dead souls(死魂灵)-第44节

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！


　got　a　taste　of　it；　and；　now　that　the　devil　only　knew　how　he　was　going　to　live；　it　came　all　the　harder　to　him　that　he　should　have　no　more　sweets　to　look　forward　to。　Remember　that　a　man　in　the　prime　of　years　has　an　appetite　like　a　wolf；　and　as　he　passed　a　restaurant　he　could　see　a　round…faced；　holland…shirted；　snow…white　aproned　fellow　of　a　French　chef　preparing　a　dish　delicious　enough　to　make　it　turn　to　and　eat　itself；　while；　again；　as　he　passed　a　fruit　shop　he　could　see　delicacies　looking　out　of　a　window　for　fools　to　come　and　buy　them　at　a　hundred　roubles　apiece。　Imagine；　therefore；　his　position！　On　the　one　hand；　so　to　speak；　were　salmon　and　water…melons；　while　on　the　other　hand　was　the　bitter　fare　which　passed　at　a　tavern　for　luncheon。　'Well；'　he　thought　to　himself；　'let　them　do　what　they　like　with　me　at　the　Commission；　but　I　intend　to　go　and　raise　the　whole　place；　and　to　tell　every　blessed　functionary　there　that　I　have　a　mind　to　do　as　I　choose。'　And　in　truth　this　bold　impertinence　of　a　man　did　have　the　hardihood　to　return　to　the　Commission。　'What　do　you　want？'　said　the　President。　'Why　are　you　here　for　the　third　time？　You　have　had　your　orders　given　you。'　'I　daresay　I　have；'　he　retorted；　'but　I　am　not　going　to　be　put　off　with　THEM。　I　want　some　cutlets　to　eat；　and　a　bottle　of　French　wine；　and　a　chance　to　go　and　amuse　myself　at　the　theatre。'　'Pardon　me；'　said　the　President。　'What　you　really　need　（if　I　may　venture　to　mention　it）　is　a　little　patience。　You　have　been　given　something　for　food　until　the　Military　Committee　shall　have　met；　and　then；　doubtless；　you　will　receive　your　proper　reward；　seeing　that　it　would　not　be　seemly　that　a　man　who　has　served　his　country　should　be　left　destitute。　On　the　other　hand；　if；　in　the　meanwhile；　you　desire　to　indulge　in　cutlets　and　theatre…going；　please　understand　that　we　cannot　help　you；　but　you　must　make　your　own　resources；　and　try　as　best　you　can　to　help　yourself。'　You　can　imagine　that　this　went　in　at　one　of　Kopeikin's　ears；　and　out　at　the　other；　that　it　was　like　shooting　peas　at　a　stone　wall。　Accordingly　he　raised　a　turmoil　which　sent　the　staff　flying。　One　by　one；　he　gave　the　mob　of　secretaries　and　clerks　a　real　good　hammering。　'You；　and　you；　and　you；'　he　said；　'do　not　even　know　your　duties。　You　are　law…breakers。'　Yes；　he　trod　every　man　of　them　under　foot。　At　length　the　General　himself　arrived　from　another　office；　and　sounded　the　alarm。　What　was　to　be　done　with　a　fellow　like　Kopeikin？　The　President　saw　that　strong　measures　were　imperative。　'Very　well；'　he　said。　'Since　you　decline　to　rest　satisfied　with　what　has　been　given　you；　and　quietly　to　await　the　decision　of　your　case　in　St。　Petersburg；　I　must　find　you　a　lodging。　Here；　constable；　remove　the　man　to　gaol。'　Then　a　constable　who　had　been　called　to　the　doora　constable　three　ells　in　height；　and　armed　with　a　carbinea　man　well　fitted　to　guard　a　bankplaced　our　friend　in　a　police　waggon。　'Well；'　reflected　Kopeikin；　'at　least　I　shan't　have　to　pay　my　fare　for　THIS　ride。　That's　one　comfort。'　Again；　after　he　had　ridden　a　little　way；　he　said　to　himself：　'they　told　me　at　the　Commission　to　go　and　make　my　own　means　of　enjoying　myself。　Very　good。　I'll　do　so。'　However；　what　became　of　Kopeikin；　and　whither　he　went；　is　known　to　no　one。　He　sank；　to　use　the　poet's　expression；　into　the　waters　of　Lethe；　and　his　doings　now　lie　buried　in　oblivion。　But　allow　me；　gentlemen；　to　piece　together　the　further　threads　of　the　story。　Not　two　months　later　there　appeared　in　the　forests　of　Riazan　a　band　of　robbers：　and　of　that　band　the　chieftain　was　none　other　than〃

〃Allow　me；〃　put　in　the　Head　of　the　Police　Department。　〃You　have　said　that　Kopeikin　had　lost　an　arm　and　a　leg；　whereas　Chichikov〃

To　say　anything　more　was　unnecessary。　The　Postmaster　clapped　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　and　publicly　called　himself　a　fool；　though；　later；　he　tried　to　excuse　his　mistake　by　saying　that　in　England　the　science　of　mechanics　had　reached　such　a　pitch　that　wooden　legs　were　manufactured　which　would　enable　the　wearer；　on　touching　a　spring；　to　vanish　instantaneously　from　sight。

Various　other　theories　were　then　propounded；　among　them　a　theory　that　Chichikov　was　Napoleon；　escaped　from　St。　Helena　and　travelling　about　the　world　in　disguise。　And　if　it　should　be　supposed　that　no　such　notion　could　possibly　have　been　broached；　let　the　reader　remember　that　these　events　took　place　not　many　years　after　the　French　had　been　driven　out　of　Russia；　and　that　various　prophets　had　since　declared　that　Napoleon　was　Antichrist；　and　would　one　day　escape　from　his　island　prison　to　exercise　universal　sway　on　earth。　Nay；　some　good　folk　had　even　declared　the　letters　of　Napoleon's　name　to　constitute　the　Apocalyptic　cipher！

As　a　last　resort；　the　tchinovniks　decided　to　question　Nozdrev；　since　not　only　had　the　latter　been　the　first　to　mention　the　dead　souls；　but　also　he　was　supposed　to　stand　on　terms　of　intimacy　with　Chichikov。　Accordingly　the　Chief　of　Police　dispatched　a　note　by　the　hand　of　a　commissionaire。　At　the　time　Nozdrev　was　engaged　on　some　very　important　businessso　much　so　that　he　had　not　left　his　room　for　four　days；　and　was　receiving　his　meals　through　the　window；　and　no　visitors　at　all。　The　business　referred　to　consisted　of　the　marking　of　several　dozen　selected　cards　in　such　a　way　as　to　permit　of　his　relying　upon　them　as　upon　his　bosom　friend。　Naturally　he　did　not　like　having　his　retirement　invaded；　and　at　first　consigned　the　commissionaire　to　the　devil；　but　as　soon　as　he　learnt　from　the　note　that；　since　a　novice　at　cards　was　to　be　the　guest　of　the　Chief　of　Police　that　evening；　a　call　at　the　latter's　house　might　prove　not　wholly　unprofitable　he　relented；　unlocked　the　door　of　his　room；　threw　on　the　first　garments　that　came　to　hand；　and　set　forth。　To　every　question　put　to　him　by　the　tchinovniks　he　answered　firmly　and　with　assurance。　Chichikov；　he　averred；　had　indeed　purchased　dead　souls；　and　to　the　tune　of　several　thousand　roubles。　In　fact；　he　（Nozdrev）　had　himself　sold　him　some；　and　still　saw　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　done　so。　Next；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　he　considered　Chichikov　to　be　a　spy；　he　replied　in　the　affirmative；　and　added　that；　as　long　ago　as　his　and　Chichikov's　joint　schooldays；　the　said　Chichikov　had　been　known　as　〃The　Informer；〃　and　repeatedly　been　thrashed　by　his　companions　on　that　account。　Again；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　Chichikov　was　a　forger　of　currency　notes　the　deponent；　as　before；　responded　in　the　affirmative；　and　appended　thereto　an　anecdote　illustrative　of　Chichikov's　extraordinary　dexterity　of　handnamely；　an　anecdote　to　that　effect　that；　once　upon　a　time；　on　learning　that　two　million　roubles　worth　of　counterfeit　notes　were　lying　in　Chichikov's　house；　the　authorities　had　placed　seals　upon　the　building；　and　had　surrounded　it　on　every　side　with　an　armed　guard；　whereupon　Chichikov　had；　during　the　night；　changed　each　of　these　seals　for　a　new　one；　and　also　so　arranged　matters　that；　when　the　house　was　searched；　the　forged　notes　were　found　to　be　genuine　ones！

Again；　to　the　question　of　whether　or　not　Chichikov　had　schemed　to　abduct　the　Governor's　daughter；　and　also　whether　it　was　true　that　he；　Nozdrev；　had　undertaken　to　aid　and　abet　him　in　the　act；　the　witness　replied　that；　had　he　not　undertaken　to　do　so；　the　affair　would　never　have　come　off。　At　this　point　the　witness　pulled　himself　up；　on　realising　that　he　had　told　a　lie　which　might　get　him　into　trouble；　but　his　tongue　was　not　to　be　deniedthe　details　trembling　on　its　tip　were　too　alluring；　and　he　even　went　on　to　cite　the　name　of　the　village　church　where　the　pair　had　arranged　to　be　married；　that　of　the　priest　who　had　performed　the　ceremony；　the　amount　of　the　fees　paid　for　the　same　（seventy…five　roubles）；　and　statements　（1）　that　the　priest　had　refused　to　solemnise　the　wedding　until　Chichikov　had　frightened　him　by　threatening　to　expose　the　fact　that　he　（the　priest）　had　married　Mikhail；　a　local　corn　dealer；　to　his　paramour；　and　（2）　that　Chichikov　had　ordered　both　a　koliaska　for　the　couple's　conveyance　and　relays　of　horses　from　the　post…houses　on　the　road。　Nay；　the　narrative；　as　detailed　by　Nozdrev；　even　reached　the　point　of　his　mentioning　certain　of　the　postillions　by　name！　Next；　the　tchinovniks　sounded　him　on　the　question　of　Chichikov's　possible　identity　with　Napoleon；　but　before　long　they　had　reason　to　regret　the　step；　for　Nozdrev　responded　with　a　rambling　rigmarole　such　as　bore　no　resemblance　to　anything　possibly　conceivable。　Finally；　the　majority　of　the　audience　left　the　room；　and　only　the　Chief　of　Police　remained　to　listen　（in　the　hope　of　gathering　something　more）；　but　at　last　even　he　found　himself　forced　to　disclaim　the　speaker　with　a　gesture　which　said：　〃The　devil　only　knows　what　the　fellow　is　talking　about！〃　and　so　voiced　the　general　opinion　that　it　was　no　use　trying　to　gather　figs　of　thistles。

Meanwhile　Chichikov　knew　nothing　of　these　events；　for；　having　contracted　a　slight　chill；　coupled　with　a　sore　throat；　he　had　decided　to　keep　his　room　for　three　days；　during　which　time　he　gargled　his　throat　with　milk　and　fig　juice；　consumed　the　fruit　from　which　the　juice　had　been　extracted；　and　wore　around　his　neck　a　poultice　of　camomile　and　camphor。　Also；　to　while　away　the　hours；　he　made　new　and　more　detailed　lists　of　the　souls　which