dead souls(死魂灵)-第7部分

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〃What　charming　children！〃　said　Chichikov　as　he　gazed　at　the　pair。　〃And　how　old　are　they？〃

〃The　eldest　is　eight；〃　replied　Manilov；　〃and　the　younger　one　attained　the　age　of　six　yesterday。〃

〃Themistocleus；〃　went　on　the　father；　turning　to　his　first…born；　who　was　engaged　in　striving　to　free　his　chin　from　the　bib　with　which　the　footman　had　encircled　it。　On　hearing　this　distinctly　Greek　name　（to　which；　for　some　unknown　reason；　Manilov　always　appended　the　termination　〃eus〃）；　Chichikov　raised　his　eyebrows　a　little；　but　hastened；　the　next　moment；　to　restore　his　face　to　a　more　befitting　expression。

〃Themistocleus；〃　repeated　the　father；　〃tell　me　which　is　the　finest　city　in　France。〃

Upon　this　the　tutor　concentrated　his　attention　upon　Themistocleus；　and　appeared　to　be　trying　hard　to　catch　his　eye。　Only　when　Themistocleus　had　muttered　〃Paris〃　did　the　preceptor　grow　calmer；　and　nod　his　head。

〃And　which　is　the　finest　city　in　Russia？〃　continued　Manilov。

Again　the　tutor's　attitude　became　wholly　one　of　concentration。

〃St。　Petersburg；〃　replied　Themistocleus。

〃And　what　other　city？〃

〃Moscow；〃　responded　the　boy。

〃Clever　little　dear！〃　burst　out　Chichikov；　turning　with　an　air　of　surprise　to　the　father。　〃Indeed；　I　feel　bound　to　say　that　the　child　evinces　the　greatest　possible　potentialities。〃

〃You　do　not　know　him　fully；〃　replied　the　delighted　Manilov。　〃The　amount　of　sharpness　which　he　possesses　is　extraordinary。　Our　younger　one；　Alkid；　is　not　so　quick；　whereas　his　brotherwell；　no　matter　what　he　may　happen　upon　（whether　upon　a　cowbug　or　upon　a　water…beetle　or　upon　anything　else）；　his　little　eyes　begin　jumping　out　of　his　head；　and　he　runs　to　catch　the　thing；　and　to　inspect　it。　For　HIM　I　am　reserving　a　diplomatic　post。　Themistocleus；〃　added　the　father；　again　turning　to　his　son；　〃do　you　wish　to　become　an　ambassador？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　replied　Themistocleus；　chewing　a　piece　of　bread　and　wagging　his　head　from　side　to　side。

At　this　moment　the　lacquey　who　had　been　standing　behind　the　future　ambassador　wiped　the　latter's　nose；　and　well　it　was　that　he　did　so；　since　otherwise　an　inelegant　and　superfluous　drop　would　have　been　added　to　the　soup。　After　that　the　conversation　turned　upon　the　joys　of　a　quiet　lifethough　occasionally　it　was　interrupted　by　remarks　from　the　hostess　on　the　subject　of　acting　and　actors。　Meanwhile　the　tutor　kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　speakers'　faces；　and　whenever　he　noticed　that　they　were　on　the　point　of　laughing　he　at　once　opened　his　mouth；　and　laughed　with　enthusiasm。　Probably　he　was　a　man　of　grateful　heart　who　wished　to　repay　his　employers　for　the　good　treatment　which　he　had　received。　Once；　however；　his　features　assumed　a　look　of　grimness　as；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　his　vis…a…vis；　the　boys；　he　tapped　sternly　upon　the　table。　This　happened　at　a　juncture　when　Themistocleus　had　bitten　Alkid　on　the　ear；　and　the　said　Alkid；　with　frowning　eyes　and　open　mouth；　was　preparing　himself　to　sob　in　piteous　fashion；　until；　recognising　that　for　such　a　proceeding　he　might　possibly　be　deprived　of　his　plate；　he　hastened　to　restore　his　mouth　to　its　original　expression；　and　fell　tearfully　to　gnawing　a　mutton　bonethe　grease　from　which　had　soon　covered　his　cheeks。

Every　now　and　again　the　hostess　would　turn　to　Chichikov　with　the　words；　〃You　are　eating　nothingyou　have　indeed　taken　little；〃　but　invariably　her　guest　replied：　〃Thank　you；　I　have　had　more　than　enough。　A　pleasant　conversation　is　worth　all　the　dishes　in　the　world。〃

At　length　the　company　rose　from　table。　Manilov　was　in　high　spirits；　and；　laying　his　hand　upon　his　guest's　shoulder；　was　on　the　point　of　conducting　him　to　the　drawing…room；　when　suddenly　Chichikov　intimated　to　him；　with　a　meaning　look；　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　him　on　a　very　important　matter。

〃That　being　so；〃　said　Manilov；　〃allow　me　to　invite　you　into　my　study。〃　And　he　led　the　way　to　a　small　room　which　faced　the　blue　of　the　forest。　〃This　is　my　sanctum；〃　he　added。

〃What　a　pleasant　apartment！〃　remarked　Chichikov　as　he　eyed　it　carefully。　And；　indeed；　the　room　did　not　lack　a　certain　attractiveness。　The　walls　were　painted　a　sort　of　blueish…grey　colour；　and　the　furniture　consisted　of　four　chairs；　a　settee；　and　a　tablethe　latter　of　which　bore　a　few　sheets　of　writing…paper　and　the　book　of　which　I　have　before　had　occasion　to　speak。　But　the　most　prominent　feature　of　the　room　was　tobacco；　which　appeared　in　many　different　guisesin　packets；　in　a　tobacco　jar；　and　in　a　loose　heap　strewn　about　the　table。　Likewise；　both　window　sills　were　studded　with　little　heaps　of　ash；　arranged；　not　without　artifice；　in　rows　of　more　or　less　tidiness。　Clearly　smoking　afforded　the　master　of　the　house　a　frequent　means　of　passing　the　time。

〃Permit　me　to　offer　you　a　seat　on　this　settee；〃　said　Manilov。　〃Here　you　will　be　quieter　than　you　would　be　in　the　drawing…room。〃

〃But　I　should　prefer　to　sit　upon　this　chair。〃

〃I　cannot　allow　that；〃　objected　the　smiling　Manilov。　〃The　settee　is　specially　reserved　for　my　guests。　Whether　you　choose　or　no；　upon　it　you　MUST　sit。〃

Accordingly　Chichikov　obeyed。

〃And　also　let　me　hand　you　a　pipe。〃

〃No；　I　never　smoke；〃　answered　Chichikov　civilly；　and　with　an　assumed　air　of　regret。

〃And　why？〃　inquired　Manilovequally　civilly；　but　with　a　regret　that　was　wholly　genuine。

〃Because　I　fear　that　I　have　never　quite　formed　the　habit；　owing　to　my　having　heard　that　a　pipe　exercises　a　desiccating　effect　upon　the　system。〃

〃Then　allow　me　to　tell　you　that　that　is　mere　prejudice。　Nay；　I　would　even　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　to　smoke　a　pipe　is　a　healthier　practice　than　to　take　snuff。　Among　its　members　our　regiment　numbered　a　lieutenanta　most　excellent；　well…educated　fellowwho　was　simply　INCAPABLE　of　removing　his　pipe　from　his　mouth；　whether　at　table　or　（pardon　me）　in　other　places。　He　is　now　forty；　yet　no　man　could　enjoy　better　health　than　he　has　always　done。〃

Chichikov　replied　that　such　cases　were　common；　since　nature　comprised　many　things　which　even　the　finest　intellect　could　not　compass。

〃But　allow　me　to　put　to　you　a　question；〃　he　went　on　in　a　tone　in　which　there　was　a　strangeor；　at　all　events；　RATHER　a　strangenote。　For　some　unknown　reason；　also；　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　For　some　equally　unknown　reason；　Manilov　glanced　over　HIS。

〃How　long　is　it；〃　inquired　the　guest；　〃since　you　last　rendered　a　census　return？〃

〃Oh；　a　long；　long　time。　In　fact；　I　cannot　remember　when　it　was。〃

〃And　since　then　have　many　of　your　serfs　died？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　To　ascertain　that　I　should　need　to　ask　my　bailiff。　Footman；　go　and　call　the　bailiff。　I　think　he　will　be　at　home　to…day。〃

Before　long　the　bailiff　made　his　appearance。　He　was　a　man　of　under　forty；　clean…shaven；　clad　in　a　smock；　and　evidently　used　to　a　quiet　life；　seeing　that　his　face　was　of　that　puffy　fullness；　and　the　skin　encircling　his　slit…like　eyes　was　of　that　sallow　tint；　which　shows　that　the　owner　of　those　features　is　well　acquainted　with　a　feather　bed。　In　a　trice　it　could　be　seen　that　he　had　played　his　part　in　life　as　all　such　bailiffs　dothat；　originally　a　young　serf　of　elementary　education；　he　had　married　some　Agashka　of　a　housekeeper　or　a　mistress's　favourite；　and　then　himself　become　housekeeper；　and；　subsequently；　bailiff；　after　which　he　had　proceeded　according　to　the　rules　of　his　tribethat　is　to　say；　he　had　consorted　with　and　stood　in　with　the　more　well…to…do　serfs　on　the　estate；　and　added　the　poorer　ones　to　the　list　of　forced　payers　of　obrok；　while　himself　leaving　his　bed　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and；　when　the　samovar　had　been　brought；　drinking　his　tea　at　leisure。

〃Look　here；　my　good　man；〃　said　Manilov。　〃How　many　of　our　serfs　have　died　since　the　last　census　revision？〃

〃How　many　of　them　have　died？　Why；　a　great　many。〃　The　bailiff　hiccoughed；　and　slapped　his　mouth　lightly　after　doing　so。

〃Yes；　I　imagined　that　to　be　the　case；〃　corroborated　Manilov。　〃In　fact；　a　VERY　great　many　serfs　have　died。〃　He　turned　to　Chichikov　and　repeated　the　words。

〃How　many；　for　instance？〃　asked　Chichikov。

〃Yes；　how　many？〃　re…echoed　Manilov。

〃HOW　many？〃　re…echoed　the　bailiff。　〃Well；　no　one　knows　the　exact　number；　for　no　one　has　kept　any　account。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　remarked　Manilov。　〃I　supposed　the　death…rate　to　have　been　high；　but　was　ignorant　of　its　precise　extent。〃

〃Then　would　you　be　so　good　as　to　have　it　computed　for　me？〃　said　Chichikov。　〃And　also　to　have　a　detailed　list　of　the　deaths　made　out？〃

〃Yes；　I　willa　detailed　list；〃　agreed　Manilov。

〃Very　well。〃

The　bailiff　departed。

〃For　what　purpose　do　you　want　it？〃　inquired　Manilov　when　the　bailiff　had　gone。

The　question　seemed　to　embarrass　the　guest；　for　in　Chichikov's　face　there　dawned　a　sort　of　tense　expression；　and　it　reddened　as　though　its　owner　were　striving　to　express　something　not　easy　to　put　into　words。　True　enough；　Manilov　was　now　destined　to　hear　such　strange　and　unexpected　things　as　never　before　had　greeted　human　ears。

〃You　ask　me；〃　said　Chichikov；　〃for　what　purpose　I　want　the　list。　Well；　my　purpose　in　wanting　it　is　thisthat　I　desire　to　purchase　a　few　peasants。〃　And　he　broke　off　in　a　gulp。

〃But　may　I　ask　HOW　you　desire　to　purchase　those　peasants？〃　asked　Manilov。　〃With　land；　or　merely　as　souls　for　transfermentthat　is　to　say；　by　themselves；　and　without　any　land？〃

〃I　want　the　peasants　themselves　only；〃　replied　Chichikov。　〃And　I　want　dead　ones　at　that。〃

〃What？Excuse　me；　but　I　am　a　trifle　deaf。　Really；　your　words　sound　most　strange！〃

〃All　that　I　am　proposing　to　do；〃　replied　Chichikov；　〃is　to　purchase　the　dead　peasants　who；　at　the　last　census；　were　returned　by　you　as　alive。〃

Manilov　dropped　his　pipe　on　the　floor；　and　sat　gaping。　Yes；　the　two　friends　who　had　just　been　discussing　the　joys　of　camaraderie　sat　staring　at　one　another　like　the　portraits　which；　of　old；　used　to　hang　on　opposite　sides　of　a　mirror。　At　length　Manilov　picked　up　his　pipe；　and；　while　doing　so；　glanced　covertly　at　Chichikov　to　see　whether　there　was　any　trace　of　a　smile　to　be　detected　on　his　lipswhether；　in　short；　he　was　joking。　But　nothing　of　the　sort　could　be　discerned。　On　the　contrary；　Chichikov's　face　looked　graver　than　usual。　Next；　Manilov　wondered　whether；　for　some　unknown　reason；　his　guest　had　lost　his　wits；　wherefore　he　spent　some　time　in　gazing　at　him　with　anxious　intentness。　But　the　guest's　eyes