dead souls(死魂灵)-第39章

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oor　neighbour　turns　angrily　in　his　corner　as　he　begins　to　be　conscious　of　your　weight。　Then　again　you　awake；　but　this　time　to　find　yourself　confronted　with　only　fields　and　steppes。　Everywhere　in　the　ascendant　is　the　desolation　of　space。　But　suddenly　the　ciphers　on　a　verst　stone　leap　to　the　eye！　Morning　is　rising；　and　on　the　chill；　gradually　paling　line　of　the　horizon　you　can　see　gleaming　a　faint　gold　streak。　The　wind　freshens　and　grows　keener；　and　you　snuggle　closer　in　your　cloak；　yet　how　glorious　is　that　freshness；　and　how　marvellous　the　sleep　in　which　once　again　you　become　enfolded！　A　jolt！and　for　the　last　time　you　return　to　consciousness。　By　now　the　sun　is　high　in　the　heavens；　and　you　hear　a　voice　cry　〃gently；　gently！〃　as　a　farm　waggon　issues　from　a　by…road。　Below；　enclosed　within　an　ample　dike；　stretches　a　sheet　of　water　which　glistens　like　copper　in　the　sunlight。　Beyond；　on　the　side　of　a　slope；　lie　some　scattered　peasants'　huts；　a　manor　house；　and；　flanking　the　latter；　a　village　church　with　its　cross　flashing　like　a　star。　There　also　comes　wafted　to　your　ear　the　sound　of　peasants'　laughter；　while　in　your　inner　man　you　are　becoming　conscious　of　an　appetite　which　is　not　to　be　withstood。

Oh　long…drawn　highway；　how　excellent　you　are！　How　often　have　I　in　weariness　and　despondency　set　forth　upon　your　length；　and　found　in　you　salvation　and　rest！　How　often；　as　I　followed　your　leading；　have　I　been　visited　with　wonderful　thoughts　and　poetic　dreams　and　curious；　wild　impressions！

At　this　moment　our　friend　Chichikov　also　was　experiencing　visions　of　a　not　wholly　prosaic　nature。　Let　us　peep　into　his　soul　and　share　them。　At　first　he　remained　unconscious　of　anything　whatsoever；　for　he　was　too　much　engaged　in　making　sure　that　he　was　really　clear　of　the　town；　but　as　soon　as　he　saw　that　it　had　completely　disappeared；　with　its　mills　and　factories　and　other　urban　appurtenances；　and　that　even　the　steeples　of　the　white　stone　churches　had　sunk　below　the　horizon；　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　road；　and　the　town　of　N。　vanished　from　his　thoughts　as　completely　as　though　he　had　not　seen　it　since　childhood。　Again；　in　its　turn；　the　road　ceased　to　interest　him；　and　he　began　to　close　his　eyes　and　to　loll　his　head　against　the　cushions。　Of　this　let　the　author　take　advantage；　in　order　to　speak　at　length　concerning　his　hero；　since　hitherto　he　（the　author）　has　been　prevented　from　so　doing　by　Nozdrev　and　balls　and　ladies　and　local　intriguesby　those　thousand　trifles　which　seem　trifles　only　when　they　are　introduced　into　a　book；　but　which；　in　life；　figure　as　affairs　of　importance。　Let　us　lay　them　aside；　and　betake　ourselves　to　business。

Whether　the　character　whom　I　have　selected　for　my　hero　has　pleased　my　readers　is；　of　course；　exceedingly　doubtful。　At　all　events　the　ladies　will　have　failed　to　approve　him　for　the　fair　sex　demands　in　a　hero　perfection；　and；　should　there　be　the　least　mental　or　physical　stain　on　himwell；　woe　betide！　Yes；　no　matter　how　profoundly　the　author　may　probe　that　hero's　soul；　no　matter　how　clearly　he　may　portray　his　figure　as　in　a　mirror；　he　will　be　given　no　credit　for　the　achievement。　Indeed；　Chichikov's　very　stoutness　and　plenitude　of　years　may　have　militated　against　him；　for　never　is　a　hero　pardoned　for　the　former；　and　the　majority　of　ladies　will；　in　such　case；　turn　away；　and　mutter　to　themselves：　〃Phew！　What　a　beast！〃　Yes；　the　author　is　well　aware　of　this。　Yet；　though　he　could　not；　to　save　his　life；　take　a　person　of　virtue　for　his　principal　character；　it　may　be　that　this　story　contains　themes　never　before　selected；　and　that　in　it　there　projects　the　whole　boundless　wealth　of　Russian　psychology；　that　it　portrays；　as　well　as　Chichikov；　the　peasant　who　is　gifted　with　the　virtues　which　God　has　sent　him；　and　the　marvellous　maiden　of　Russia　who　has　not　her　like　in　all　the　world　for　her　beautiful　feminine　spirituality；　the　roots　of　which　lie　buried　in　noble　aspirations　and　boundless　self…denial。　In　fact；　compared　with　these　types；　the　virtuous　of　other　races　seem　lifeless；　as　does　an　inanimate　volume　when　compared　with　the　living　word。　Yes；　each　time　that　there　arises　in　Russia　a　movement　of　thought；　it　becomes　clear　that　the　movement　sinks　deep　into　the　Slavonic　nature　where　it　would　but　have　skimmed　the　surface　of　other　nations。But　why　am　I　talking　like　this？　Whither　am　I　tending？　It　is　indeed　shameful　that　an　author　who　long　ago　reached　man's　estate；　and　was　brought　up　to　a　course　of　severe　introspection　and　sober；　solitary　self…enlightenment；　should　give　way　to　such　jejune　wandering　from　the　point。　To　everything　its　proper　time　and　place　and　turn。　As　I　was　saying；　it　does　not　lie　in　me　to　take　a　virtuous　character　for　my　hero：　and　I　will　tell　you　why。　It　is　because　it　is　high　time　that　a　rest　were　given　to　the　〃poor；　but　virtuous〃　individual；　it　is　because　the　phrase　〃a　man　of　worth〃　has　grown　into　a　by…word；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　has　become　converted　into　a　horse；　and　there　is　not　a　writer　but　rides　him　and　flogs　him；　in　and　out　of　season；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　has　been　starved　until　he　has　not　a　shred　of　his　virtue　left；　and　all　that　remains　of　his　body　is　but　the　ribs　and　the　hide；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　is　for　ever　being　smuggled　upon　the　scene；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　has　at　length　forfeited　every　one's　respect。　For　these　reasons　do　I　reaffirm　that　it　is　high　time　to　yoke　a　rascal　to　the　shafts。　Let　us　yoke　that　rascal。

Our　hero's　beginnings　were　both　modest　and　obscure。　True；　his　parents　were　dvoriane；　but　he　in　no　way　resembled　them。　At　all　events；　a　short；　squab　female　relative　who　was　present　at　his　birth　exclaimed　as　she　lifted　up　the　baby：　〃He　is　altogether　different　from　what　I　had　expected　him　to　be。　He　ought　to　have　taken　after　his　maternal　grandmother；　whereas　he　has　been　born；　as　the　proverb　has　it；　'like　not　father　nor　mother；　but　like　a　chance　passer…by。'〃　Thus　from　the　first　life　regarded　the　little　Chichikov　with　sour　distaste；　and　as　through　a　dim；　frost…encrusted　window。　A　tiny　room　with　diminutive　casements　which　were　never　opened；　summer　or　winter；　an　invalid　father　in　a　dressing…gown　lined　with　lambskin；　and　with　an　ailing　foot　swathed　in　bandagesa　man　who　was　continually　drawing　deep　breaths；　and　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　and　spitting　into　a　sandbox；　a　period　of　perpetually　sitting　on　a　bench　with　pen　in　hand　and　ink　on　lips　and　fingers；　a　period　of　being　eternally　confronted　with　the　copy…book　maxim；　〃Never　tell　a　lie；　but　obey　your　superiors；　and　cherish　virtue　in　your　heart；〃　an　everlasting　scraping　and　shuffling　of　slippers　up　and　down　the　room；　a　period　of　continually　hearing　a　well…known；　strident　voice　exclaim：　〃So　you　have　been　playing　the　fool　again！〃　at　times　when　the　child；　weary　of　the　mortal　monotony　of　his　task；　had　added　a　superfluous　embellishment　to　his　copy；　a　period　of　experiencing　the　ever…familiar；　but　ever…unpleasant；　sensation　which　ensued　upon　those　words　as　the　boy's　ear　was　painfully　twisted　between　two　long　fingers　bent　backwards　at　the　tipssuch　is　the　miserable　picture　of　that　youth　of　which；　in　later　life；　Chichikov　preserved　but　the　faintest　of　memories！　But　in　this　world　everything　is　liable　to　swift　and　sudden　change；　and；　one　day　in　early　spring；　when　the　rivers　had　melted；　the　father　set　forth　with　his　little　son　in　a　teliezshka＇1＇　drawn　by　a　sorrel　steed　of　the　kind　known　to　horsy　folk　as　a　soroka；　and　having　as　coachman　the　diminutive　hunchback　who；　father　of　the　only　serf　family　belonging　to　the　elder　Chichikov；　served　as　general　factotum　in　the　Chichikov　establishment。　For　a　day　and　a　half　the　soroka　conveyed　them　on　their　way；　during　which　time　they　spent　the　night　at　a　roadside　inn；　crossed　a　river；　dined　off　cold　pie　and　roast　mutton；　and　eventually　arrived　at　the　county　town。　To　the　lad　the　streets　presented　a　spectacle　of　unwonted　brilliancy；　and　he　gaped　with　amazement。　Turning　into　a　side　alley　wherein　the　mire　necessitated　both　the　most　strenuous　exertions　on　the　soroka's　part　and　the　most　vigorous　castigation　on　the　part　of　the　driver　and　the　barin；　the　conveyance　eventually　reached　the　gates　of　a　courtyard　which；　combined　with　a　small　fruit　garden　containing　various　bushes；　a　couple　of　apple…trees　in　blossom；　and　a　mean；　dirty　little　shed；　constituted　the　premises　attached　to　an　antiquated…looking　villa。　Here　there　lived　a　relative　of　the　Chichikovs；　a　wizened　old　lady　who　went　to　market　in　person　and　dried　her　stockings　at　the　samovar。　On　seeing　the　boy；　she　patted　his　cheek　and　expressed　satisfaction　at　his　physique；　whereupon　the　fact　became　disclosed　that　here　he　was　to　abide　for　a　while；　for　the　purpose　of　attending　a　local　school。　After　a　night's　rest　his　father　prepared　to　betake　himself　homeward　again；　but　no　tears　marked　the　parting　between　him　and　his　son；　he　merely　gave　the　lad　a　copper　or　two　and　（a　far　more　important　thing）　the　following　injunctions。　〃See　here；　my　boy。　Do　your　lessons　well；　do　not　idle　or　play　the　fool；　and　above　all　things；　see　that　you　please　your　teachers。　So　long　as　you　observe　these　rules　you　will　make　progress；　and　surpass　your　fellows；　even　if　God　shall　have　denied　you　brains；　and　you　should　fail　in　your　studies。　Also；　do　not　consort　overmuch　with　your　comrades；　for　they　will　do　you　no　good；　but；　should　you　do　so；　then　make　friends　with　the　richer　of　them；　since　one　day　they　may　be　useful　to　you。　Also；　never　entertain　or　treat　any　one；　but　see　that　every　one　entertains　and　treats　YOU。　Lastly；　and　above　all　else；　keep　and　save　your　every　kopeck。　To　save　money　is　the　most　important　thing　in　life。　Always　a　friend　or　a　comrade　may　fail　you；　and　be　the　first　to　desert　you　in　a　time　of　adversity；　but　never　will　a　KOPECK　fail　you；　whatever　may　be　your　plight。　Nothing　in　the　world　cannot　be　done；　cannot　be　attained；　with　the　aid　of　money。〃　These　injunctions　given；　the　father　embraced　his　son；　and　set　forth　on　his　return；　and　though　the　son　never　again　beheld　his　parent；　the　latter's　words　and　precepts　sank　deep　into　the　little　Chichikov's　soul。

＇1＇　Four…wheeled　open　carriage。

The　next　day　young　Pavlushka　made　his　first　attendance　at　school。　But　no　special　aptitude　in　any　branch　of　learning　did　he　display。　Rather；　his　distinguishing　characteristics　were　diligence　and　neatness。　On　the　other　hand；　he　developed　great　intelligence　as　regards　the　PRACTICAL　aspect　of　life。　In　a　trice　he　divined　and　comprehended　how　things　ought　to　be　worked；　and；　from　that　time　forth；　bore　himself　towards　his　school…fellows　in　such　a　way　that；　though　they　frequently　gave　him　presents；　he　not　only　never　returned　the　compliment；　but　even　on　occasions　pocketed　the　gifts　for　the　mere　purpose　of　selling　them　again。　Also；　boy　though　he　was；　he　acquired　the　art　of　self…denial。　Of　the　trifle　which　his　father　had　given　him　on　parting　he　spent　not　a　kopeck；　but；　the　same　year；　actually　added　to　his　little　store　by　fashioning　a　bullfinch　of　wax；　painting　it；　and　selling　the　same　at　a　handsome　profit。　Next；　as　time　went　on；　he　engaged　in　other　speculationsin　particular；　in　the　scheme　of　buying　up　eatables；　taking　his　seat　in　class　beside　boys　who　had　plenty　of　pocket…money；　and；　as　soon　as　such　opulent　individuals　showed　signs　of　failing　attention　（and；　therefore；　of　growing　appetite）；　tendering　them；　from　beneath　the　desk；　a　roll　of