dead souls(死魂灵)-第46章

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iew：　from　the　political；　from　the　philosophical；　and　from　the　religious；　as　well　as　to　resolve　various　problems　which　had　arisen　to　confront　the　Empire；　and　to　define　clearly　the　great　future　to　which　the　country　stood　ordained。　In　short；　it　was　to　be　the　species　of　compilation　in　which　the　man　of　the　day　so　much　delights。　Yet　the　colossal　undertaking　had　progressed　but　little　beyond　the　sphere　of　projection；　since；　after　a　pen　had　been　gnawed　awhile；　and　a　few　strokes　had　been　committed　to　paper；　the　whole　would　be　laid　aside　in　favour　of　the　reading　of　some　book；　and　that　reading　would　continue　also　during　luncheon　and　be　followed　by　the　lighting　of　a　pipe；　the　playing　of　a　solitary　game　of　chess；　and　the　doing　of　more　or　less　nothing　for　the　rest　of　the　day。

The　foregoing　will　give　the　reader　a　pretty　clear　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　it　was　possible　for　this　man　of　thirty…three　to　waste　his　time。　Clad　constantly　in　slippers　and　a　dressing…gown；　Tientietnikov　never　went　out；　never　indulged　in　any　form　of　dissipation；　and　never　walked　upstairs。　Nothing　did　he　care　for　fresh　air；　and　would　bestow　not　a　passing　glance　upon　all　those　beauties　of　the　countryside　which　moved　visitors　to　such　ecstatic　admiration。　From　this　the　reader　will　see　that　Andrei　Ivanovitch　Tientietnikov　belonged　to　that　band　of　sluggards　whom　we　always　have　with　us；　and　who；　whatever　be　their　present　appellation；　used　to　be　known　by　the　nicknames　of　〃lollopers；〃　〃bed　pressers；〃　and　〃marmots。〃　Whether　the　type　is　a　type　originating　at　birth；　or　a　type　resulting　from　untoward　circumstances　in　later　life；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　A　better　course　than　to　attempt　to　answer　that　question　would　be　to　recount　the　story　of　Tientietnikov's　boyhood　and　upbringing。

Everything　connected　with　the　latter　seemed　to　promise　success；　for　at　twelve　years　of　age　the　boykeen…witted；　but　dreamy　of　temperament；　and　inclined　to　delicacywas　sent　to　an　educational　establishment　presided　over　by　an　exceptional　type　of　master。　The　idol　of　his　pupils；　and　the　admiration　of　his　assistants；　Alexander　Petrovitch　was　gifted　with　an　extraordinary　measure　of　good　sense。　How　thoroughly　he　knew　the　peculiarities　of　the　Russian　of　his　day！　How　well　he　understood　boys！　How　capable　he　was　of　drawing　them　out！　Not　a　practical　joker　in　the　school　but；　after　perpetrating　a　prank；　would　voluntarily　approach　his　preceptor　and　make　to　him　free　confession。　True；　the　preceptor　would　put　a　stern　face　upon　the　matter；　yet　the　culprit　would　depart　with　head　held　higher；　not　lower；　than　before；　since　in　Alexander　Petrovitch　there　was　something　which　heartenedsomething　which　seemed　to　say　to　a　delinquent：　〃Forward　you！　Rise　to　your　feet　again；　even　though　you　have　fallen！〃　Not　lectures　on　good　behaviour　was　it；　therefore；　that　fell　from　his　lips；　but　rather　the　injunction；　〃I　want　to　see　intelligence；　and　nothing　else。　The　boy　who　devotes　his　attention　to　becoming　clever　will　never　play　the　fool；　for　under　such　circumstances；　folly　disappears　of　itself。〃　And　so　folly　did；　for　the　boy　who　failed　to　strive　in　the　desired　direction　incurred　the　contempt　of　all　his　comrades；　and　even　dunces　and　fools　of　senior　standing　did　not　dare　to　raise　a　finger　when　saluted　by　their　juniors　with　opprobrious　epithets。　Yet　〃This　is　too　much；〃　certain　folk　would　say　to　Alexander。　〃The　result　will　be　that　your　students　will　turn　out　prigs。〃　〃But　no；〃　he　would　reply。　〃Not　at　all。　You　see；　I　make　it　my　principle　to　keep　the　incapables　for　a　single　term　only；　since　that　is　enough　for　them；　but　to　the　clever　ones　I　allot　a　double　course　of　instruction。〃　And；　true　enough；　any　lad　of　brains　was　retained　for　this　finishing　course。　Yet　he　did　not　repress　all　boyish　playfulness；　since　he　declared　it　to　be　as　necessary　as　a　rash　to　a　doctor；　inasmuch　as　it　enabled　him　to　diagnose　what　lay　hidden　within。

Consequently；　how　the　boys　loved　him！　Never　was　there　such　an　attachment　between　master　and　pupils。　And　even　later；　during　the　foolish　years；　when　foolish　things　attract；　the　measure　of　affection　which　Alexander　Petrovitch　retained　was　extraordinary。　In　fact；　to　the　day　of　his　death；　every　former　pupil　would　celebrate　the　birthday　of　his　late　master　by　raising　his　glass　in　gratitude　to　the　mentor　dead　and　buriedthen　close　his　eyelids　upon　the　tears　which　would　come　trickling　through　them。　Even　the　slightest　word　of　encouragement　from　Alexander　Petrovitch　could　throw　a　lad　into　a　transport　of　tremulous　joy；　and　arouse　in　him　an　honourable　emulation　of　his　fellows。　Boys　of　small　capacity　he　did　not　long　retain　in　his　establishment；　whereas　those　who　possessed　exceptional　talent　he　put　through　an　extra　course　of　schooling。　This　senior　classa　class　composed　of　specially…selected　pupilswas　a　very　different　affair　from　what　usually　obtains　in　other　colleges。　Only　when　a　boy　had　attained　its　ranks　did　Alexander　demand　of　him　what　other　masters　indiscreetly　require　of　mere　infantsnamely　the　superior　frame　of　mind　which；　while　never　indulging　in　mockery；　can　itself　bear　ridicule；　and　disregard　the　fool；　and　keep　its　temper；　and　repress　itself；　and　eschew　revenge；　and　calmly；　proudly　retain　its　tranquillity　of　soul。　In　short；　whatever　avails　to　form　a　boy　into　a　man　of　assured　character；　that　did　Alexander　Petrovitch　employ　during　the　pupil's　youth；　as　well　as　constantly　put　him　to　the　test。　How　well　he　understood　the　art　of　life！

Of　assistant　tutors　he　kept　but　few；　since　most　of　the　necessary　instruction　he　imparted　in　person；　and；　without　pedantic　terminology　and　inflated　diction　and　views；　could　so　transmit　to　his　listeners　the　inmost　spirit　of　a　lesson　that　even　the　youngest　present　absorbed　its　essential　elements。　Also；　of　studies　he　selected　none　but　those　which　may　help　a　boy　to　become　a　good　citizen；　and　therefore　most　of　the　lectures　which　he　delivered　consisted　of　discourses　on　what　may　be　awaiting　a　youth；　as　well　as　of　such　demarcations　of　life's　field　that　the　pupil；　though　seated；　as　yet；　only　at　the　desk；　could　beforehand　bear　his　part　in　that　field　both　in　thought　and　spirit。　Nor　did　the　master　CONCEAL　anything。　That　is　to　say；　without　mincing　words；　he　invariably　set　before　his　hearers　the　sorrows　and　the　difficulties　which　may　confront　a　man；　the　trials　and　the　temptations　which　may　beset　him。　And　this　he　did　in　terms　as　though；　in　every　possible　calling　and　capacity；　he　himself　had　experienced　the　same。　Consequently；　either　the　vigorous　development　of　self…respect　or　the　constant　stimulus　of　the　master's　eye　（which　seemed　to　say　to　the　pupil；　〃Forward！〃that　word　which　has　become　so　familiar　to　the　contemporary　Russian；　that　word　which　has　worked　such　wonders　upon　his　sensitive　temperament）；　one　or　the　other；　I　repeat；　would　from　the　first　cause　the　pupil　to　tackle　difficulties；　and　only　difficulties；　and　to　hunger　for　prowess　only　where　the　path　was　arduous；　and　obstacles　were　many；　and　it　was　necessary　to　display　the　utmost　strength　of　mind。　Indeed；　few　completed　the　course　of　which　I　have　spoken　without　issuing　therefrom　reliable；　seasoned　fighters　who　could　keep　their　heads　in　the　most　embarrassing　of　official　positions；　and　at　times　when　older　and　wiser　men；　distracted　with　the　annoyances　of　life；　had　either　abandoned　everything　or；　grown　slack　and　indifferent；　had　surrendered　to　the　bribe…takers　and　the　rascals。　In　short；　no　ex…pupil　of　Alexander　Petrovitch　ever　wavered　from　the　right　road；　but；　familiar　with　life　and　with　men；　armed　with　the　weapons　of　prudence；　exerted　a　powerful　influence　upon　wrongdoers。

For　a　long　time　past　the　ardent　young　Tientietnikov's　excitable　heart　had　also　beat　at　the　thought　that　one　day　he　might　attain　the　senior　class　described。　And；　indeed；　what　better　teacher　could　he　have　had　befall　him　than　its　preceptor？　Yet　just　at　the　moment　when　he　had　been　transferred　thereto；　just　at　the　moment　when　he　had　reached　the　coveted　position；　did　his　instructor　come　suddenly　by　his　death！　This　was　indeed　a　blow　for　the　boyindeed　a　terrible　initial　loss！　In　his　eyes　everything　connected　with　the　school　seemed　to　undergo　a　changethe　chief　reason　being　the　fact　that　to　the　place　of　the　deceased　headmaster　there　succeeded　a　certain　Thedor　Ivanovitch；　who　at　once　began　to　insist　upon　certain　external　rules；　and　to　demand　of　the　boys　what　ought　rightly　to　have　been　demanded　only　of　adults。　That　is　to　say；　since　the　lads'　frank　and　open　demeanour　savoured　to　him　only　of　lack　of　discipline；　he　announced　（as　though　in　deliberate　spite　of　his　predecessor）　that　he　cared　nothing　for　progress　and　intellect；　but　that　heed　was　to　be　paid　only　to　good　behaviour。　Yet；　curiously　enough；　good　behaviour　was　just　what　he　never　obtained；　for　every　kind　of　secret　prank　became　the　rule；　and　while；　by　day；　there　reigned　restraint　and　conspiracy；　by　night　there　began　to　take　place　chambering　and　wantonness。

Also；　certain　changes　in　the　curriculum　of　studies　came　about；　for　there　were　engaged　new　teachers　who　held　new　views　and　opinions；　and　confused　their　hearers　with　a　multitude　of　new　terms　and　phrases；　and　displayed　in　their　exposition　of　things　both　logical　sequence　and　a　zest　for　modern　discovery　and　much　warmth　of　individual　bias。　Yet　their　instruction；　alas！　contained　no　LIFEin　the　mouths　of　those　teachers　a　dead　language　savoured　merely　of　carrion。　Thus　everything　connected　with　the　school　underwent　a　radical　alteration；　and　respect　for　authority　and　the　authorities　waned；　and　tutors　and　ushers　came　to　be　dubbed　〃Old　Thedor；〃　〃Crusty；〃　and　the　like。　And　sundry　other　things　began　to　take　placethings　which　necessitated　many　a　penalty　and　expulsion；　until；　within　a　couple　of　years；　no　one　who　had　known　the　school　in　former　days　would　now　have　recognised　it。

Nevertheless　Tientietnikov；　a　youth　of　retiring　disposition；　experienced　no　leanings　towards　the　nocturnal　orgies　of　his　companions；　orgies　during　which　the　latter　used　to　flirt　with　damsels　before　the　very　windows　of　the　headmaster's　rooms；　nor　yet　towards　their　mockery　of　all　that　was　sacred；　simply　because　fate　had　cast　in　their　way　an　injudicious　priest。　No；　despite　its　dreaminess；　his　soul　ever　remembered　its　celestial　origin；　and　could　not　be　diverted　from　the　path　of　virtue。　Yet　still　he　hung　his　head；　for；　while　his　ambition　had　come　to　life；　it　could　find　no　sort　of　outlet。　Truly　'twere　well　if　it　had　NOT　come　to　life；　for　throughout　the　time　that　he　was　listening　to　professors　who　gesticulated　on　their　chairs　he　could　not　help　remembering　the　old　preceptor　who；　invariably　cool　and　calm；　had　yet　known　how　to　make　himself　understood。　To　what　subjects；　to　what　lectures；　did　the　boy　not　have　to　listen！to　lectures　on　medicine；　and　on　philosophy；　and　on　law；　and　on　a　version　of　general　history　so　enlarged　that　even　three　years　failed　to　enable　the　professor　to　do　more　than　finish　the　introduction　thereto；　and　also　the　account　of　the　development　of　some　self…governing　towns　in　Germany。　None　of　the　stuff　remained　fixed　in　Tientietnikov's　brain　save　as　shapeless　clots；　for　though　his　native　intellect　could　not　tell　him　how　instruction　ought　to　be　imparted；　it　at　least　told　him　that　THIS　was　not　the　way。　And　frequently；　at　such　moments　he　would　recall　Alexander　Petrovitch；　and　give　way　to　such　grief　that　scarcely　did　he　know　what　he　was　doing。

But　youth　is　fortunate　i