dead souls(死魂灵)-第1章

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DEAD　SOULS



PART　I



CHAPTER　I

To　the　door　of　an　inn　in　the　provincial　town　of　N。　there　drew　up　a　smart　britchkaa　light　spring…carriage　of　the　sort　affected　by　bachelors；　retired　lieutenant…colonels；　staff…captains；　land…owners　possessed　of　about　a　hundred　souls；　and；　in　short；　all　persons　who　rank　as　gentlemen　of　the　intermediate　category。　In　the　britchka　was　seated　such　a　gentlemana　man　who；　though　not　handsome；　was　not　ill…favoured；　not　over…fat；　and　not　over…thin。　Also；　though　not　over…elderly；　he　was　not　over…young。　His　arrival　produced　no　stir　in　the　town；　and　was　accompanied　by　no　particular　incident；　beyond　that　a　couple　of　peasants　who　happened　to　be　standing　at　the　door　of　a　dramshop　exchanged　a　few　comments　with　reference　to　the　equipage　rather　than　to　the　individual　who　was　seated　in　it。　〃Look　at　that　carriage；〃　one　of　them　said　to　the　other。　〃Think　you　it　will　be　going　as　far　as　Moscow？〃　〃I　think　it　will；〃　replied　his　companion。　〃But　not　as　far　as　Kazan；　eh？〃　〃No；　not　as　far　as　Kazan。〃　With　that　the　conversation　ended。　Presently；　as　the　britchka　was　approaching　the　inn；　it　was　met　by　a　young　man　in　a　pair　of　very　short；　very　tight　breeches　of　white　dimity；　a　quasi…fashionable　frockcoat；　and　a　dickey　fastened　with　a　pistol…shaped　bronze　tie…pin。　The　young　man　turned　his　head　as　he　passed　the　britchka　and　eyed　it　attentively；　after　which　he　clapped　his　hand　to　his　cap　（which　was　in　danger　of　being　removed　by　the　wind）　and　resumed　his　way。　On　the　vehicle　reaching　the　inn　door；　its　occupant　found　standing　there　to　welcome　him　the　polevoi；　or　waiter；　of　the　establishmentan　individual　of　such　nimble　and　brisk　movement　that　even　to　distinguish　the　character　of　his　face　was　impossible。　Running　out　with　a　napkin　in　one　hand　and　his　lanky　form　clad　in　a　tailcoat；　reaching　almost　to　the　nape　of　his　neck；　he　tossed　back　his　locks；　and　escorted　the　gentleman　upstairs；　along　a　wooden　gallery；　and　so　to　the　bedchamber　which　God　had　prepared　for　the　gentleman's　reception。　The　said　bedchamber　was　of　quite　ordinary　appearance；　since　the　inn　belonged　to　the　species　to　be　found　in　all　provincial　townsthe　species　wherein；　for　two　roubles　a　day；　travellers　may　obtain　a　room　swarming　with　black…beetles；　and　communicating　by　a　doorway　with　the　apartment　adjoining。　True；　the　doorway　may　be　blocked　up　with　a　wardrobe；　yet　behind　it；　in　all　probability；　there　will　be　standing　a　silent；　motionless　neighbour　whose　ears　are　burning　to　learn　every　possible　detail　concerning　the　latest　arrival。　The　inn's　exterior　corresponded　with　its　interior。　Long；　and　consisting　only　of　two　storeys；　the　building　had　its　lower　half　destitute　of　stucco；　with　the　result　that　the　dark…red　bricks；　originally　more　or　less　dingy；　had　grown　yet　dingier　under　the　influence　of　atmospheric　changes。　As　for　the　upper　half　of　the　building；　it　was；　of　course；　painted　the　usual　tint　of　unfading　yellow。　Within；　on　the　ground　floor；　there　stood　a　number　of　benches　heaped　with　horse…collars；　rope；　and　sheepskins；　while　the　window…seat　accommodated　a　sbitentshik＇1＇；　cheek　by　jowl　with　a　samovar＇2＇the　latter　so　closely　resembling　the　former　in　appearance　that；　but　for　the　fact　of　the　samovar　possessing　a　pitch…black　lip；　the　samovar　and　the　sbitentshik　might　have　been　two　of　a　pair。

＇1＇　An　urn　for　brewing　honey　tea。

＇2＇　An　urn　for　brewing　ordinary　tea。

During　the　traveller's　inspection　of　his　room　his　luggage　was　brought　into　the　apartment。　First　came　a　portmanteau　of　white　leather　whose　raggedness　indicated　that　the　receptacle　had　made　several　previous　journeys。　The　bearers　of　the　same　were　the　gentleman's　coachman；　Selifan　（a　little　man　in　a　large　overcoat）；　and　the　gentleman's　valet；　Petrushkathe　latter　a　fellow　of　about　thirty；　clad　in　a　worn；　over…ample　jacket　which　formerly　had　graced　his　master's　shoulders；　and　possessed　of　a　nose　and　a　pair　of　lips　whose　coarseness　communicated　to　his　face　rather　a　sullen　expression。　Behind　the　portmanteau　came　a　small　dispatch…box　of　redwood；　lined　with　birch　bark；　a　boot…case；　and　（wrapped　in　blue　paper）　a　roast　fowl；　all　of　which　having　been　deposited；　the　coachman　departed　to　look　after　his　horses；　and　the　valet　to　establish　himself　in　the　little　dark　anteroom　or　kennel　where　already　he　had　stored　a　cloak；　a　bagful　of　livery；　and　his　own　peculiar　smell。　Pressing　the　narrow　bedstead　back　against　the　wall；　he　covered　it　with　the　tiny　remnant　of　mattressa　remnant　as　thin　and　flat　（perhaps　also　as　greasy）　as　a　pancakewhich　he　had　managed　to　beg　of　the　landlord　of　the　establishment。

While　the　attendants　had　been　thus　setting　things　straight　the　gentleman　had　repaired　to　the　common　parlour。　The　appearance　of　common　parlours　of　the　kind　is　known　to　every　one　who　travels。　Always　they　have　varnished　walls　which；　grown　black　in　their　upper　portions　with　tobacco　smoke；　are；　in　their　lower；　grown　shiny　with　the　friction　of　customers'　backsmore　especially　with　that　of　the　backs　of　such　local　tradesmen　as；　on　market…days；　make　it　their　regular　practice　to　resort　to　the　local　hostelry　for　a　glass　of　tea。　Also；　parlours　of　this　kind　invariably　contain　smutty　ceilings；　an　equally　smutty　chandelier；　a　number　of　pendent　shades　which　jump　and　rattle　whenever　the　waiter　scurries　across　the　shabby　oilcloth　with　a　trayful　of　glasses　（the　glasses　looking　like　a　flock　of　birds　roosting　by　the　seashore）；　and　a　selection　of　oil　paintings。　In　short；　there　are　certain　objects　which　one　sees　in　every　inn。　In　the　present　case　the　only　outstanding　feature　of　the　room　was　the　fact　that　in　one　of　the　paintings　a　nymph　was　portrayed　as　possessing　breasts　of　a　size　such　as　the　reader　can　never　in　his　life　have　beheld。　A　similar　caricaturing　of　nature　is　to　be　noted　in　the　historical　pictures　（of　unknown　origin；　period；　and　creation）　which　reach　ussometimes　through　the　instrumentality　of　Russian　magnates　who　profess　to　be　connoisseurs　of　artfrom　Italy；　owing　to　the　said　magnates　having　made　such　purchases　solely　on　the　advice　of　the　couriers　who　have　escorted　them。

To　resume；　howeverour　traveller　removed　his　cap；　and　divested　his　neck　of　a　parti…coloured　woollen　scarf　of　the　kind　which　a　wife　makes　for　her　husband　with　her　own　hands；　while　accompanying　the　gift　with　interminable　injunctions　as　to　how　best　such　a　garment　ought　to　be　folded。　True；　bachelors　also　wear　similar　gauds；　but；　in　their　case；　God　alone　knows　who　may　have　manufactured　the　articles！　For　my　part；　I　cannot　endure　them。　Having　unfolded　the　scarf；　the　gentleman　ordered　dinner；　and　whilst　the　various　dishes　were　being　got　readycabbage　soup；　a　pie　several　weeks　old；　a　dish　of　marrow　and　peas；　a　dish　of　sausages　and　cabbage；　a　roast　fowl；　some　salted　cucumber；　and　the　sweet　tart　which　stands　perpetually　ready　for　use　in　such　establishments；　whilst；　I　say；　these　things　were　either　being　warmed　up　or　brought　in　cold；　the　gentleman　induced　the　waiter　to　retail　certain　fragments　of　tittle…tattle　concerning　the　late　landlord　of　the　hostelry；　the　amount　of　income　which　the　hostelry　produced；　and　the　character　of　its　present　proprietor。　To　the　last…mentioned　inquiry　the　waiter　returned　the　answer　invariably　given　in　such　casesnamely；　〃My　master　is　a　terribly　hard　man；　sir。〃　Curious　that　in　enlightened　Russia　so　many　people　cannot　even　take　a　meal　at　an　inn　without　chattering　to　the　attendant　and　making　free　with　him！　Nevertheless　not　ALL　the　questions　which　the　gentleman　asked　were　aimless　ones；　for　he　inquired　who　was　Governor　of　the　town；　who　President　of　the　Local　Council；　and　who　Public　Prosecutor。　In　short；　he　omitted　no　single　official　of　note；　while　asking　also　（though　with　an　air　of　detachment）　the　most　exact　particulars　concerning　the　landowners　of　the　neighbourhood。　Which　of　them；　he　inquired；　possessed　serfs；　and　how　many　of　them？　How　far　from　the　town　did　those　landowners　reside？　What　was　the　character　of　each　landowner；　and　was　he　in　the　habit　of　paying　frequent　visits　to　the　town？　The　gentleman　also　made　searching　inquiries　concerning　the　hygienic　condition　of　the　countryside。　Was　there；　he　asked；　much　sickness　aboutwhether　sporadic　fever；　fatal　forms　of　ague；　smallpox；　or　what　not？　Yet；　though　his　solicitude　concerning　these　matters　showed　more　than　ordinary　curiosity；　his　bearing　retained　its　gravity　unimpaired；　and　from　time　to　time　he　blew　his　nose　with　portentous　fervour。　Indeed；　the　manner　in　which　he　accomplished　this　latter　feat　was　marvellous　in　the　extreme；　for；　though　that　member　emitted　sounds　equal　to　those　of　a　trumpet　in　intensity；　he　could　yet；　with　his　accompanying　air　of　guileless　dignity；　evoke　the　waiter's　undivided　respectso　much　so　that；　whenever　the　sounds　of　the　nose　reached　that　menial's　ears；　he　would　shake　back　his　locks；　straighten　himself　into　a　posture　of　marked　solicitude；　and　inquire　afresh；　with　head　slightly　inclined；　whether　the　gentleman　happened　to　require　anything　further。　After　dinner　the　guest　consumed　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　then；　seating　himself　upon　the　sofa；　with；　behind　him；　one　of　those　wool…covered　cushions　which；　in　Russian　taverns；　resemble　nothing　so　much　as　a　cobblestone　or　a　brick；　fell　to　snoring；　whereafter；　returning　with　a　start　to　consciousness；　he　ordered　himself　to　be　conducted　to　his　room；　flung　himself　at　full　length　upon　the　bed；　and　once　more　slept　soundly　for　a　couple　of　hours。　Aroused；　eventually；　by　the　waiter；　he；　at　the　latter's　request；　inscribed　a　fragment　of　paper　with　his　name；　his　surname；　and　his　rank　（for　communication；　in　accordance　with　the　law；　to　the　police）：　and　on　that　paper　the　waiter；　leaning　forward　from　the　corridor；　read；　syllable　by　syllable：　〃Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov；　Collegiate　CouncillorLandownerTravelling　on　Private　Affairs。〃　The　waiter　had　just　time　to　accomplish　this　feat　before　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov　set　forth　to　inspect　the　town。　Apparently　the　place　succeeded　in　satisfying　him；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　it　was　at　least　up　to　the　usual　standard　of　our　provincial　capitals。　Where　the　staring　yellow　of　stone　edifices　did　not　greet　his　eye　he　found　himself　confronted　with　the　more　modest　grey　of　wooden　ones；　which；　consisting；　for　the　most　part；　of　one　or　two　storeys　（added　to　the　range　of　attics　which　provincial　architects　love　so　well）；　looked　almost　lost　amid　the　expanses　of　street　and　intervening　medleys　of　broken　or　half…finished　partition…walls。　At　other　points　evidence　of　more　life　and　movement　was　to　be　seen；　and　here　the　houses　stood　crowded　together　and　displayed　dilapidated；　rain…blurred　signboards　whereon　boots　of　cakes　or　pairs　of　blue　breeches　inscribed　〃Arshavski；　Tailor；〃　and　so　forth；　were　depicted。　Over　a　shop　containing　hats　and　caps　was　written　〃Vassili　Thedorov；　Foreigner〃；　while；　at　another　spot；　a　signboard　portrayed　a　billiard　table　and　two　playersthe　latter　clad　in　frockcoats　of　the　kind　usually　affected　by　actors　whose　part　it　is　to　enter　the　stage　during　the　closing　act　of　a　piece；　even　though；　with　arms　sharply　crooked　and　legs　slightly　bent；　the　said　billiard　players　were　taking　the　most　careful　aim；　but　succeeding　only　in　making　abortive　strokes　in　the　air。　Each　emporium　of　the　sort　had　written　over　it：　〃This　is　the　best　establishment　of　its　kind　in　the　town。〃　Also；　al　fresco　in　the　streets　there　stood　tables　heaped　with　nuts；　soap；　and　gingerbread　（the　latter　but　li