dead souls(死魂灵)-第47章

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　and　give　way　to　such　grief　that　scarcely　did　he　know　what　he　was　doing。

But　youth　is　fortunate　in　the　fact　that　always　before　it　there　lies　a　future；　and　in　proportion　as　the　time　for　his　leaving　school　drew　nigh；　Tientietnikov's　heart　began　to　beat　higher　and　higher；　and　he　said　to　himself：　〃This　is　not　life；　but　only　a　preparation　for　life。　True　life　is　to　be　found　in　the　Public　Service。　There　at　least　will　there　be　scope　for　activity。〃　So；　bestowing　not　a　glance　upon　that　beautiful　corner　of　the　world　which　never　failed　to　strike　the　guest　or　chance　visitor　with　amazement；　and　reverencing　not　a　whit　the　dust　of　his　ancestors；　he　followed　the　example　of　most　ambitious　men　of　his　class　by　repairing　to　St。　Petersburg　（whither；　as　we　know；　the　more　spirited　youth　of　Russia　from　every　quarter　gravitatesthere　to　enter　the　Public　Service；　to　shine；　to　obtain　promotion；　and；　in　a　word；　to　scale　the　topmost　peaks　of　that　pale；　cold；　deceptive　elevation　which　is　known　as　society）。　But　the　real　starting…point　of　Tientietnikov's　ambition　was　the　moment　when　his　uncle　（one　State　Councillor　Onifri　Ivanovitch）　instilled　into　him　the　maxim　that　the　only　means　to　success　in　the　Service　lay　in　good　handwriting；　and　that；　without　that　accomplishment；　no　one　could　ever　hope　to　become　a　Minister　or　Statesman。　Thus；　with　great　difficulty；　and　also　with　the　help　of　his　uncle's　influence；　young　Tientietnikov　at　length　succeeded　in　being　posted　to　a　Department。　On　the　day　that　he　was　conducted　into　a　splendid；　shining　halla　hall　fitted　with　inlaid　floors　and　lacquered　desks　as　fine　as　though　this　were　actually　the　place　where　the　great　ones　of　the　Empire　met　for　discussion　of　the　fortunes　of　the　State；　on　the　day　that　he　saw　legions　of　handsome　gentlemen　of　the　quill…driving　profession　making　loud　scratchings　with　pens；　and　cocking　their　heads　to　one　side；　lastly　on　the　day　that　he　saw　himself　also　allotted　a　desk；　and　requested　to　copy　a　document　which　appeared　purposely　to　be　one　of　the　pettiest　possible　order　（as　a　matter　of　fact　it　related　to　a　sum　of　three　roubles；　and　had　taken　half　a　year　to　produce）well；　at　that　moment　a　curious；　an　unwonted　sensation　seized　upon　the　inexperienced　youth；　for　the　gentlemen　around　him　appeared　so　exactly　like　a　lot　of　college　students。　And；　the　further　to　complete　the　resemblance；　some　of　them　were　engaged　in　reading　trashy　translated　novels；　which　they　kept　hurriedly　thrusting　between　the　sheets　of　their　apportioned　work　whenever　the　Director　appeared；　as　though　to　convey　the　impression　that　it　was　to　that　work　alone　that　they　were　applying　themselves。　In　short；　the　scene　seemed　to　Tientietnikov　strange；　and　his　former　pursuits　more　important　than　his　present；　and　his　preparation　for　the　Service　preferable　to　the　Service　itself。　Yes；　suddenly　he　felt　a　longing　for　his　old　school；　and　as　suddenly；　and　with　all　the　vividness　of　life；　there　appeared　before　his　vision　the　figure　of　Alexander　Petrovitch。　He　almost　burst　into　tears　as　he　beheld　his　old　master；　and　the　room　seemed　to　swim　before　his　eyes；　and　the　tchinovniks　and　the　desks　to　become　a　blur；　and　his　sight　to　grow　dim。　Then　he　thought　to　himself　with　an　effort：　〃No；　no！　I　WILL　apply　myself　to　my　work；　however　petty　it　be　at　first。〃　And　hardening　his　heart　and　recovering　his　spirit；　he　determined　then　and　there　to　perform　his　duties　in　such　a　manner　as　should　be　an　example　to　the　rest。

But　where　are　compensations　to　be　found？　Even　in　St。　Petersburg；　despite　its　grim　and　murky　exterior；　they　exist。　Yes；　even　though　thirty　degrees　of　keen；　cracking　frost　may　have　bound　the　streets；　and　the　family　of　the　North　Wind　be　wailing　there；　and　the　Snowstorm　Witch　have　heaped　high　the　pavements；　and　be　blinding　the　eyes；　and　powdering　beards　and　fur　collars　and　the　shaggy　manes　of　horseseven　THEN　there　will　be　shining　hospitably　through　the　swirling　snowflakes　a　fourth…floor　window　where；　in　a　cosy　room；　and　by　the　light　of　modest　candles；　and　to　the　hiss　of　the　samovar；　there　will　be　in　progress　a　discussion　which　warms　the　heart　and　soul；　or　else　a　reading　aloud　of　a　brilliant　page　of　one　of　those　inspired　Russian　poets　with　whom　God　has　dowered　us；　while　the　breast　of　each　member　of　the　company　is　heaving　with　a　rapture　unknown　under　a　noontide　sky。

Gradually；　therefore；　Tientietnikov　grew　more　at　home　in　the　Service。　Yet　never　did　it　become；　for　him；　the　main　pursuit；　the　main　object　in　life；　which　he　had　expected。　No；　it　remained　but　one　of　a　secondary　kind。　That　is　to　say；　it　served　merely　to　divide　up　his　time；　and　enable　him　the　more　to　value　his　hours　of　leisure。　Nevertheless；　just　when　his　uncle　was　beginning　to　flatter　himself　that　his　nephew　was　destined　to　succeed　in　the　profession；　the　said　nephew　elected　to　ruin　his　every　hope。　Thus　it　befell。　Tientietnikov's　friends　（he　had　many）　included　among　their　number　a　couple　of　fellows　of　the　species　known　as　〃embittered。〃　That　is　to　say；　though　good…natured　souls　of　that　curiously　restless　type　which　cannot　endure　injustice；　nor　anything　which　it　conceives　to　be　such；　they　were　thoroughly　unbalanced　of　conduct　themselves；　and；　while　demanding　general　agreement　with　their　views；　treated　those　of　others　with　the　scantiest　of　ceremony。　Nevertheless　these　two　associates　exercised　upon　Tientietnikovboth　by　the　fire　of　their　eloquence　and　by　the　form　of　their　noble　dissatisfaction　with　societya　very　strong　influence；　with　the　result　that；　through　arousing　in　him　an　innate　tendency　to　nervous　resentment；　they　led　him　also　to　notice　trifles　which　before　had　escaped　his　attention。　An　instance　of　this　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　he　conceived　against　Thedor　Thedorovitch　Lienitsin；　Director　of　one　of　the　Departments　which　was　quartered　in　the　splendid　range　of　offices　before　mentioned；　a　dislike　which　proved　the　cause　of　his　discerning　n　the　man　a　host　of　hitherto　unmarked　imperfections。　Above　all　things　did　Tientietnikov　take　it　into　his　head　that；　when　conversing　with　his　superiors；　Lienitsin　became；　of　the　moment；　a　stick　of　luscious　sweetmeat；　but　that；　when　conversing　with　his　inferiors；　he　approximated　more　to　a　vinegar　cruet。　Certain　it　is　that；　like　all　petty…minded　individuals；　Lienitsin　made　a　note　of　any　one　who　failed　to　offer　him　a　greeting　on　festival　days；　and　that　he　revenged　himself　upon　any　one　whose　visiting…card　had　not　been　handed　to　his　butler。　Eventually　the　youth's　aversion　almost　attained　the　point　of　hysteria；　until　he　felt　that；　come　what　might；　he　MUST　insult　the　fellow　in　some　fashion。　To　that　task　he　applied　himself　con　amore；　and　so　thoroughly　that　he　met　with　complete　success。　That　is　to　say；　he　seized　on　an　occasion　to　address　Lienitsin　in　such　fashion　that　the　delinquent　received　notice　either　to　apologies　or　to　leave　the　Service；　and　when　of　these　alternatives　he　chose　the　latter　his　uncle　came　to　him；　and　made　a　terrified　appeal。　〃For　God's　sake　remember　what　you　are　doing！〃　he　cried。　〃To　think　that；　after　beginning　your　career　so　well；　you　should　abandon　it　merely　for　the　reason　that　you　have　not　fallen　in　with　the　sort　of　Director　whom　you　prefer！　What　do　you　mean　by　it；　what　do　you　mean　by　it？　Were　others　to　regard　things　in　the　same　way；　the　Service　would　find　itself　without　a　single　individual。　Reconsider　your　conductforego　your　pride　and　conceit；　and　make　Lienitsin　amends。〃

〃But；　dear　Uncle；〃　the　nephew　replied；　〃that　is　not　the　point。　The　point　is；　not　that　I　should　find　an　apology　difficult　to　offer；　seeing　that；　since　Lienitsin　is　my　superior；　and　I　ought　not　to　have　addressed　him　as　I　did；　I　am　clearly　in　the　wrong。　Rather；　the　point　is　the　following。　To　my　charge　there　has　been　committed　the　performance　of　another　kind　of　service。　That　is　to　say；　I　am　the　owner　of　three　hundred　peasant　souls；　a　badly　administered　estate；　and　a　fool　of　a　bailiff。　That　being　so；　whereas　the　State　will　lose　little　by　having　to　fill　my　stool　with　another　copyist；　it　will　lose　very　much　by　causing　three　hundred　peasant　souls　to　fail　in　the　payment　of　their　taxes。　As　I　say　（how　am　I　to　put　it？）；　I　am　a　landowner　who　has　preferred　to　enter　the　Public　Service。　Now；　should　I　employ　myself　henceforth　in　conserving；　restoring；　and　improving　the　fortunes　of　the　souls　whom　God　has　entrusted　to　my　care；　and　thereby　provide　the　State　with　three　hundred　law…abiding；　sober；　hard…working　taxpayers；　how　will　that　service　of　mine　rank　as　inferior　to　the　service　of　a　department…directing　fool　like　Lienitsin？〃

On　hearing　this　speech；　the　State　Councillor　could　only　gape；　for　he　had　not　expected　Tientietnikov's　torrent　of　words。　He　reflected　a　few　moments；　and　then　murmured：

〃Yes；　but；　butbut　how　can　a　man　like　you　retire　to　rustication　in　the　country？　What　society　will　you　get　there？　Here　one　meets　at　least　a　general　or　a　prince　sometimes；　indeed；　no　matter　whom　you　pass　in　the　street；　that　person　represents　gas　lamps　and　European　civilisation；　but　in　the　country；　no　matter　what　part　of　it　you　are　in；　not　a　soul　is　to　be　encountered　save　muzhiks　and　their　women。　Why　should　you　go　and　condemn　yourself　to　a　state　of　vegetation　like　that？〃

Nevertheless　the　uncle's　expostulations　fell　upon　deaf　ears；　for　already　the　nephew　was　beginning　to　think　of　his　estate　as　a　retreat　of　a　type　more　likely　to　nourish　the　intellectual　faculties　and　afford　the　only　profitable　field　of　activity。　After　unearthing　one　or　two　modern　works　on　agriculture；　therefore；　he；　two　weeks　later；　found　himself　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　home　where　his　boyhood　had　been　spent；　and　approaching　the　spot　which　never　failed　to　enthral　the　visitor　or　guest。　And　in　the　young　man's　breast　there　was　beginning　to　palpitate　a　new　feelingin　the　young　man's　soul　there　were　reawakening　old；　long…concealed　impressions；　with　the　result　that　many　a　spot　which　had　long　been　faded　from　his　memory　now　filled　him　with　interest；　and　the　beautiful　views　on　the　estate　found　him　gazing　at　them　like　a　newcomer；　and　with　a　beating　heart。　Yes；　as　the　road　wound　through　a　narrow　ravine；　and　became　engulfed　in　a　forest　where；　both　above　and　below；　he　saw　three…centuries…old　oaks　which　three　men　could　not　have　spanned；　and　where　Siberian　firs　and　elms　overtopped　even　the　poplars；　and　as　he　asked　the　peasants　to　tell　him　to　whom　the　forest　belonged；　and　they　replied；　〃To　Tientietnikov；〃　and　he　issued　from　the　forest；　and　proceeded　on　his　way　through　meadows；　and　past　spinneys　of　elder；　and　of　old　and　young　willows；　and　arrived　in　sight　of　the　distant　range　of　hills；　and；　crossing　by　two　different　bridges　the　winding　river　（which　he　left　successively　to　right　and　to　left　of　him　as　he　did　so）；　he　again　questioned　some　peasants　concerning　the　ownership　of　the　meadows　and　the　flooded　lands；　and　was　again　informed　that　they　all　belonged　to　Tientietnikov；　and　then；　ascending　a　rise；　reached　a　tableland　where；　on　one　side；　lay　ungarnered　fields　of　wheat　and　rye　and　barley；　and；　on　the　other；　the　country　already　traversed　（but　which　now　showed　in　shortened　perspective）；　and　then　plunged　into　the　shade　of　some　forked；　umbrageous　trees　which　stood　scattered　over　turf　and　extended　to　the　manor…house　itself；　and　caught　glimpses　of　the　carved　huts　of　the　peasants；　and　of　the　red　roofs　of　the　stone　manorial　outbuildings；　and　of　the　glittering　pinnacles　of　the　church；　and　felt　his　heart　be