dead souls(死魂灵)-第3章

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the　case　with　figures　of　leaner　individuals。　Yet　invariably　fat　men　amass　the　greater　wealth。　In　three　years'　time　a　thin　man　will　not　have　a　single　serf　whom　he　has　left　unpledged；　whereaswell；　pray　look　at　a　fat　man's　fortunes；　and　what　will　you　see？　First　of　all　a　suburban　villa；　and　then　a　larger　suburban　villa；　and　then　a　villa　close　to　a　town；　and　lastly　a　country　estate　which　comprises　every　amenity！　That　is　to　say；　having　served　both　God　and　the　State；　the　stout　individual　has　won　universal　respect；　and　will　end　by　retiring　from　business；　reordering　his　mode　of　life；　and　becoming　a　Russian　landownerin　other　words；　a　fine　gentleman　who　dispenses　hospitality；　lives　in　comfort　and　luxury；　and　is　destined　to　leave　his　property　to　heirs　who　are　purposing　to　squander　the　same　on　foreign　travel。

That　the　foregoing　represents　pretty　much　the　gist　of　Chichikov's　reflections　as　he　stood　watching　the　company　I　will　not　attempt　to　deny。　And　of　those　reflections　the　upshot　was　that　he　decided　to　join　himself　to　the　stouter　section　of　the　guests；　among　whom　he　had　already　recognised　several　familiar　facesnamely；　those　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　（a　man　with　beetling　brows　over　eyes　which　seemed　to　be　saying　with　a　wink；　〃Come　into　the　next　room；　my　friend；　for　I　have　something　to　say　to　you〃though；　in　the　main；　their　owner　was　a　man　of　grave　and　taciturn　habit）；　of　the　Postmaster　（an　insignificant…looking　individual；　yet　a　would…be　wit　and　a　philosopher）；　and　of　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　（a　man　of　much　amiability　and　good　sense）。　These　three　personages　greeted　Chichikov　as　an　old　acquaintance；　and　to　their　salutations　he　responded　with　a　sidelong；　yet　a　sufficiently　civil；　bow。　Also；　he　became　acquainted　with　an　extremely　unctuous　and　approachable　landowner　named　Manilov；　and　with　a　landowner　of　more　uncouth　exterior　named　Sobakevitchthe　latter　of　whom　began　the　acquaintance　by　treading　heavily　upon　Chichikov's　toes；　and　then　begging　his　pardon。　Next；　Chichikov　received　an　offer　of　a　〃cut　in〃　at　whist；　and　accepted　the　same　with　his　usual　courteous　inclination　of　the　head。　Seating　themselves　at　a　green　table；　the　party　did　not　rise　therefrom　till　supper　time；　and　during　that　period　all　conversation　between　the　players　became　hushed；　as　is　the　custom　when　men　have　given　themselves　up　to　a　really　serious　pursuit。　Even　the　Postmastera　talkative　man　by　naturehad　no　sooner　taken　the　cards　into　his　hands　than　he　assumed　an　expression　of　profound　thought；　pursed　his　lips；　and　retained　this　attitude　unchanged　throughout　the　game。　Only　when　playing　a　court　card　was　it　his　custom　to　strike　the　table　with　his　fist；　and　to　exclaim　（if　the　card　happened　to　be　a　queen）；　〃Now；　old　popadia＇4＇！〃　and　（if　the　card　happened　to　be　a　king）；　〃Now；　peasant　of　Tambov！〃　To　which　ejaculations　invariably　the　President　of　the　Local　Council　retorted；　〃Ah；　I　have　him　by　the　ears；　I　have　him　by　the　ears！〃　And　from　the　neighbourhood　of　the　table　other　strong　ejaculations　relative　to　the　play　would　arise；　interposed　with　one　or　another　of　those　nicknames　which　participants　in　a　game　are　apt　to　apply　to　members　of　the　various　suits。　I　need　hardly　add　that；　the　game　over；　the　players　fell　to　quarrelling；　and　that　in　the　dispute　our　friend　joined；　though　so　artfully　as　to　let　every　one　see　that；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　he　was　wrangling；　he　was　doing　so　only　in　the　most　amicable　fashion　possible。　Never　did　he　say　outright；　〃You　played　the　wrong　card　at　such　and　such　a　point。〃　No；　he　always　employed　some　such　phrase　as；　〃You　permitted　yourself　to　make　a　slip；　and　thus　afforded　me　the　honour　of　covering　your　deuce。〃　Indeed；　the　better　to　keep　in　accord　with　his　antagonists；　he　kept　offering　them　his　silver…enamelled　snuff…box　（at　the　bottom　of　which　lay　a　couple　of　violets；　placed　there　for　the　sake　of　their　scent）。　In　particular　did　the　newcomer　pay　attention　to　landowners　Manilov　and　Sobakevitch；　so　much　so　that　his　haste　to　arrive　on　good　terms　with　them　led　to　his　leaving　the　President　and　the　Postmaster　rather　in　the　shade。　At　the　same　time；　certain　questions　which　he　put　to　those　two　landowners　evinced　not　only　curiosity；　but　also　a　certain　amount　of　sound　intelligence；　for　he　began　by　asking　how　many　peasant　souls　each　of　them　possessed；　and　how　their　affairs　happened　at　present　to　be　situated；　and　then　proceeded　to　enlighten　himself　also　as　their　standing　and　their　families。　Indeed；　it　was　not　long　before　he　had　succeeded　in　fairly　enchanting　his　new　friends。　In　particular　did　Manilova　man　still　in　his　prime；　and　possessed　of　a　pair　of　eyes　which；　sweet　as　sugar；　blinked　whenever　he　laughedfind　himself　unable　to　make　enough　of　his　enchanter。　Clasping　Chichikov　long　and　fervently　by　the　hand；　he　besought　him　to　do　him；　Manilov；　the　honour　of　visiting　his　country　house　（which　he　declared　to　lie　at　a　distance　of　not　more　than　fifteen　versts　from　the　boundaries　of　the　town）；　and　in　return　Chichikov　averred　（with　an　exceedingly　affable　bow　and　a　most　sincere　handshake）　that　he　was　prepared　not　only　to　fulfil　his　friend's　behest；　but　also　to　look　upon　the　fulfilling　of　it　as　a　sacred　duty。　In　the　same　way　Sobakevitch　said　to　him　laconically：　〃And　do　you　pay　ME　a　visit；〃　and　then　proceeded　to　shuffle　a　pair　of　boots　of　such　dimensions　that　to　find　a　pair　to　correspond　with　them　would　have　been　indeed　difficultmore　especially　at　the　present　day；　when　the　race　of　epic　heroes　is　beginning　to　die　out　in　Russia。

＇4＇　Priest's　wife。

Next　day　Chichikov　dined　and　spent　the　evening　at　the　house　of　the　Chief　of　Policea　residence　where；　three　hours　after　dinner；　every　one　sat　down　to　whist；　and　remained　so　seated　until　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　On　this　occasion　Chichikov　made　the　acquaintance　of；　among

others；　a　landowner　named　Nozdreva　dissipated　little　fellow　of　thirty　who　had　no　sooner　exchanged　three　or　four　words　with　his　new　acquaintance　than　he　began　to　address　him　in　the　second　person　singular。　Yet　although　he　did　the　same　to　the　Chief　of　Police　and　the　Public　Prosecutor；　the　company　had　no　sooner　seated　themselves　at　the　card…table　than　both　the　one　and　the　other　of　these　functionaries　started　to　keep　a　careful　eye　upon　Nozdrev's　tricks；　and　to　watch　practically　every　card　which　he　played。　The　following　evening　Chichikov　spent　with　the　President　of　the　Local　Council；　who　received　his　guestseven　though　the　latter　included　two　ladiesin　a　greasy　dressing…gown。　Upon　that　followed　an　evening　at　the　Vice…Governor's；　a　large　dinner　party　at　the　house　of　the　Commissioner　of　Taxes；　a　smaller　dinner…party　at　the　house　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　（a　very　wealthy　man）；　and　a　subsequent　reception　given　by　the　Mayor。　In　short；　not　an　hour　of　the　day　did　Chichikov　find　himself　forced　to　spend　at　home；　and　his　return　to　the　inn　became　necessary　only　for　the　purposes　of　sleeping。　Somehow　or　other　he　had　landed　on　his　feet；　and　everywhere　he　figured　as　an　experienced　man　of　the　world。　No　matter　what　the　conversation　chanced　to　be　about；　he　always　contrived　to　maintain　his　part　in　the　same。　Did　the　discourse　turn　upon　horse…breeding；　upon　horse…breeding　he　happened　to　be　peculiarly　well…qualified　to　speak。　Did　the　company　fall　to　discussing　well…bred　dogs；　at　once　he　had　remarks　of　the　most　pertinent　kind　possible　to　offer。　Did　the　company　touch　upon　a　prosecution　which　had　recently　been　carried　out　by　the　Excise　Department；　instantly　he　showed　that　he　too　was　not　wholly　unacquainted　with　legal　affairs。　Did　an　opinion　chance　to　be　expressed　concerning　billiards；　on　that　subject　too　he　was　at　least　able　to　avoid　committing　a　blunder。　Did　a　reference　occur　to　virtue；　concerning　virtue　he　hastened　to　deliver　himself　in　a　way　which　brought　tears　to　every　eye。　Did　the　subject　in　hand　happen　to　be　the　distilling　of　brandywell；　that　was　a　matter　concerning　which　he　had　the　soundest　of　knowledge。　Did　any　one　happen　to　mention　Customs　officials　and　inspectors；　from　that　moment　he　expatiated　as　though　he　too　had　been　both　a　minor　functionary　and　a　major。　Yet　a　remarkable　fact　was　the　circumstance　that　he　always　contrived　to　temper　his　omniscience　with　a　certain　readiness　to　give　way；　a　certain　ability　so　to　keep　a　rein　upon　himself　that　never　did　his　utterances　become　too　loud　or　too　soft；　or　transcend　what　was　perfectly　befitting。　In　a　word；　he　was　always　a　gentleman　of　excellent　manners；　and　every　official　in　the　place　felt　pleased　when　he　saw　him　enter　the　door。　Thus　the　Governor　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　Chichikov　was　a　man　of　excellent　intentions；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　that　he　was　a　good　man　of　business；　the　Chief　of　Gendarmery；　that　he　was　a　man　of　education；　the　President　of　the　Local　Council；　that　he　was　a　man　of　breeding　and　refinement；　and　the　wife　of　the　Chief　of　Gendarmery；　that　his　politeness　of　behaviour　was　equalled　only　by　his　affability　of　bearing。　Nay；　even　Sobakevitchwho　as　a　rule　never　spoke　well　of　ANY　ONEsaid　to　his　lanky　wife　when；　on　returning　late　from　the　town；　he　undressed　and　betook　himself　to　bed　by　her　side：　〃My　dear；　this　evening；　after　dining　with　the　Chief　of　Police；　I　went　on　to　the　Governor's；　and　met　there；　among　others；　a　certain　Paul　Ivanovitch　Chichikov；　who　is　a　Collegiate　Councillor　and　a　very　pleasant　fellow。〃　To　this　his　spouse　replied　〃Hm！〃　and　then　dealt　him　a　hearty　kick　in　the　ribs。

Such　were　the　flattering　opinions　earned　by　the　newcomer　to　the　town；　and　these　opinions　he　retained　until　the　time　when　a　certain　speciality　of　his；　a　certain　scheme　of　his　（the　reader　will　learn　presently　what　it　was）；　plunged　the　majority　of　the　townsfolk　into　a　sea　of　perplexity。



CHAPTER　II

For　more　than　two　weeks　the　visitor　lived　amid　a　round　of　evening　parties　and　dinners；　wherefore　he　spent　（as　the　saying　goes）　a　very　pleasant　time。　Finally　he　decided　to　extend　his　visits　beyond　the　urban　boundaries　by　going　and　calling　upon　landowners　Manilov　and　Sobakevitch；　seeing　that　he　had　promised　on　his　honour　to　do　so。　Yet　what　really　incited　him　to　this　may　have　been　a　more　essential　cause；　a　matter　of　greater　gravity；　a　purpose　which　stood　nearer　to　his　heart；　than　the　motive　which　I　have　just　given；　and　of　that　purpose　the　reader　will　learn　if　only　he　will　have　the　patience　to　read　this　prefatory　narrative　（which；　lengthy　though　it　be；　may　yet　develop　and　expand　in　proportion　as　we　approach　the　denouement　with　which　the　present　work　is　destined　to　be　crowned）。

One　evening；　therefore；　Selifan　the　coachman　received　orders　to　have　the　horses　harnessed　in　good　time　next　morning；　while　Petrushka　received　orders　to　remain　behind；　for　the　purpose　of　looking　after　the　portmanteau　and　the　room。　In　passing；　the　reader　may　care　to　become　more　fully　acquainted　with　the　two　serving…men　of　whom　I　have　spoken。　Naturally；　they　were　not　persons　of　much　note；　but　merely　what　folk　call　characters　of　secondary；　or　even　of　tertiary；　importance。　Yet；　despite　the　fact　that　the　springs　and　the　thread　of　this　romance　will　not　DEPEND　upon　them；　but　only　touch　upon　them；　and　occasionally　include　them；　the　author　has　a　passion　for　circumstantiality；　and；　like　the　average　Russian；　such　a　desire　for　accuracy　as　even　a　German　could　not　rival。　To　what　the　reader　already　knows　concerning　the　personages　in　hand　it　is　therefore　necessary　to　add　that　Petrushka　usually　wore　a　cast…off　brown　ja