whom　I　take　to　be　an　utter　rascal。　Originally　a　member　of　a　family　of　plain　dvoriane　in　this　province；　he　entered　the　Civil　Service　in　St。　Petersburg；　then　married　some　one's　natural　daughter　in　that　city；　and　has　returned　to　lord　it　with　a　high　hand。　I　cannot　bear　the　tone　he　adopts。　Our　folk　are　by　no　means　fools。　They　do　not　look　upon　the　current　fashion　as　the　Tsar's　ukaz　any　more　than　they　look　upon　St。　Petersburg　as　the　Church。〃

〃Naturally；〃　said　Chichikov。　〃But　tell　me　more　of　the　particulars　of　the　quarrel。〃

〃They　are　these。　He　needs　additional　land　and；　had　he　not　acted　as　he　has　done；　I　would　have　given　him　some　land　elsewhere　for　nothing；　but；　as　it　is；　the　pestilent　fellow　has　taken　it　into　his　head　to〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　go　and　have　a　talk　with　him。　That　might　settle　the　affair。　Several　times　have　people　charged　me　with　similar　commissions；　and　never　have　they　repented　of　it。　General　Betristchev　is　an　example。〃

〃Nevertheless　I　am　ashamed　that　you　should　be　put　to　the　annoyance　of　having　to　converse　with　such　a　fellow。〃




〃And　above　all　things；　such　a　transaction　would　need　to　be　carried　through　in　secret；〃　said　Chichikov。　〃True；　the　law　does　not　forbid　such　things；　but　there　is　always　the　risk　of　a　scandal。〃

〃Quite　so；　quite　so；〃　said　Lienitsin　with　head　bent　down。

〃Then　we　agree！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov。　〃How　charming！　As　I　say；　my　business　is　both　legal　and　illegal。　Though　needing　to　effect　a　mortgage；　I　desire　to　put　no　one　to　the　risk　of　having　to　pay　the　two　roubles　on　each