dead souls(死魂灵)-第73部分

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ow　you　would　speak　to　me　of　an　aged　mother！〃

〃Your　Highness；〃　protested　Chichikov；　〃though　I　am　a　wretch　and　the　lowest　of　rascals；　and　though　it　is　true　that　I　lied　when　I　told　you　that　I　possessed　a　wife　and　children；　I　swear　that；　as　God　is　my　witness；　it　has　always　been　my　DESIRE　to　possess　a　wife；　and　to　fulfil　all　the　duties　of　a　man　and　a　citizen；　and　to　earn　the　respect　of　my　fellows　and　the　authorities。　But　what　could　be　done　against　the　force　of　circumstances？　By　hook　or　by　crook　I　have　ever　been　forced　to　win　a　living；　though　confronted　at　every　step　by　wiles　and　temptations　and　traitorous　enemies　and　despoilers。　So　much　has　this　been　so　that　my　life　has；　throughout；　resembled　a　barque　tossed　by　tempestuous　waves；　a　barque　driven　at　the　mercy　of　the　winds。　Ah；　I　am　only　a　man；　your　Highness！〃

And　in　a　moment　the　tears　had　gushed　in　torrents　from　his　eyes；　and　he　had　fallen　forward　at　the　Prince's　feetfallen　forward　just　as　he　was；　in　his　smoked…grey…shot…with…flame…colour　frockcoat；　his　velvet　waistcoat；　his　satin　tie；　and　his　exquisitely　fitting　breeches；　while　from　his　neatly　brushed　pate；　as　again　and　again　he　struck　his　hand　against　his　forehead；　there　came　an　odorous　whiff　of　best…quality　eau…de…Cologne。

〃Away　with　him！〃　exclaimed　the　Prince　to　the　gendarme　who　had　just　entered。　〃Summon　the　escort　to　remove　him。〃

〃Your　Highness！〃　Chichikov　cried　again　as　he　clasped　the　Prince's　knees；　but；　shuddering　all　over；　and　struggling　to　free　himself；　the　Prince　repeated　his　order　for　the　prisoner's　removal。

〃Your　Highness；　I　say　that　I　will　not　leave　this　room　until　you　have　accorded　me　mercy！〃　cried　Chichikov　as　he　clung　to　the　Prince's　leg　with　such　tenacity　that；　frockcoat　and　all；　he　began　to　be　dragged　along　the　floor。

〃Away　with　him；　I　say！〃　once　more　the　Prince　exclaimed　with　the　sort　of　indefinable　aversion　which　one　feels　at　the　sight　of　a　repulsive　insect　which　he　cannot　summon　up　the　courage　to　crush　with　his　boot。　So　convulsively　did　the　Prince　shudder　that　Chichikov；　clinging　to　his　leg；　received　a　kick　on　the　nose。　Yet　still　the　prisoner　retained　his　hold；　until　at　length　a　couple　of　burly　gendarmes　tore　him　away　and；　grasping　his　arms；　hurried　himpale；　dishevelled；　and　in　that　strange；　half…conscious　condition　into　which　a　man　sinks　when　he　sees　before　him　only　the　dark；　terrible　figure　of　death；　the　phantom　which　is　so　abhorrent　to　all　our　naturesfrom　the　building。　But　on　the　threshold　the　party　came　face　to　face　with　Murazov；　and　in　Chichikov's　heart　the　circumstance　revived　a　ray　of　hope。　Wresting　himself　with　almost　supernatural　strength　from　the　grasp　of　the　escorting　gendarmes；　he　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　the　horror…stricken　old　man。

〃Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　Murazov　exclaimed；　〃what　has　happened　to　you？〃

〃Save　me！〃　gasped　Chichikov。　〃They　are　taking　me　away　to　prison　and　death！〃

Yet　almost　as　he　spoke　the　gendarmes　seized　him　again；　and　hurried　him　away　so　swiftly　that　Murazov's　reply　escaped　his　ears。

A　damp；　mouldy　cell　which　reeked　of　soldiers'　boots　and　leggings；　an　unvarnished　table；　two　sorry　chairs；　a　window　closed　with　a　grating；　a　crazy　stove　which；　while　letting　the　smoke　emerge　through　its　cracks；　gave　out　no　heatsuch　was　the　den　to　which　the　man　who　had　just　begun　to　taste　the　sweets　of　life；　and　to　attract　the　attention　of　his　fellows　with　his　new　suit　of　smoked…grey…shot…with…flame…colour；　now　found　himself　consigned。　Not　even　necessaries　had　he　been　allowed　to　bring　away　with　him；　nor　his　dispatch…box　which　contained　all　his　booty。　No；　with　the　indenture　deeds　of　the　dead　souls；　it　was　lodged　in　the　hands　of　a　tchinovnik；　and　as　he　thought　of　these　things　Chichikov　rolled　about　the　floor；　and　felt　the　cankerous　worm　of　remorse　seize　upon　and　gnaw　at　his　heart；　and　bite　its　way　ever　further　and　further　into　that　heart　so　defenceless　against　its　ravages；　until　he　made　up　his　mind　that；　should　he　have　to　suffer　another　twenty…four　hours　of　this　misery；　there　would　no　longer　be　a　Chichikov　in　the　world。　Yet　over　him；　as　over　every　one；　there　hung　poised　the　All…Saving　Hand；　and；　an　hour　after　his　arrival　at　the　prison；　the　doors　of　the　gaol　opened　to　admit　Murazov。

Compared　with　poor　Chichikov's　sense　of　relief　when　the　old　man　entered　his　cell；　even　the　pleasure　experienced　by　a　thirsty；　dusty　traveller　when　he　is　given　a　drink　of　clear　spring　water　to　cool　his　dry；　parched　throat　fades　into　insignificance。

〃Ah；　my　deliverer！〃　he　cried　as　he　rose　from　the　floor；　where　he　had　been　grovelling　in　heartrending　paroxysms　of　grief。　Seizing　the　old　man's　hand；　he　kissed　it　and　pressed　it　to　his　bosom。　Then；　bursting　into　tears；　he　added：　〃God　Himself　will　reward　you　for　having　come　to　visit　an　unfortunate　wretch！〃

Murazov　looked　at　him　sorrowfully；　and　said　no　more　than　〃Ah；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　Paul　Ivanovitch！　What　has　happened？〃

〃What　has　happened？〃　cried　Chichikov。　〃I　have　been　ruined　by　an　accursed　woman。　That　was　because　I　could　not　do　things　in　moderationI　was　powerless　to　stop　myself　in　time；　Satan　tempted　me；　and　drove　me　from　my　senses；　and　bereft　me　of　human　prudence。　Yes；　truly　I　have　sinned；　I　have　sinned！　Yet　how　came　I　so　to　sin？　To　think　that　a　dvorianinyes；　a　dvorianinshould　be　thrown　into　prison　without　process　or　trial！　I　repeat；　a　dvorianin！　Why　was　I　not　given　time　to　go　home　and　collect　my　effects？　Whereas　now　they　are　left　with　no　one　to　look　after　them！　My　dispatch…box；　my　dispatch…box！　It　contained　my　whole　property；　all　that　my　heart's　blood　and　years　of　toil　and　want　have　been　needed　to　acquire。　And　now　everything　will　be　stolen；　Athanasi　Vassilievitcheverything　will　be　taken　from　me！　My　God！〃

And；　unable　to　stand　against　the　torrent　of　grief　which　came　rushing　over　his　heart　once　more；　he　sobbed　aloud　in　tones　which　penetrated　even　the　thickness　of　the　prison　walls；　and　made　dull　echoes　awake　behind　them。　Then；　tearing　off　his　satin　tie；　and　seizing　by　the　collar；　the　smoked…grey…shot…with…flame…colour　frockcoat；　he　stripped　the　latter　from　his　shoulders。

〃Ah；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃how　even　now　the　property　which　you　have　acquired　is　blinding　your　eyes；　and　causing　you　to　fail　to　realise　your　terrible　position！〃

〃Yes；　my　good　friend　and　benefactor；〃　wailed　poor　Chichikov　despairingly；　and　clasping　Murazov　by　the　knees。　〃Yet　save　me　if　you　can！　The　Prince　is　fond　of　you；　and　would　do　anything　for　your　sake。〃

〃No；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　however　much　I　might　wish　to　save　you；　and　however　much　I　might　try　to　do　so；　I　could　not　help　you　as　you　desire；　for　it　is　to　the　power　of　an　inexorable　law；　and　not　to　the　authority　of　any　one　man；　that　you　have　rendered　yourself　subject。〃

〃Satan　tempted　me；　and　has　ended　by　making　of　me　an　outcast　from　the　human　race！〃　Chichikov　beat　his　head　against　the　wall　and　struck　the　table　with　his　fist　until　the　blood　spurted　from　his　hand。　Yet　neither　his　head　nor　his　hand　seemed　to　be　conscious　of　the　least　pain。

〃Calm　yourself；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　Murazov。　〃Calm　yourself；　and　consider　how　best　you　can　make　your　peace　with　God。　Think　of　your　miserable　soul；　and　not　of　the　judgment　of　man。〃

〃I　will；　Athanasi　Vassilievitch；　I　will。　But　what　a　fate　is　mine！　Did　ever　such　a　fate　befall　a　man？　To　think　of　all　the　patience　with　which　I　have　gathered　my　kopecks；　of　all　the　toil　and　trouble　which　I　have　endured！　Yet　what　I　have　done　has　not　been　done　with　the　intention　of　robbing　any　one；　nor　of　cheating　the　Treasury。　Why；　then；　did　I　gather　those　kopecks？　I　gathered　them　to　the　end　that　one　day　I　might　be　able　to　live　in　plenty；　and　also　to　have　something　to　leave　to　the　wife　and　children　whom；　for　the　benefit　and　welfare　of　my　country；　I　hoped　eventually　to　win　and　maintain。　That　was　why　I　gathered　those　kopecks。　True；　I　worked　by　devious　methodsthat　I　fully　admit；　but　what　else　could　I　do？　And　even　devious　methods　I　employed　only　when　I　saw　that　the　straight　road　would　not　serve　my　purpose　so　well　as　a　crooked。　Moreover；　as　I　toiled；　the　appetite　for　those　methods　grew　upon　me。　Yet　what　I　took　I　took　only　from　the　rich；　whereas　villains　exist　who；　while　drawing　thousands　a　year　from　the　Treasury；　despoil　the　poor；　and　take　from　the　man　with　nothing　even　that　which　he　has。　Is　it　not　the　cruelty　of　fate；　therefore；　that；　just　when　I　was　beginning　to　reap　the　harvest　of　my　toilto　touch　it；　so　to　speak；　with　the　tip　of　one　fingerthere　should　have　arisen　a　sudden　storm　which　has　sent　my　barque　to　pieces　on　a　rock？　My　capital　had　nearly　reached　the　sum　of　three　hundred　thousand　roubles；　and　a　three…storied　house　was　as　good　as　mine；　and　twice　over　I　could　have　bought　a　country　estate。　Why；　then；　should　such　a　tempest　have　burst　upon　me？　Why　should　I　have　sustained　such　a　blow？　Was　not　my　life　already　like　a　barque　tossed　to　and　fro　by　the　billows？　Where　is　Heaven's　justicewhere　is　the　reward　for　all　my　patience；　for　my　boundless　perseverance？　Three　times　did　I　have　to　begin　life　afresh；　and　each　time　that　I　lost　my　all　I　began　with　a　single　kopeck　at　a　moment　when　other　men　would　have　given　themselves　up　to　despair　and　drink。　How　much　did　I　not　have　to　overcome。　How　much　did　I　not　have　to　bear！　Every　kopeck　which　I　gained　I　had　to　make　with　my　whole　strength；　for　though；　to　others；　wealth　may　come　easily；　every　coin　of　mine　had　to　be　'forged　with　a　nail　worth　three　kopecks'　as　the　proverb　has　it。　With　such　a　nailwith　the　nail　of　an　iron；　unwearying　perseverancedid　_I_　forge　my　kopecks。〃

Convulsively　sobbing　with　a　grief　which　he　could　not　repress；　Chichikov　sank　upon　a　chair；　tore　from　his　shoulders　the　last　ragged；　trailing　remnants　of　his　frockcoat；　and　hurled　them　from　him。　Then；　thrusting　his　fingers　into　the　hair　which　he　had　once　been　so　careful　to　preserve；　he　pulled　it　out　by　handfuls　at　a　time；　as　though　he　hoped　through　physical　pain　to　deaden　the　mental　agony　which　he　was　suffering。

Meanwhile　Murazov　sat　gazing　in　silence　at　the　unwonted　spectacle　of　a　man　who　had　lately　been　mincing　with　the　gait　of　a　worldling　or　a　military　fop　now　writhing　in　dishevelment　and　despair　as　he　poured　out　upon　the　hostile　forces　by　which　human　ingenuity　so　often　finds　itself　outwitted　a　flood　of　invective。

〃Paul　Ivanovitch；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　at　length　said　Murazov；　〃what　could　not　each　of　us　rise　t