dead souls(死魂灵)- 第12部分

〃That　is　MY　affair。〃

〃But　they　are　DEAD　souls。〃

〃Who　said　they　were　not？　The　mere　fact　of　their　being　dead　entails　upon　you　a　loss　as　dead　as　the　souls；　for　you　have　to　continue　paying　tax　upon　them；　whereas　MY　plan　is　to　relieve　you　both　of　the　tax　and　of　the　resultant　trouble。　NOW　do　you　understand？　And　I　will　not　only　do　as　I　say；　but　also　hand　you　over　fifteen　roubles　per　soul。　Is　that　clear　enough？〃

〃Yesbut　I　do　not　know；〃　said　his　hostess　diffidently。　〃You　see；　never　before　have　I　sold　dead　souls。〃

〃Quite　so。　It　would　be　a　surprising　thing　if　you　had。　But　surely　you　do　not　think　that　these　dead　souls　are　in　the　least　worth　keeping？〃

〃Oh；　no；　indeed！　Why　should　they　be　worth　keeping？　I　am　sure　they　are　not　so。　The　only　thing　which　troubles　me　is　the　fact　that　they　are　DEAD。〃

〃She　seems　a　truly　obstinate　old　woman！〃　was　Chichikov's　inward　comment。　〃Look　here；　madam；〃　he　added　aloud。　〃You　reason　well；　but　you　are　simply　ruining　yourself　by　continuing　to　pay　the　tax　upon　dead　souls　as　though　they　were　still　alive。〃

〃Oh；　good　sir；　do　not　speak　of　it！〃　the　lady　exclaimed。　〃Three　weeks　ago　I　took　a　hundred　and　fifty　roubles　to　that　Assessor；　and　buttered　him　up；　and〃

〃Then　you　see　how　it　is；　do　you　not？　Remember　that；　according　to　my　plan；　you　will　never　again　have　to　butter　up　the　Assessor；　seeing　that　it　will　be　I　who　will　be　paying　for　those　peasants_I_；　not　YOU；　for　I　shall　have　taken　over　the　dues　upon　them；　and　have　transferred　them　to　myself　as　so　many　bona　fide　serfs。　Do　you　understand　AT　LAST？〃

However；　the　old　lady　still　communed　with　herself。　She　could　see　that　the　transaction　would　be　to　her　advantage；　yet　it　was　one　of　such　a　novel　and　unprecedented　nature　that　she　was　beginning　to　fear　lest　this　purchaser　of　souls　intended　to　cheat　her。　Certainly　he　had　come　from　God　only　knew　where；　and　at　the　dead　of　night；　too！

〃But；　sir；　I　have　never　in　my　life　sold　dead　folkonly　living　ones。　Three　years　ago　I　transferred　two　wenches　to　Protopopov　for　a　hundred　roubles　apiece；　and　he　thanked　me　kindly；　for　they　turned　out　splendid　workersable　to　make　napkins　or　anything　else。

〃Yes；　but　with　the　living　we　have　nothing　to　do；　damn　it！　I　am　asking　you　only　about　DEAD　folk。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　of　course。　But　at　first　sight　I　felt　afraid　lest　I　should　be　incurring　a　losslest　you　should　be　wishing　to　outwit　me；　good　sir。　You　see；　the　dead　souls　are　worth　rather　more　than　you　have　offered　for　them。〃

〃See　here；　madam。　（What　a　woman　it　is！）　HOW　could　they　be　worth　more？　Think　for　yourself。　They　are　so　much　loss　to　youso　much　loss；　do　you　understand？　Take　any　worthless；　rubbishy　article　you　likea　piece　of　old　rag；　for　example。　That　rag　will　yet　fetch　its　price；　for　it　can　be　bought　for　paper…making。　But　these　dead　souls　are　good　for　NOTHING　AT　ALL。　Can　you　name　anything　that　they　ARE　good　for？〃

〃True；　truethey　ARE　good　for　nothing。　But　what　troubles　me　is　the　fact　that　they　are　dead。〃

〃What　a　blockhead　of　a　creature！〃　said　Chichikov　to　himself；　for　he　was　beginning　to　lose　patience。　〃Bless　her　heart；　I　may　as　well　be　going。　She　has　thrown　me　into　a　perfect　sweat；　the　cursed　old　shrew！〃

He　took　a　handkerchief　from　his　pocket；　and　wiped　the　perspiration　from　his　brow。　Yet　he　need　not　have　flown　into　such　a　passion。　More　than　one　respected　statesman　reveals　himself；　when　confronted　with　a　business　matter；　to　be　just　such　another　as　Madam　Korobotchka；　in　that；　once　he　has　got　an　idea　into　his　head；　there　is　no　getting　it　out　of　himyou　may　ply　him　with　daylight…clear　arguments；　yet　they　will　rebound　from　his　brain　as　an　india…rubber　ball　rebounds　from　a　flagstone。　Nevertheless；　wiping　away　the　perspiration；　Chichikov　resolved　to　try　whether　he　could　not　bring　her　back　to　the　road　by　another　path。

〃Madam；〃　he　said；　〃either　you　are　declining　to　understand　what　I　say　or　you　are　talking　for　the　mere　sake　of　talking。　If　I　hand　you　over　some　moneyfifteen　roubles　for　each　soul；　do　you　understand？it　is　MONEY；　not　something　which　can　be　picked　up　haphazard　on　the　street。　For　instance；　tell　me　how　much　you　sold　your　honey　for？〃

〃For　twelve　roubles　per　pood。〃

〃Ah！　Then　by　those　words；　madam；　you　have　laid　a　trifling　sin　upon　your　soul；　for　you　did　NOT　sell　the　honey　for　twelve　roubles。〃

〃By　the　Lord　God　I　did！〃

〃Well；　well！　Never　mind。　Honey　is　only　honey。　Now；　you　had　collected　that　stuff；　it　may　be；　for　a　year；　and　with　infinite　care　and　labour。　You　had　fussed　after　it；　you　had　trotted　to　and　fro；　you　had　duly　frozen　out　the　bees；　and　you　had　fed　them　in　the　cellar　throughout　the　winter。　But　these　dead　souls　of　which　I　speak　are　quite　another　matter；　for　in　this　case　you　have　put　forth　no　exertionsit　was　merely　God's　will　that　they　should　leave　the　world；　and　thus　decrease　the　personnel　of　your　establishment。　In　the　former　case　you　received　（so　you　allege）　twelve　roubles　per　pood　for　your　labour；　but　in　this　case　you　will　receive　money　for　having　done　nothing　at　all。　Nor　will　you　receive　twelve　roubles　per　item；　but　FIFTEENand　roubles　not　in　silver；　but　roubles　in　good　paper　currency。〃

That　these　powerful　inducements　would　certainly　cause　the　old　woman　to　yield　Chichikov　had　not　a　doubt。

〃True；〃　his　hostess　replied。　〃But　how　strangely　business　comes　to　me　as　a　widow！　Perhaps　I　had　better　wait　a　little　longer；　seeing　that　other　buyers　might　come　along；　and　I　might　be　able　to　compare　prices。〃

〃For　shame；　madam！　For　shame！　Think　what　you　are　saying。　Who　else；　I　would　ask；　would　care　to　buy　those　souls？　What　use　could　they　be　to　any　one？〃

〃If　that　is　so；　they　might　come　in　useful　to　ME；〃　mused　the　old　woman　aloud；　after　which　she　sat　staring　at　Chichikov　with　her　mouth　open　and　a　face　of　nervous　expectancy　as　to　his　possible　rejoinder。

〃Dead　folk　useful　in　a　household！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Why；　what　could　you　do　with　them？　Set　them　up　on　poles　to　frighten　away　the　sparrows　from　your　garden？〃

〃The　Lord　save　us；　but　what　things　you　say！〃　she　ejaculated；　crossing　herself。

〃Well；　WHAT　could　you　do　with　them？　By　this　time　they　are　so　much　bones　and　earth。　That　is　all　there　is　left　of　them。　Their　transfer　to　myself　would　be　ON　PAPER　only。　Come；　come！　At　least　give　me　an　answer。〃

Again　the　old　woman　communed　with　herself。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　Nastasia　Petrovna？〃　inquired　Chichikov。

〃I　am　thinking　that　I　scarcely　know　what　to　do。　Perhaps　I　had　better　sell　you　some　hemp？〃

〃What　do　I　want　with　hemp？　Pardon　me；　but　just　when　I　have　made　to　you　a　different　proposal　altogether　you　begin　fussing　about　hemp！　Hemp　is　hemp；　and　though　I　may　want　some　when　I　NEXT　visit　you；　I　should　like　to　know　what　you　have　to　say　to　the　suggestion　under　discussion。〃

〃Well；　I　think　it　a　very　queer　bargain。　Never　have　I　heard　of　such　a　thing。〃

Upon　this　Chichikov　lost　all　patience；　upset　his　chair；　and　bid　her　go　to　the　devil；　of　which　personage　even　the　mere　mention　terrified　her　extremely。

〃Do　not　speak　of　him；　I　beg　of　you！〃　she　cried；　turning　pale。　〃May　God；　rather；　bless　him！　Last　night　was　the　third　night　that　he　has　appeared　to　me　in　a　dream。　You　see；　after　saying　my　prayers；　I　bethought　me　of　telling　my　fortune　by　the　cards；　and　God　must　have　sent　him　as　a　punishment。　He　looked　so　horrible；　and　had　horns　longer　than　a　bull's！〃

〃I　wonder　you　don't　see　SCORES　of　devils　in　your　dreams！　Merely　out　of　Christian　charity　he　had　come　to　you　to　say；　'I　perceive　a　poor　widow　going　to　rack　and　ruin；　and　likely　soon　to　stand　in　danger　of　want。'　Well；　go　to　rack　and　ruinyes；　you　and　all　your　village　together！〃

〃The　insults！〃　exclaimed　the　old　woman；　glancing　at　her　visitor　in　terror。

〃I　should　think　so！〃　continued　Chichikov。　〃Indeed；　I　cannot　find　words　to　describe　you。　To　say　no　more　about　it；　you　are　like　a　dog　in　a　manger。　You　don't　want　to　eat　the　hay　yourself；　yet　you　won't　let　anyone　else　touch　it。　All　that　I　am　seeking　to　do　is　to　purchase　certain　domestic　products　of　yours；　for　the　reason　that　I　have　certain　Government　contracts　to　fulfil。〃　This　last　he　added　in　passing；　and　without　any　ulterior　motive；　save　that　it　came　to　him　as　a　happy　thought。　Nevertheless　the　mention　of　Government　contracts　exercised　a　powerful　influence　upon　Nastasia　Petrovna；　and　she　hastened　to　say　in　a　tone　that　was　almost　supplicatory：

〃Why　should　you　be　so　angry　with　me？　Had　I　known　that　you　were　going　to　lose　your　temper　in　this　way；　I　should　never　have　discussed　the　matter。〃

〃No　wonder　that　I　lose　my　temper！　An　egg　too　many　is　no　great　matter；　yet　it　may　prove　exceedingly　annoying。〃

〃Well；　well；　I　will　let　you　have　the　souls　for　fifteen　roubles　each。　Also；　with　regard　to　those　contracts；　do　not　forget　me　if　at　any　time　you　should　find　yourself　in　need　of　rye…meal　or　buckwheat　or　groats　or　dead　meat。〃

〃No；　I　shall　NEVER　forget　you；　madam！〃　he　said；　wiping　his　forehead；　where　three　separate　streams　of　perspiration　were　trickling　down　his　face。　Then　he　asked　her　whether　in　the　town　she　had　any　acquaintance　or　agent　whom　she　could　empower　to　complete　the　transference　of　the　serfs；　and　to　carry　out　whatsoever　else　might　be　necessary。

〃Certainly；〃　replied　Madame　Korobotchka。　〃The　son　of　our　archpriest；　Father　Cyril；　himself　is　a　lawyer。〃

Upon　that　Chichikov　begged　her　to　accord　the　gentleman　in　question　a　power　of　attorney；　while；　to　save　extra　trouble；　he　himself　would　then　and　there　compose　the　requisite　letter。

〃It　would　be　a　fine　thing　if　he　were　to　buy　up　all　my　meal　and　stock　for　the　Government；〃　thought　Madame　to　herself。　〃I　must　encourage　him　a　little。　There　has　been　some　dough　standing　ready　since　last　night；　so　I　will　go　and　tell　Fetinia　to　try　a　few　pancakes。　Also；　it　might　be　well　to　try　him　with　an　egg　pie。　We　make　then　nicely　here；　and　they　do　not　take　long　in　the　making。〃

So　she　departed　to　translate　her　thoughts　into　action；　as　well　as　to　supplement　the　pie　with　other　products　of　the　domestic　cuisine；　while；　for　his　part；　Chichikov　returned　to　the　drawing…room　where　he　had　spent　the　night；　in　order　to　procure　from　his　dispatch…box　the　necessary　writing…paper。　The　room　had　now　been　set　in　order；　the　sumptuous　feather　bed　removed；　and　a　table　set　before　the　sofa。　Depositing　his　dispatch…box　upon　the　table；　he　heaved　a　gentle　sigh　on　becoming　aware　that　he　was　so　soaked　with　perspira