dead souls(死魂灵)-第61章

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man？　There　was　no　seed　for　the　purpose；　nor　yet　anything　with　which　to　prepare　the　ground。　No；　I　am　not　like　Constantine　Thedorovitch；　who；　I　hear；　is　a　perfect　Napoleon　in　his　particular　line。　Again　and　again　the　thought　occurs　to　me；　'Why　has　so　much　intellect　been　put　into　that　head；　and　only　a　drop　or　two　into　my　own　dull　pate？'　Take　care　of　that　puddle；　gentlemen。　I　have　told　my　peasants　to　lay　down　planks　for　the　spring；　but　they　have　not　done　so。　Nevertheless　my　heart　aches　for　the　poor　fellows；　for　they　need　a　good　example；　and　what　sort　of　an　example　am　I？　How　am　_I_　to　give　them　orders？　Pray　take　them　under　your　charge；　Paul　Ivanovitch；　for　I　cannot　teach　them　orderliness　and　method　when　I　myself　lack　both。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　should　have　given　them　their　freedom　long　ago；　had　there　been　any　use　in　my　doing　so；　for　even　I　can　see　that　peasants　must　first　be　afforded　the　means　of　earning　a　livelihood　before　they　can　live。　What　they　need　is　a　stern；　yet　just；　master　who　shall　live　with　them；　day　in；　day　out；　and　set　them　an　example　of　tireless　energy。　The　present…day　RussianI　know　of　it　myselfis　helpless　without　a　driver。　Without　one　he　falls　asleep；　and　the　mould　grows　over　him。〃

〃Yet　I　cannot　understand　WHY　he　should　fall　asleep　and　grow　mouldy　in　that　fashion；〃　said　Platon。　〃Why　should　he　need　continual　surveillance　to　keep　him　from　degenerating　into　a　drunkard　and　a　good…for…nothing？〃

〃The　cause　is　lack　of　enlightenment；〃　said　Chichikov。

〃Possiblyonly　God　knows。　Yet　enlightenment　has　reached　us　right　enough。　Do　we　not　attend　university　lectures　and　everything　else　that　is　befitting？　Take　my　own　education。　I　learnt　not　only　the　usual　things；　but　also　the　art　of　spending　money　upon　the　latest　refinement；　the　latest　amenitythe　art　of　familiarising　oneself　with　whatsoever　money　can　buy。　How；　then；　can　it　be　said　that　I　was　educated　foolishly？　And　my　comrades'　education　was　the　same。　A　few　of　them　succeeded　in　annexing　the　cream　of　things；　for　the　reason　that　they　had　the　wit　to　do　so；　and　the　rest　spent　their　time　in　doing　their　best　to　ruin　their　health　and　squander　their　money。　Often　I　think　there　is　no　hope　for　the　present…day　Russian。　While　desiring　to　do　everything；　he　accomplishes　nothing。　One　day　he　will　scheme　to　begin　a　new　mode　of　existence；　a　new　dietary；　yet　before　evening　he　will　have　so　over…eaten　himself　as　to　be　unable　to　speak　or　do　aught　but　sit　staring　like　an　owl。　The　same　with　every　one。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　agreed　Chichikov　with　a　smile。　〃'Tis　everywhere　the　same　story。〃

〃To　tell　the　truth；　we　are　not　born　to　common　sense。　I　doubt　whether　Russia　has　ever　produced　a　really　sensible　man。　For　my　own　part；　if　I　see　my　neighbour　living　a　regular　life；　and　making　money；　and　saving　it；　I　begin　to　distrust　him；　and　to　feel　certain　that　in　old　age；　if　not　before；　he　too　will　be　led　astray　by　the　devilled　astray　in　a　moment。　Yes；　whether　or　not　we　be　educated；　there　is　something　we　lack。　But　what　that　something　is　passes　my　understanding。〃

On　the　return　journey　the　prospect　was　the　same　as　before。　Everywhere　the　same　slovenliness；　the　same　disorder；　was　displaying　itself　unadorned：　the　only　difference　being　that　a　fresh　puddle　had　formed　in　the　middle　of　the　village　street。　This　want　and　neglect　was　noticeable　in　the　peasants'　quarters　equally　with　the　quarters　of　the　barin。　In　the　village　a　furious　woman　in　greasy　sackcloth　was　beating　a　poor　young　wench　within　an　ace　of　her　life；　and　at　the　same　time　devoting　some　third　person　to　the　care　of　all　the　devils　in　hell；　further　away　a　couple　of　peasants　were　stoically　contemplating　the　viragoone　scratching　his　rump　as　he　did　so；　and　the　other　yawning。　The　same　yawn　was　discernible　in　the　buildings；　for　not　a　roof　was　there　but　had　a　gaping　hole　in　it。　As　he　gazed　at　the　scene　Platon　himself　yawned。　Patch　was　superimposed　upon　patch；　and；　in　place　of　a　roof；　one　hut　had　a　piece　of　wooden　fencing；　while　its　crumbling　window…frames　were　stayed　with　sticks　purloined　from　the　barin's　barn。　Evidently　the　system　of　upkeep　in　vogue　was　the　system　employed　in　the　case　of　Trishkin's　coatthe　system　of　cutting　up　the　cuffs　and　the　collar　into　mendings　for　the　elbows。

〃No；　I　do　not　admire　your　way　of　doing　things；〃　was　Chichikov's　unspoken　comment　when　the　inspection　had　been　concluded　and　the　party　had　re…entered　the　house。　Everywhere　in　the　latter　the　visitors　were　struck　with　the　way　in　which　poverty　went　with　glittering；　fashionable　profusion。　On　a　writing…table　lay　a　volume　of　Shakespeare；　and；　on　an　occasional　table；　a　carved　ivory　back…scratcher。　The　hostess；　too；　was　elegantly　and　fashionably　attired；　and　devoted　her　whole　conversation　to　the　town　and　the　local　theatre。　Lastly；　the　childrenbright；　merry　little　thingswere　well…dressed　both　as　regards　boys　and　girls。　Yet　far　better　would　it　have　been　for　them　if　they　had　been　clad　in　plain　striped　smocks；　and　running　about　the　courtyard　like　peasant　children。　Presently　a　visitor　arrived　in　the　shape　of　a　chattering；　gossiping　woman；　whereupon　the　hostess　carried　her　off　to　her　own　portion　of　the　house；　and；　the　children　following　them；　the　men　found　themselves　alone。

〃How　much　do　you　want　for　the　property？〃　asked　Chichikov　of　Khlobuev。　〃I　am　afraid　I　must　request　you　to　name　the　lowest　possible　sum；　since　I　find　the　estate　in　a　far　worse　condition　than　I　had　expected　to　do。〃

〃Yes；　it　IS　in　a　terrible　state；〃　agreed　Khlobuev。　〃Nor　is　that　the　whole　of　the　story。　That　is　to　say；　I　will　not　conceal　from　you　the　fact　that；　out　of　a　hundred　souls　registered　at　the　last　revision；　only　fifty　survive；　so　terrible　have　been　the　ravages　of　cholera。　And　of　these；　again；　some　have　absconded；　wherefore　they　too　must　be　reckoned　as　dead；　seeing　that；　were　one　to　enter　process　against　them；　the　costs　would　end　in　the　property　having　to　pass　en　bloc　to　the　legal　authorities。　For　these　reasons　I　am　asking　only　thirty…five　thousand　roubles　for　the　estate。〃

Chichikov　（it　need　hardly　be　said）　started　to　haggle。

〃Thirty…five　thousand？〃　he　cried。　〃Come；　come！　Surely　you　will　accept　TWENTY…five　thousand？〃

This　was　too　much　for　Platon's　conscience。

〃Now；　now；　Paul　Ivanovitch！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Take　the　property　at　the　price　named；　and　have　done　with　it。　The　estate　is　worth　at　least　that　amountso　much　so　that；　should　you　not　be　willing　to　give　it；　my　brother…in…law　and　I　will　club　together　to　effect　the　purchase。〃

〃That　being　so；〃　said　Chichikov；　taken　aback；　〃I　beg　to　agree　to　the　price　in　question。　At　the　same　time；　I　must　ask　you　to　allow　me　to　defer　payment　of　one…half　of　the　purchase　money　until　a　year　from　now。〃

〃No；　no；　Paul　Ivanovitch。　Under　no　circumstances　could　I　do　that。　Pay　me　half　now；　and　the　rest　in　。　。　。＇1＇　You　see；　I　need　the　money　for　the　redemption　of　the　mortgage。〃

＇1＇　Here；　in　the　original；　a　word　is　missing。

〃That　places　me　in　a　difficulty；〃　remarked　Chichikov。　〃Ten　thousand　roubles　is　all　that　at　the　moment　I　have　available。〃　As　a　matter　of　fact；　this　was　not　true；　seeing　that；　counting　also　the　money　which　he　had　borrowed　of　Kostanzhoglo；　he　had　at　his　disposal　TWENTY　thousand。　His　real　reason　for　hesitating　was　that　he　disliked　the　idea　of　making　so　large　a　payment　in　a　lump　sum。

〃I　must　repeat　my　request；　Paul　Ivanovitch；〃　said　Khlobuev；　〃namely；　that　you　pay　me　at　least　fifteen　thousand　immediately。〃

〃The　odd　five　thousand　_I_　will　lend　you；〃　put　in　Platon　to　Chichikov。

〃Indeed？〃　exclaimed　Chichikov　as　he　reflected：　〃So　he　also　lends　money！〃

In　the　end　Chichikov's　dispatch…box　was　brought　from　the　koliaska；　and　Khlobuev　received　thence　ten　thousand　roubles；　together　with　a　promise　that　the　remaining　five　thousand　should　be　forthcoming　on　the　morrow；　though　the　promise　was　given　only　after　Chichikov　had　first　proposed　that　THREE　thousand　should　be　brought　on　the　day　named；　and　the　rest　be　left　over　for　two　or　three　days　longer；　if　not　for　a　still　more　protracted　period。　The　truth　was　that　Paul　Ivanovitch　hated　parting　with　money。　No　matter　how　urgent　a　situation　might　have　been；　he　would　still　have　preferred　to　pay　a　sum　to…morrow　rather　than　to…day。　In　other　words；　he　acted　as　we　all　do；　for　we　all　like　keeping　a　petitioner　waiting。　〃Let　him　rub　his　back　in　the　hall　for　a　while；〃　we　say。　〃Surely　he　can　bide　his　time　a　little？〃　Yet　of　the　fact　that　every　hour　may　be　precious　to　the　poor　wretch；　and　that　his　business　may　suffer　from　the　delay；　we　take　no　account。　〃Good　sir；〃　we　say；　〃pray　come　again　to…morrow。　To…day　I　have　no　time　to　spare　you。〃

〃Where　do　you　intend　henceforth　to　live？〃　inquired　Platon。　〃Have　you　any　other　property　to　which　you　can　retire？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Khlobuev。　〃I　shall　remove　to　the　town；　where　I　possess　a　small　villa。　That　would　have　been　necessary；　in　any　case；　for　the　children's　sake。　You　see；　they　must　have　instruction　in　God's　word；　and　also　lessons　in　music　and　dancing；　and　not　for　love　or　money　can　these　things　be　procured　in　the　country。

〃Nothing　to　eat；　yet　dancing　lessons　for　his　children！〃　reflected　Chichikov。

〃An　extraordinary　man！〃　was　Platon's　unspoken　comment。

〃However；　we　must　contrive　to　wet　our　bargain　somehow；〃　continued　Khlobuev。　〃Hi；　Kirushka！　Bring　that　bottle　of　champagne。〃

〃Nothing　to　eat；　yet　champagne　to　drink！〃　reflected　Chichikov。　As　for　Platon；　he　did　not　know　WHAT　to　think。

In　Khlobuev's　eyes　it　was　de　rigueur　that　he　should　provide　a　guest　with　champagne；　but；　though　he　had　sent　to　the　town　for　some；　he　had　been　met　with　a　blank　refusal　to　forward　even　a　bottle　of　kvass　on　credit。　Only　the　discovery　of　a　French　dealer　who　had　recently　transferred　his　business　from　St。　Petersburg；　and　opened　a　connection　on　a　system　of　general　credit；　saved　the　situation　by　placing　Khlobuev　under　the　obligation　of　patronising　him。

The　company　drank　three　glassfuls　apiece；　and　so　grew　more　cheerful。　In　particular　did　Khlobuev　expand；　and　wax　full　of　civility　and　friendliness；　and　scatter　witticisms　and　anecdotes　to　right　and　left。　What　knowledge　of　men　and　the　world　did　his　utterances　display！　How　well　and　accurately　could　he　divine　things！　With　what　appositeness　did　he　sketch　the　neighbouring　landowners！　How　clearly　he　exposed　their　faults　and　failings！　How　thoroughly　he　knew　the　story　of　certain　ruined　gentrythe　story　of　how；　why；　and　through　what　cause　they　had　fallen　upon　evil　days！　With　what　comic　originality　could　he　describe　their　little　habits　and　customs！

In　short；　his　guests　found　themselves　charmed　with　his　discourse；　and　felt　inclined　to　vote　him　a　man　of　first…rate　intellect。

〃What　most　surprises　me；〃　said　Chichikov；　〃is　how；　in　view　of　your　ability；　you　come　to　be　so　destitute　of　means　or　resources。〃

〃But　I　have　plenty　of　both；〃　said　Khlobuev；　and　with　that　went　on　to　deliver　himself　of　a　perfect　avalanche　of　projects。　Yet　those　projects　proved　to　be　so　uncouth；　so　clumsy；　so　little　the　outcome　of　a　knowledge　of　men　and　things；　that　his　hearers　could　only　shrug　their　shoulders　and　mentally　exclaim：　〃Good　Lord！　What　a　difference　between　worldly　wisdom　and　the　capacity　to　use　it！〃　In　every　case　the　projects　in　question　were　based　upon　the　imperative　necessity　of　at　once　procuring　from　somewhere　two　hundredor　at　least　one　hundredthousand　roubles。　That　done　（so　Khlobuev　averred）；　everything　would　fall　int