dead souls(死魂灵)-第2章

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little　distinguishable　from　the　soap）；　and　at　an　eating…house　there　was　displayed　the　sign　of　a　plump　fish　transfixed　with　a　gaff。　But　the　sign　most　frequently　to　be　discerned　was　the　insignia　of　the　State；　the　double…headed　eagle　（now　replaced；　in　this　connection；　with　the　laconic　inscription　〃Dramshop〃）。　As　for　the　paving　of　the　town；　it　was　uniformly　bad。

The　gentleman　peered　also　into　the　municipal　gardens；　which　contained　only　a　few　sorry　trees　that　were　poorly　selected；　requiring　to　be　propped　with　oil…painted；　triangular　green　supports；　and　able　to　boast　of　a　height　no　greater　than　that　of　an　ordinary　walking…stick。　Yet　recently　the　local　paper　had　said　（apropos　of　a　gala）　that；　〃Thanks　to　the　efforts　of　our　Civil　Governor；　the　town　has　become　enriched　with　a　pleasaunce　full　of　umbrageous；　spaciously…branching　trees。　Even　on　the　most　sultry　day　they　afford　agreeable　shade；　and　indeed　gratifying　was　it　to　see　the　hearts　of　our　citizens　panting　with　an　impulse　of　gratitude　as　their　eyes　shed　tears　in　recognition　of　all　that　their　Governor　has　done　for　them！〃

Next；　after　inquiring　of　a　gendarme　as　to　the　best　ways　and　means　of　finding　the　local　council；　the　local　law…courts；　and　the　local　Governor；　should　he　（Chichikov）　have　need　of　them；　the　gentleman　went　on　to　inspect　the　river　which　ran　through　the　town。　En　route　he　tore　off　a　notice　affixed　to　a　post；　in　order　that　he　might　the　more　conveniently　read　it　after　his　return　to　the　inn。　Also；　he　bestowed　upon　a　lady　of　pleasant　exterior　who；　escorted　by　a　footman　laden　with　a　bundle；　happened　to　be　passing　along　a　wooden　sidewalk　a　prolonged　stare。　Lastly；　he　threw　around　him　a　comprehensive　glance　（as　though　to　fix　in　his　mind　the　general　topography　of　the　place）　and　betook　himself　home。　There；　gently　aided　by　the　waiter；　he　ascended　the　stairs　to　his　bedroom；　drank　a　glass　of　tea；　and；　seating　himself　at　the　table；　called　for　a　candle；　which　having　been　brought　him；　he　produced　from　his　pocket　the　notice；　held　it　close　to　the　flame；　and　conned　its　tenourslightly　contracting　his　right　eye　as　he　did　so。　Yet　there　was　little　in　the　notice　to　call　for　remark。　All　that　it　said　was　that　shortly　one　of　Kotzebue's＇3＇　plays　would　be　given；　and　that　one　of　the　parts　in　the　play　was　to　be　taken　by　a　certain　Monsieur　Poplevin；　and　another　by　a　certain　Mademoiselle　Ziablova；　while　the　remaining　parts　were　to　be　filled　by　a　number　of　less　important　personages。　Nevertheless　the　gentleman　perused　the　notice　with　careful　attention；　and　even　jotted　down　the　prices　to　be　asked　for　seats　for　the　performance。　Also；　he　remarked　that　the　bill　had　been　printed　in　the　press　of　the　Provincial　Government。　Next；　he　turned　over　the　paper；　in　order　to　see　if　anything　further　was　to　be　read　on　the　reverse　side；　but；　finding　nothing　there；　he　refolded　the　document；　placed　it　in　the　box　which　served　him　as　a　receptacle　for　odds　and　ends；　and　brought　the　day　to　a　close　with　a　portion　of　cold　veal；　a　bottle　of　pickles；　and　a　sound　sleep。

＇3＇　A　German　dramatist　（1761…1819）　who　also　filled　sundry　posts　in　the　　　　　service　of　the　Russian　Government。

The　following　day　he　devoted　to　paying　calls　upon　the　various　municipal　officialsa　first；　and　a　very　respectful；　visit　being　paid　to　the　Governor。　This　personage　turned　out　to　resemble　Chichikov　himself　in　that　he　was　neither　fat　nor　thin。　Also；　he　wore　the　riband　of　the　order　of　Saint　Anna　about　his　neck；　and　was　reported　to　have　been　recommended　also　for　the　star。　For　the　rest；　he　was　large　and　good…natured；　and　had　a　habit　of　amusing　himself　with　occasional　spells　of　knitting。　Next；　Chichikov　repaired　to　the　Vice…Governor's；　and　thence　to　the　house　of　the　Public　Prosecutor；　to　that　of　the　President　of　the　Local　Council；　to　that　of　the　Chief　of　Police；　to　that　of　the　Commissioner　of　Taxes；　and　to　that　of　the　local　Director　of　State　Factories。　True；　the　task　of　remembering　every　big…wig　in　this　world　of　ours　is　not　a　very　easy　one；　but　at　least　our　visitor　displayed　the　greatest　activity　in　his　work　of　paying　calls；　seeing　that　he　went　so　far　as　to　pay　his　respects　also　to　the　Inspector　of　the　Municipal　Department　of　Medicine　and　to　the　City　Architect。　Thereafter　he　sat　thoughtfully　in　his　britchkaplunged　in　meditation　on　the　subject　of　whom　else　it　might　be　well　to　visit。　However；　not　a　single　magnate　had　been　neglected；　and　in　conversation　with　his　hosts　he　had　contrived　to　flatter　each　separate　one。　For　instance　to　the　Governor　he　had　hinted　that　a　stranger；　on　arriving　in　his；　the　Governor's　province；　would　conceive　that　he　had　reached　Paradise；　so　velvety　were　the　roads。　〃Governors　who　appoint　capable　subordinates；〃　had　said　Chichikov；　〃are　deserving　of　the　most　ample　meed　of　praise。〃　Again；　to　the　Chief　of　Police　our　hero　had　passed　a　most　gratifying　remark　on　the　subject　of　the　local　gendarmery；　while　in　his　conversation　with　the　Vice…Governor　and　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　（neither　of　whom　had；　as　yet；　risen　above　the　rank　of　State　Councillor）　he　had　twice　been　guilty　of　the　gaucherie　of　addressing　his　interlocutors　with　the　title　of　〃Your　Excellency〃a　blunder　which　had　not　failed　to　delight　them。　In　the　result　the　Governor　had　invited　him　to　a　reception　the　same　evening；　and　certain　other　officials　had　followed　suit　by　inviting　him；　one　of　them　to　dinner；　a　second　to　a　tea…party；　and　so　forth；　and　so　forth。

Of　himself；　however；　the　traveller　had　spoken　little；　or；　if　he　had　spoken　at　any　length；　he　had　done　so　in　a　general　sort　of　way　and　with　marked　modesty。　Indeed；　at　moments　of　the　kind　his　discourse　had　assumed　something　of　a　literary　vein；　in　that　invariably　he　had　stated　that；　being　a　worm　of　no　account　in　the　world；　he　was　deserving　of　no　consideration　at　the　hands　of　his　fellows；　that　in　his　time　he　had　undergone　many　strange　experiences；　that　subsequently　he　had　suffered　much　in　the　cause　of　Truth；　that　he　had　many　enemies　seeking　his　life；　and　that；　being　desirous　of　rest；　he　was　now　engaged　in　searching　for　a　spot　wherein　to　dwellwherefore；　having　stumbled　upon　the　town　in　which　he　now　found　himself；　he　had　considered　it　his　bounden　duty　to　evince　his　respect　for　the　chief　authorities　of　the　place。　This；　and　no　more；　was　all　that；　for　the　moment；　the　town　succeeded　in　learning　about　the　new　arrival。　Naturally　he　lost　no　time　in　presenting　himself　at　the　Governor's　evening　party。　First；　however；　his　preparations　for　that　function　occupied　a　space　of　over　two　hours；　and　necessitated　an　attention　to　his　toilet　of　a　kind　not　commonly　seen。　That　is　to　say；　after　a　brief　post…grandial　nap　he　called　for　soap　and　water；　and　spent　a　considerable　period　in　the　task　of　scrubbing　his　cheeks　（which；　for　the　purpose；　he　supported　from　within　with　his　tongue）　and　then　of　drying　his　full；　round　face；　from　the　ears　downwards；　with　a　towel　which　he　took　from　the　waiter's　shoulder。　Twice　he　snorted　into　the　waiter's　countenance　as　he　did　this；　and　then　he　posted　himself　in　front　of　the　mirror；　donned　a　false　shirt…front；　plucked　out　a　couple　of　hairs　which　were　protruding　from　his　nose；　and　appeared　vested　in　a　frockcoat　of　bilberry…coloured　check。　Thereafter　driving　through　broad　streets　sparsely　lighted　with　lanterns；　he　arrived　at　the　Governor's　residence　to　find　it　illuminated　as　for　a　ball。　Barouches　with　gleaming　lamps；　a　couple　of　gendarmes　posted　before　the　doors；　a　babel　of　postillions'　criesnothing　of　a　kind　likely　to　be　impressive　was　wanting；　and；　on　reaching　the　salon；　the　visitor　actually　found　himself　obliged　to　close　his　eyes　for　a　moment；　so　strong　was　the　mingled　sheen　of　lamps；　candles；　and　feminine　apparel。　Everything　seemed　suffused　with　light；　and　everywhere；　flitting　and　flashing；　were　to　be　seen　black　coatseven　as　on　a　hot　summer's　day　flies　revolve　around　a　sugar　loaf　while　the　old　housekeeper　is　cutting　it　into　cubes　before　the　open　window；　and　the　children　of　the　house　crowd　around　her　to　watch　the　movements　of　her　rugged　hands　as　those　members　ply　the　smoking　pestle；　and　airy　squadrons　of　flies；　borne　on　the　breeze；　enter　boldly；　as　though　free　of　the　house；　and；　taking　advantage　of　the　fact　that　the　glare　of　the　sunshine　is　troubling　the　old　lady's　sight；　disperse　themselves　over　broken　and　unbroken　fragments　alike；　even　though　the　lethargy　induced　by　the　opulence　of　summer　and　the　rich　shower　of　dainties　to　be　encountered　at　every　step　has　induced　them　to　enter　less　for　the　purpose　of　eating　than　for　that　of　showing　themselves　in　public；　of　parading　up　and　down　the　sugar　loaf；　of　rubbing　both　their　hindquarters　and　their　fore　against　one　another；　of　cleaning　their　bodies　under　the　wings；　of　extending　their　forelegs　over　their　heads　and　grooming　themselves；　and　of　flying　out　of　the　window　again　to　return　with　other　predatory　squadrons。　Indeed；　so　dazed　was　Chichikov　that　scarcely　did　he　realise　that　the　Governor　was　taking　him　by　the　arm　and　presenting　him　to　his　（the　Governor's）　lady。　Yet　the　newly…arrived　guest　kept　his　head　sufficiently　to　contrive　to　murmur　some　such　compliment　as　might　fittingly　come　from　a　middle…aged　individual　of　a　rank　neither　excessively　high　nor　excessively　low。　Next；　when　couples　had　been　formed　for　dancing　and　the　remainder　of　the　company　found　itself　pressed　back　against　the　walls；　Chichikov　folded　his　arms；　and　carefully　scrutinised　the　dancers。　Some　of　the　ladies　were　dressed　well　and　in　the　fashion；　while　the　remainder　were　clad　in　such　garments　as　God　usually　bestows　upon　a　provincial　town。　Also　here；　as　elsewhere；　the　men　belonged　to　two　separate　and　distinct　categories；　one　of　which　comprised　slender　individuals　who；　flitting　around　the　ladies；　were　scarcely　to　be　distinguished　from　denizens　of　the　metropolis；　so　carefully；　so　artistically；　groomed　were　their　whiskers；　so　presentable　their　oval；　clean…shaven　faces；　so　easy　the　manner　of　their　dancing　attendance　upon　their　womenfolk；　so　glib　their　French　conversation　as　they　quizzed　their　female　companions。　As　for　the　other　category；　it　comprised　individuals　who；　stout；　or　of　the　same　build　as　Chichikov　（that　is　to　say；　neither　very　portly　nor　very　lean）；　backed　and　sidled　away　from　the　ladies；　and　kept　peering　hither　and　thither　to　see　whether　the　Governor's　footmen　had　set　out　green　tables　for　whist。　Their　features　were　full　and　plump；　some　of　them　had　beards；　and　in　no　case　was　their　hair　curled　or　waved　or　arranged　in　what　the　French　call　〃the　devil…may…care〃　style。　On　the　contrary；　their　heads　were　either　close…cropped　or　brushed　very　smooth；　and　their　faces　were　round　and　firm。　This　category　represented　the　more　respectable　officials　of　the　town。　In　passing；　I　may　say　that　in　business　matters　fat　men　always　prove　superior　to　their　leaner　brethren；　which　is　probably　the　reason　why　the　latter　are　mostly　to　be　found　in　the　Political　Police；　or　acting　as　mere　ciphers　whose　existence　is　a　purely　hopeless；　airy；　trivial　one。　Again；　stout　individuals　never　take　a　back　seat；　but　always　a　front　one；　and；　wheresoever　it　be；　they　sit　firmly；　and　with　confidence；　and　decline　to　budge　even　though　the　seat　crack　and　bend　with　their　weight。　For　comeliness　of　exterior　they　care　not　a　rap；　and　therefore　a　dress　coat　sits　less　easily　on　their　figures　than　is　the　case　with　figures　of　leaner　individuals。　Yet　invariably　fat　men　amass　the　greater　wealth。　In　thr