dead souls(死魂灵)-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


xperienced　the　whole　gamut　of　them；　and　found　himself　left　with　not　a　tooth　in　his　jaws　or　a　hair　on　his　pate。　Yes；　that　is　what　will　come　of　infecting　the　peasant　with　such　rubbish。　But；　thank　God；　there　is　still　one　healthy　class　left　to　usa　class　which　has　never　taken　up　with　the　'advantages'　of　which　I　speak。　For　that　we　ought　to　be　grateful。　And　since；　even　yet；　the　Russian　agriculturist　remains　the　most　respect…worthy　man　in　the　land；　why　should　he　be　touched？　Would　to　God　every　one　were　an　agriculturist！〃

〃Then　you　believe　agriculture　to　be　the　most　profitable　of　occupations？〃　said　Chichikov。

〃The　best；　at　all　eventsif　not　the　most　profitable。　'In　the　sweat　of　thy　brow　shalt　thou　till　the　land。'　To　quote　that　requires　no　great　wisdom；　for　the　experience　of　ages　has　shown　us　that；　in　the　agricultural　calling；　man　has　ever　remained　more　moral；　more　pure；　more　noble　than　in　any　other。　Of　course　I　do　not　mean　to　imply　that　no　other　calling　ought　to　be　practised：　simply　that　the　calling　in　question　lies　at　the　root　of　all　the　rest。　However　much　factories　may　be　established　privately　or　by　the　law；　there　will　still　lie　ready　to　man's　hand　all　that　he　needshe　will　still　require　none　of　those　amenities　which　are　sapping　the　vitality　of　our　present…day　folk；　nor　any　of　those　industrial　establishments　which　make　their　profit；　and　keep　themselves　going；　by　causing　foolish　measures　to　be　adopted　which；　in　the　end；　are　bound　to　deprave　and　corrupt　our　unfortunate　masses。　I　myself　am　determined　never　to　establish　any　manufacture；　however　profitable；　which　will　give　rise　to　a　demand　for　'higher　things；'　such　as　sugar　and　tobaccono　not　if　I　lose　a　million　by　my　refusing　to　do　so。　If　corruption　MUST　overtake　the　MIR；　it　shall　not　be　through　my　hands。　And　I　think　that　God　will　justify　me　in　my　resolve。　Twenty　years　have　I　lived　among　the　common　folk；　and　I　know　what　will　inevitably　come　of　such　things。〃

〃But　what　surprises　me　most；〃　persisted　Chichikov；　〃is　that　from　refuse　it　should　be　possible；　with　good　management；　to　make　such　an　immensity　of　profit。〃

〃And　as　for　political　economy；〃　continued　Kostanzhoglo；　without　noticing　him；　and　with　his　face　charged　with　bilious　sarcasm；　〃as　for　political　economy；　it　is　a　fine　thing　indeed。　Just　one　fool　sitting　on　another　fool's　back；　and　flogging　him　along；　even　though　the　rider　can　see　no　further　than　his　own　nose！　Yet　into　the　saddle　will　that　fool　climbspectacles　and　all！　Oh；　the　folly；　the　folly　of　such　things！〃　And　the　speaker　spat　derisively。

〃That　may　be　true；〃　said　his　wife。　〃Yet　you　must　not　get　angry　about　it。　Surely　one　can　speak　on　such　subjects　without　losing　one's　temper？〃

〃As　I　listen　to　you；　most　worthy　Constantine　Thedorovitch；〃　Chichikov　hastened　to　remark；　〃it　becomes　plain　to　me　that　you　have　penetrated　into　the　meaning　of　life；　and　laid　your　finger　upon　the　essential　root　of　the　matter。　Yet　supposing；　for　a　moment；　we　leave　the　affairs　of　humanity　in　general；　and　turn　our　attention　to　a　purely　individual　affair；　might　I　ask　you　how；　in　the　case　of　a　man　becoming　a　landowner；　and　having　a　mind　to　grow　wealthy　as　quickly　as　possible　（in　order　that　he　may　fulfil　his　bounden　obligations　as　a　citizen）；　he　can　best　set　about　it？〃

〃How　he　can　best　set　about　growing　wealthy？〃　repeated　Kostanzhoglo。　〃Why；〃

〃Let　us　go　to　supper；〃　interrupted　the　lady　of　the　house；　rising　from　her　chair；　and　moving　towards　the　centre　of　the　room；　where　she　wrapped　her　shivering　young　form　in　a　shawl。　Chichikov　sprang　up　with　the　alacrity　of　a　military　man；　offered　her　his　arm；　and　escorted　her；　as　on　parade；　to　the　dining…room；　where　awaiting　them　there　was　the　soup…toureen。　From　it　the　lid　had　just　been　removed；　and　the　room　was　redolent　of　the　fragrant　odour　of　early　spring　roots　and　herbs。　The　company　took　their　seats；　and　at　once　the　servants　placed　the　remainder　of　the　dishes　（under　covers）　upon　the　table　and　withdrew；　for　Kostanzhoglo　hated　to　have　servants　listening　to　their　employers'　conversation；　and　objected　still　more　to　their　staring　at　him　all　the　while　that　he　was　eating。

When　the　soup　had　been　consumed；　and　glasses　of　an　excellent　vintage　resembling　Hungarian　wine　had　been　poured　out；　Chichikov　said　to　his　host：

〃Most　worthy　sir；　allow　me　once　more　to　direct　your　attention　to　the　subject　of　which　we　were　speaking　at　the　point　when　the　conversation　became　interrupted。　You　will　remember　that　I　was　asking　you　how　best　a　man　can　set　about；　proceed　in；　the　matter　of　growing　。　。　。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　＇Here　from　the　original　two　pages　are　missing。＇


。　。　。　〃A　property　for　which；　had　he　asked　forty　thousand；　I　should　still　have　demanded　a　reduction。〃

〃Hm！〃　thought　Chichikov；　then　added　aloud：　〃But　why　do　you　not　purchase　it　yourself？〃

〃Because　to　everything　there　must　be　assigned　a　limit。　Already　my　property　keeps　me　sufficiently　employed。　Moreover；　I　should　cause　our　local　dvoriane　to　begin　crying　out　in　chorus　that　I　am　exploiting　their　extremities；　their　ruined　position；　for　the　purpose　of　acquiring　land　for　under　its　value。　Of　that　I　am　weary。〃

〃How　readily　folk　speak　evil！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov。

〃Yes；　and　the　amount　of　evil…speaking　in　our　province　surpasses　belief。　Never　will　you　hear　my　name　mentioned　without　my　being　called　also　a　miser　and　a　usurer　of　the　worst　possible　sort；　whereas　my　accusers　justify　themselves　in　everything；　and　say　that；　'though　we　have　wasted　our　money；　we　have　started　a　demand　for　the　higher　amenities　of　life；　and　therefore　encouraged　industry　with　our　wastefulness；　a　far　better　way　of　doing　things　than　that　practised　by　Kostanzhoglo；　who　lives　like　a　pig。'〃

〃Would　_I_　could　live　in　your　'piggish'　fashion！〃　ejaculated　Chichikov。

〃And　so　forth；　and　so　forth。　Yet　what　are　the　'higher　amenities　of　life'？　What　good　can　they　do　to　any　one？　Even　if　a　landowner　of　the　day　sets　up　a　library；　he　never　looks　at　a　single　book　in　it；　but　soon　relapses　into　card…playingthe　usual　pursuit。　Yet　folk　call　me　names　simply　because　I　do　not　waste　my　means　upon　the　giving　of　dinners！　One　reason　why　I　do　not　give　such　dinners　is　that　they　weary　me；　and　another　reason　is　that　I　am　not　used　to　them。　But　come　you　to　my　house　for　the　purpose　of　taking　pot　luck；　and　I　shall　be　delighted　to　see　you。　Also；　folk　foolishly　say　that　I　lend　money　on　interest；　whereas　the　truth　is　that　if　you　should　come　to　me　when　you　are　really　in　need；　and　should　explain　to　me　openly　how　you　propose　to　employ　my　money；　and　I　should　perceive　that　you　are　purposing　to　use　that　money　wisely；　and　that　you　are　really　likely　to　profit　therebywell；　in　that　case　you　would　find　me　ready　to　lend　you　all　that　you　might　ask　without　interest　at　all。〃

〃That　is　a　thing　which　it　is　well　to　know；〃　reflected　Chichikov。

〃Yes；〃　repeated　Kostanzhoglo；　〃under　those　circumstances　I　should　never　refuse　you　my　assistance。　But　I　do　object　to　throwing　my　money　to　the　winds。　Pardon　me　for　expressing　myself　so　plainly。　To　think　of　lending　money　to　a　man　who　is　merely　devising　a　dinner　for　his　mistress；　or　planning　to　furnish　his　house　like　a　lunatic；　or　thinking　of　taking　his　paramour　to　a　masked　ball　or　a　jubilee　in　honour　of　some　one　who　had　better　never　have　been　born！〃

And；　spitting；　he　came　near　to　venting　some　expression　which　would　scarcely　have　been　becoming　in　the　presence　of　his　wife。　Over　his　face　the　dark　shadow　of　hypochondria　had　cast　a　cloud；　and　furrows　had　formed　on　his　brow　and　temples；　and　his　every　gesture　bespoke　the　influence　of　a　hot；　nervous　rancour。

〃But　allow　me　once　more　to　direct　your　attention　to　the　subject　of　our　recently　interrupted　conversation；〃　persisted　Chichikov　as　he　sipped　a　glass　of　excellent　raspberry　wine。　〃That　is　to　say；　supposing　I　were　to　acquire　the　property　which　you　have　been　good　enough　to　bring　to　my　notice；　how　long　would　it　take　me　to　grow　rich？〃

〃That　would　depend　on　yourself；〃　replied　Kostanzhoglo　with　grim　abruptness　and　evident　ill…humour。　〃You　might　either　grow　rich　quickly　or　you　might　never　grow　rich　at　all。　If　you　made　up　your　mind　to　grow　rich；　sooner　or　later　you　would　find　yourself　a　wealthy　man。〃

〃Indeed？〃　ejaculated　Chichikov。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Kostanzhoglo；　as　sharply　as　though　he　were　angry　with　Chichikov。　〃You　would　merely　need　to　be　fond　of　work：　otherwise　you　would　effect　nothing。　The　main　thing　is　to　like　looking　after　your　property。　Believe　me；　you　would　never　grow　weary　of　doing　so。　People　would　have　it　that　life　in　the　country　is　dull；　whereas；　if　I　were　to　spend　a　single　day　as　it　is　spent　by　some　folk；　with　their　stupid　clubs　and　their　restaurants　and　their　theatres；　I　should　die　of　ennui。　The　fools；　the　idiots；　the　generations　of　blind　dullards！　But　a　landowner　never　finds　the　days　wearisomehe　has　not　the　time。　In　his　life　not　a　moment　remains　unoccupied；　it　is　full　to　the　brim。　And　with　it　all　goes　an　endless　variety　of　occupations。　And　what　occupations！　Occupations　which　genuinely　uplift　the　soul；　seeing　that　the　landowner　walks　with　nature　and　the　seasons　of　the　year；　and　takes　part　in；　and　is　intimate　with；　everything　which　is　evolved　by　creation。　For　let　us　look　at　the　round　of　the　year's　labours。　Even　before　spring　has　arrived　there　will　have　begun　a　general　watching　and　a　waiting　for　it；　and　a　preparing　for　sowing；　and　an　apportioning　of　crops；　and　a　measuring　of　seed　grain　by　byres；　and　drying　of　seed；　and　a　dividing　of　the　workers　into　teams。　For　everything　needs　to　be　examined　beforehand；　and　calculations　must　be　made　at　the　very　start。　And　as　soon　as　ever　the　ice　shall　have　melted；　and　the　rivers　be　flowing；　and　the　land　have　dried　sufficiently　to　be　workable；　the　spade　will　begin　its　task　in　kitchen　and　flower　garden；　and　the　plough　and　the　harrow　their　tasks　in　the　field；　until　everywhere　there　will　be　tilling　and　sowing　and　planting。　And　do　you　understand　what　the　sum　of　that　labour　will　mean？　It　will　mean　that　the　harvest　is　being　sown；　that　the　welfare　of　the　world　is　being　sown；　that　the　food　of　millions　is　being　put　into　the　earth。　And　thereafter　will　come　summer；　the　season　of　reaping；　endless　reaping；　for　suddenly　the　crops　will　have　ripened；　and　rye…sheaf　will　be　lying　heaped　upon　rye…sheaf；　with；　elsewhere；　stocks　of　barley；　and　of　oats；　and　of　wheat。　And　everything　will　be　teeming　with　life；　and　not　a　moment　will　there　need　to　be　lost；　seeing　that；　had　you　even　twenty　eyes；　you　would　have　need　for　them　all。　And　after　the　harvest　festivities　there　will　be　grain　to　be　carted　to　byre　or　stacked　in　ricks；　and　stores　to　be　prepared　for　the　winter；　and　storehouses　and　kilns　and　cattle…sheds　to　be　cleaned　for　the　same　purpose；　and　the　women　to　be　assigned　their　tasks；　and　the　totals　of　everything　to　be　calculated；　so　that　one　may　see　the　value　of　what　has　been　done。　And　lastly　will　come　winter；　when　in　every　threshing…floor　the　flail　will　be　working；　and　the　grain；　when　threshed；　will　need　to　be　carried　from　barn　to　binn；　and　the　mills　require　to　be　seen　to；　and　the　estate　factories　to　be　inspected；　and　the　workmen's　huts　to　be　visited　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　how　the　muzhik　is　faring　（for；　given　a　carpenter　who　is　clever　with　his　tools；　I；　for　one；　am　only　too　glad　to　spend　an　hour　or　two　in　his　company；　so　cheering　to　me　is　labour）。　And　if；　in　addition；　one　discerns　the　end　to　which　everythi