dead souls(死魂灵)-第44章

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nality　contains　nothing　which　may　not；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　become　altogether　changednothing　in　which；　before　you　can　look　round；　there　may　not　spring　to　birth　some　cankerous　worm　which　is　destined　to　suck　thence　the　essential　juice。　Yes；　it　is　a　common　thing　to　see　not　only　an　overmastering　passion；　but　also　a　passion　of　the　most　petty　order；　arise　in　a　man　who　was　born　to　better　things；　and　lead　him　both　to　forget　his　greatest　and　most　sacred　obligations；　and　to　see　only　in　the　veriest　trifles　the　Great　and　the　Holy。　For　human　passions　are　as　numberless　as　is　the　sand　of　the　seashore；　and　go　on　to　become　his　most　insistent　of　masters。　Happy；　therefore；　the　man　who　may　choose　from　among　the　gamut　of　human　passions　one　which　is　noble！　Hour　by　hour　will　that　instinct　grow　and　multiply　in　its　measureless　beneficence；　hour　by　hour　will　it　sink　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　infinite　paradise　of　his　soul。　But　there　are　passions　of　which　a　man　cannot　rid　himself；　seeing　that　they　are　born　with　him　at　his　birth；　and　he　has　no　power　to　abjure　them。　Higher　powers　govern　those　passions；　and　in　them　is　something　which　will　call　to　him；　and　refuse　to　be　silenced；　to　the　end　of　his　life。　Yes；　whether　in　a　guise　of　darkness；　or　whether　in　a　guise　which　will　become　converted　into　a　light　to　lighten　the　world；　they　will　and　must　attain　their　consummation　on　life's　field：　and　in　either　case　they　have　been　evoked　for　man's　good。　In　the　same　way　may　the　passion　which　drew　our　Chichikov　onwards　have　been　one　that　was　independent　of　himself；　in　the　same　way　may　there　have　lurked　even　in　his　cold　essence　something　which　will　one　day　cause　men　to　humble　themselves　in　the　dust　before　the　infinite　wisdom　of　God。

Yet　that　folk　should　be　dissatisfied　with　my　hero　matters　nothing。　What　matters　is　the　fact　that；　under　different　circumstances；　their　approval　could　have　been　taken　as　a　foregone　conclusion。　That　is　to　say；　had　not　the　author　pried　over…deeply　into　Chichikov's　soul；　nor　stirred　up　in　its　depths　what　shunned　and　lay　hidden　from　the　light；　nor　disclosed　those　of　his　hero's　thoughts　which　that　hero　would　have　not　have　disclosed　even　to　his　most　intimate　friend；　had　the　author；　indeed；　exhibited　Chichikov　just　as　he　exhibited　himself　to　the　townsmen　of　N。　and　Manilov　and　the　rest；　well；　then　we　may　rest　assured　that　every　reader　would　have　been　delighted　with　him；　and　have　voted　him　a　most　interesting　person。　For　it　is　not　nearly　so　necessary　that　Chichikov　should　figure　before　the　reader　as　though　his　form　and　person　were　actually　present　to　the　eye　as　that；　on　concluding　a　perusal　of　this　work；　the　reader　should　be　able　to　return；　unharrowed　in　soul；　to　that　cult　of　the　card…table　which　is　the　solace　and　delight　of　all　good　Russians。　Yes；　readers　of　this　book；　none　of　you　really　care　to　see　humanity　revealed　in　its　nakedness。　〃Why　should　we　do　so？〃　you　say。　〃What　would　be　the　use　of　it？　Do　we　not　know　for　ourselves　that　human　life　contains　much　that　is　gross　and　contemptible？　Do　we　not　with　our　own　eyes　have　to　look　upon　much　that　is　anything　but　comforting？　Far　better　would　it　be　if　you　would　put　before　us　what　is　comely　and　attractive；　so　that　we　might　forget　ourselves　a　little。〃　In　the　same　fashion　does　a　landowner　say　to　his　bailiff：　〃Why　do　you　come　and　tell　me　that　the　affairs　of　my　estate　are　in　a　bad　way？　I　know　that　without　YOUR　help。　Have　you　nothing　else　to　tell　me？　Kindly　allow　me　to　forget　the　fact；　or　else　to　remain　in　ignorance　of　it；　and　I　shall　be　much　obliged　to　you。〃　Whereafter　the　said　landowner　probably　proceeds　to　spend　on　his　diversion　the　money　which　ought　to　have　gone　towards　the　rehabilitation　of　his　affairs。

Possibly　the　author　may　also　incur　censure　at　the　hands　of　those　so…called　〃patriots〃　who　sit　quietly　in　corners；　and　become　capitalists　through　making　fortunes　at　the　expense　of　others。　Yes；　let　but　something　which　they　conceive　to　be　derogatory　to　their　country　occurfor　instance；　let　there　be　published　some　book　which　voices　the　bitter　truthand　out　they　will　come　from　their　hiding…places　like　a　spider　which　perceives　a　fly　to　be　caught　in　its　web。　〃Is　it　well　to　proclaim　this　to　the　world；　and　to　set　folk　talking　about　it？〃　they　will　cry。　〃What　you　have　described　touches　US；　is　OUR　affair。　Is　conduct　of　that　kind　right？　What　will　foreigners　say？　Does　any　one　care　calmly　to　sit　by　and　hear　himself　traduced？　Why　should　you　lead　foreigners　to　suppose　that　all　is　not　well　with　us；　and　that　we　are　not　patriotic？〃　Well；　to　these　sage　remarks　no　answer　can　really　be　returned；　especially　to　such　of　the　above　as　refer　to　foreign　opinion。　But　see　here。　There　once　lived　in　a　remote　corner　of　Russia　two　natives　of　the　region　indicated。　One　of　those　natives　was　a　good　man　named　Kifa　Mokievitch；　and　a　man　of　kindly　disposition；　a　man　who　went　through　life　in　a　dressing…gown；　and　paid　no　heed　to　his　household；　for　the　reason　that　his　whole　being　was　centred　upon　the　province　of　speculation；　and　that；　in　particular；　he　was　preoccupied　with　a　philosophical　problem　usually　stated　by　him　thus：　〃A　beast；〃　he　would　say；　〃is　born　naked。　Now；　why　should　that　be？　Why　should　not　a　beast　be　born　as　a　bird　is　bornthat　is　to　say；　through　the　process　of　being　hatched　from　an　egg？　Nature　is　beyond　the　understanding；　however　much　one　may　probe　her。〃　This　was　the　substance　of　Kifa　Mokievitch's　reflections。　But　herein　is　not　the　chief　point。　The　other　of　the　pair　was　a　fellow　named　Mofi　Kifovitch；　and　son　to　the　first　named。　He　was　what　we　Russians　call　a　〃hero；〃　and　while　his　father　was　pondering　the　parturition　of　beasts；　his；　the　son's；　lusty；　twenty…year…old　temperament　was　violently　struggling　for　development。　Yet　that　son　could　tackle　nothing　without　some　accident　occurring。　At　one　moment　would　he　crack　some　one's　fingers　in　half；　and　at　another　would　he　raise　a　bump　on　somebody's　nose；　so　that　both　at　home　and　abroad　every　one　and　everythingfrom　the　serving…maid　to　the　yard…dogfled　on　his　approach；　and　even　the　bed　in　his　bedroom　became　shattered　to　splinters。　Such　was　Mofi　Kifovitch；　and　with　it　all　he　had　a　kindly　soul。　But　herein　is　not　the　chief　point。　〃Good　sir；　good　Kifa　Mokievitch；〃　servants　and　neighbours　would　come　and　say　to　the　father；　〃what　are　you　going　to　do　about　your　Moki　Kifovitch？　We　get　no　rest　from　him；　he　is　so　above　himself。〃　〃That　is　only　his　play；　that　is　only　his　play；〃　the　father　would　reply。　〃What　else　can　you　expect？　It　is　too　late　now　to　start　a　quarrel　with　him；　and；　moreover；　every　one　would　accuse　me　of　harshness。　True；　he　is　a　little　conceited；　but；　were　I　to　reprove　him　in　public；　the　whole　thing　would　become　common　talk；　and　folk　would　begin　giving　him　a　dog's　name。　And　if　they　did　that；　would　not　their　opinion　touch　me　also；　seeing　that　I　am　his　father？　Also；　I　am　busy　with　philosophy；　and　have　no　time　for　such　things。　Lastly；　Moki　Kifovitch　is　my　son；　and　very　dear　to　my　heart。〃　And；　beating　his　breast；　Kifa　Mokievitch　again　asserted　that；　even　though　his　son　should　elect　to　continue　his　pranks；　it　would　not　be　for　HIM；　for　the　father；　to　proclaim　the　fact；　or　to　fall　out　with　his　offspring。　And；　this　expression　of　paternal　feeling　uttered；　Kifa　Mokievitch　left　Moki　Kifovitch　to　his　heroic　exploits；　and　himself　returned　to　his　beloved　subject　of　speculation；　which　now　included　also　the　problem；　〃Suppose　elephants　were　to　take　to　being　hatched　from　eggs；　would　not　the　shell　of　such　eggs　be　of　a　thickness　proof　against　cannonballs；　and　necessitate　the　invention　of　some　new　type　of　firearm？〃　Thus　at　the　end　of　this　little　story　we　have　these　two　denizens　of　a　peaceful　corner　of　Russia　looking　thence；　as　from　a　window；　in　less　terror　of　doing　what　was　scandalous　than　of　having　it　SAID　of　them　that　they　were　acting　scandalously。　Yes；　the　feeling　animating　our　so…called　〃patriots〃　is　not　true　patriotism　at　all。　Something　else　lies　beneath　it。　Who；　if　not　an　author；　is　to　speak　aloud　the　truth？　Men　like　you；　my　pseudo…patriots；　stand　in　dread　of　the　eye　which　is　able　to　discern；　yet　shrink　from　using　your　own；　and　prefer；　rather；　to　glance　at　everything　unheedingly。　Yes；　after　laughing　heartily　over　Chichikov's　misadventures；　and　perhaps　even　commending　the　author　for　his　dexterity　of　observation　and　pretty　turn　of　wit；　you　will　look　at　yourselves　with　redoubled　pride　and　a　self…satisfied　smile；　and　add：　〃Well；　we　agree　that　in　certain　parts　of　the　provinces　there　exists　strange　and　ridiculous　individuals；　as　well　as　unconscionable　rascals。〃

Yet　which　of　you；　when　quiet；　and　alone；　and　engaged　in　solitary　self…communion；　would　not　do　well　to　probe　YOUR　OWN　souls；　and　to　put　to　YOURSELVES　the　solemn　question；　〃Is　there　not　in　ME　an　element　of　Chichikov？〃　For　how　should　there　not　be？　Which　of　you　is　not　liable　at　any　moment　to　be　passed　in　the　street　by　an　acquaintance　who；　nudging　his　neighbour；　may　say　of　you；　with　a　barely　suppressed　sneer：　〃Look！　there　goes　Chichikov！　That　is　Chichikov　who　has　just　gone　by！〃

But　here　are　we　talking　at　the　top　of　our　voices　whilst　all　the　time　our　hero　lies　slumbering　in　his　britchka！　Indeed；　his　name　has　been　repeated　so　often　during　the　recital　of　his　life's　history　that　he　must　almost　have　heard　us！　And　at　any　time　he　is　an　irritable；　irascible　fellow　when　spoken　of　with　disrespect。　True；　to　the　reader　Chichikov's　displeasure　cannot　matter　a　jot；　but　for　the　author　it　would　mean　ruin　to　quarrel　with　his　hero；　seeing　that；　arm　in　arm；　Chichikov　and　he　have　yet　far　to　go。

〃Tut；　tut；　tut！〃　came　in　a　shout　from　Chichikov。　〃Hi；　Selifan！〃

〃What　is　it？〃　came　the　reply；　uttered　with　a　drawl。

〃What　is　it？　Why；　how　dare　you　drive　like　that？　Come！　Bestir　yourself　a　little！〃

And　indeed；　Selifan　had　long　been　sitting　with　half…closed　eyes；　and　hands　which　bestowed　no　encouragement　upon　his　somnolent　steeds　save　an　occasional　flicking　of　the　reins　against　their　flanks；　whilst　Petrushka　had　lost　his　cap；　and　was　leaning　backwards　until　his　head　had　come　to　rest　against　Chichikov's　kneesa　position　which　necessitated　his　being　awakened　with　a　cuff。　Selifan　also　roused　himself；　and　apportioned　to　the　skewbald　a　few　cuts　across　the　back　of　a　kind　which　at　least　had　the　effect　of　inciting　that　animal　to　trot；　and　when；　presently；　the　other　two　horses　followed　their　companion's　example；　the　light　britchka　moved　forwards　like　a　piece　of　thistledown。　Selifan　flourished　his　whip　and　shouted；　〃Hi；　hi！〃　as　the　inequalities　of　the　road　jerked　him　vertically　on　his　seat；　and　meanwhile；　reclining　against　the　leather　cushions　of　the　vehicle's　interior；　Chichikov　smiled　with　gratification　at　the　sensation　of　driving　fast。　For　what　Russian　does　not　love　to　drive　fast？　Which　of　us　does　not　at　times　yearn　to　give　his　horses　their　head；　and　to　let　them　go；　and　to　cry；　〃To　the　devil　with　the　world！〃？　At　such　moments　a　great　force　seems　to　uplift　one　as　on　wings；　and　one　flies；　and　everything　else　flies；　but　contrariwiseboth　the　verst　stones；　and　traders　riding　on　the　shafts　of　their　waggons；　and　the　forest　with　dark　lines　of　spruce　and　fir　amid　which　may　be　heard　the　axe　of　the　woodcutter　and　the　croaking　of　the　raven。　Yes；　out　of　a　dim；　remote　distance　the　road　comes　towards　one；　and　while　nothing　save　the　sky　and　the　light　clouds　through　which　the　moon　is　cleaving　her　way　seem　halted；　the　brief　g