dead souls(死魂灵)- 第20部分

〃Very　well；　I　DO　say　that；〃　replied　Chichikov；　and　at　the　same　moment　raised　his　hands　towards　his　face；　for　the　dispute　was　growing　heated。　Nor　was　the　act　of　caution　altogether　unwarranted；　for　Nozdrev　also　raised　his　fist；　and　it　may　be　that　one　of　her　hero's　plump；　pleasant…looking　cheeks　would　have　sustained　an　indelible　insult　had　not　he　（Chichikov）　parried　the　blow　and；　seizing　Nozdrev　by　his　whirling　arms；　held　them　fast。

〃Porphyri！　Pavlushka！〃　shouted　Nozdrev　as　madly　he　strove　to　free　himself。

On　hearing　the　words；　Chichikov；　both　because　he　wished　to　avoid　rendering　the　servants　witnesses　of　the　unedifying　scene　and　because　he　felt　that　it　would　be　of　no　avail　to　hold　Nozdrev　any　longer；　let　go　of　the　latter's　arms；　but　at　the　same　moment　Porphyri　and　Pavlushka　entered　the　rooma　pair　of　stout　rascals　with　whom　it　would　be　unwise　to　meddle。

〃Do　you；　or　do　you　not；　intend　to　finish　the　game？〃　said　Nozdrev。　〃Give　me　a　direct　answer。〃

〃No；　it　will　not　be　possible　to　finish　the　game；〃　replied　Chichikov；　glancing　out　of　the　window。　He　could　see　his　britchka　standing　ready　for　him；　and　Selifan　evidently　awaiting　orders　to　draw　up　to　the　entrance　steps。　But　from　the　room　there　was　no　escape；　since　in　the　doorway　was　posted　the　couple　of　well…built　serving…men。

〃Then　it　is　as　I　say？　You　refuse　to　finish　the　game？〃　repeated　Nozdrev；　his　face　as　red　as　fire。

〃I　would　have　finished　it　had　you　played　like　a　man　of　honour。　But；　as　it　is；　I　cannot。〃

〃You　cannot；　eh；　you　villain？　You　find　that　you　cannot　as　soon　as　you　find　that　you　are　not　winning？　Thrash　him；　you　fellows！〃　And　as　he　spoke　Nozdrev　grasped　the　cherrywood　shank　of　his　pipe。　Chichikov　turned　as　white　as　a　sheet。　He　tried　to　say　something；　but　his　quivering　lips　emitted　no　sound。　〃Thrash　him！〃　again　shouted　Nozdrev　as　he　rushed　forward　in　a　state　of　heat　and　perspiration　more　proper　to　a　warrior　who　is　attacking　an　impregnable　fortress。　〃Thrash　him！〃　again　he　shouted　in　a　voice　like　that　of　some　half…demented　lieutenant　whose　desperate　bravery　has　acquired　such　a　reputation　that　orders　have　had　to　be　issued　that　his　hands　shall　be　held　lest　he　attempt　deeds　of　over…presumptuous　daring。　Seized　with　the　military　spirit；　however；　the　lieutenant's　head　begins　to　whirl；　and　before　his　eye　there　flits　the　image　of　Suvorov＇4＇。　He　advances　to　the　great　encounter；　and　impulsively　cries；　〃Forward；　my　sons！〃cries　it　without　reflecting　that　he　may　be　spoiling　the　plan　of　the　general　attack；　that　millions　of　rifles　may　be　protruding　their　muzzles　through　the　embrasures　of　the　impregnable；　towering　walls　of　the　fortress；　that　his　own　impotent　assault　may　be　destined　to　be　dissipated　like　dust　before　the　wind；　and　that　already　there　may　have　been　launched　on　its　whistling　career　the　bullet　which　is　to　close　for　ever　his　vociferous　throat。　However；　if　Nozdrev　resembled　the　headstrong；　desperate　lieutenant　whom　we　have　just　pictured　as　advancing　upon　a　fortress；　at　least　the　fortress　itself　in　no　way　resembled　the　impregnable　stronghold　which　I　have　described。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　fortress　became　seized　with　a　panic　which　drove　its　spirit　into　its　boots。　First　of　all；　the　chair　with　which　Chichikov　（the　fortress　in　question）　sought　to　defend　himself　was　wrested　from　his　grasp　by　the　serfs；　and　thenblinking　and　neither　alive　nor　deadhe　turned　to　parry　the　Circassian　pipe…stem　of　his　host。　In　fact；　God　only　knows　what　would　have　happened　had　not　the　fates　been　pleased　by　a　miracle　to　deliver　Chichikov's　elegant　back　and　shoulders　from　the　onslaught。　Suddenly；　and　as　unexpectedly　as　though　the　sound　had　come　from　the　clouds；　there　made　itself　heard　the　tinkling　notes　of　a　collar…bell；　and　then　the　rumble　of　wheels　approaching　the　entrance　steps；　and；　lastly；　the　snorting　and　hard　breathing　of　a　team　of　horses　as　a　vehicle　came　to　a　standstill。　Involuntarily　all　present　glanced　through　the　window；　and　saw　a　man　clad　in　a　semi…military　greatcoat　leap　from　a　buggy。　After　making　an　inquiry　or　two　in　the　hall；　he　entered　the　dining…room　just　at　the　juncture　when　Chichikov；　almost　swooning　with　terror；　had　found　himself　placed　in　about　as　awkward　a　situation　as　could　well　befall　a　mortal　man。

＇4＇　The　great　Russian　general　who；　after　winning　fame　in　the　Seven　　　　　Years'　War；　met　with　disaster　when　attempting　to　assist　the　　　　　Austrians　against　the　French　in　1799。

〃Kindly　tell　me　which　of　you　is　Monsieur　Nozdrev？〃　said　the　unknown　with　a　glance　of　perplexity　both　at　the　person　named　（who　was　still　standing　with　pipe…shank　upraised）　and　at　Chichikov　（who　was　just　beginning　to　recover　from　his　unpleasant　predicament）。

〃Kindly　tell　ME　whom　I　have　the　honour　of　addressing？〃　retorted　Nozdrev　as　he　approached　the　official。

〃I　am　the　Superintendent　of　Rural　Police。〃

〃And　what　do　you　want？〃

〃I　have　come　to　fulfil　a　commission　imposed　upon　me。　That　is　to　say；　I　have　come　to　place　you　under　arrest　until　your　case　shall　have　been　decided。〃

〃Rubbish！　What　case；　pray？〃

〃The　case　in　which　you　involved　yourself　when；　in　a　drunken　condition；　and　through　the　instrumentality　of　a　walking…stick；　you　offered　grave　offence　to　the　person　of　Landowner　Maksimov。〃

〃You　lie！　To　your　face　I　tell　you　that　never　in　my　life　have　I　set　eyes　upon　Landowner　Maksimov。〃

〃Good　sir；　allow　me　to　represent　to　you　that　I　am　a　Government　officer。　Speeches　like　that　you　may　address　to　your　servants；　but　not　to　me。〃

At　this　point　Chichikov；　without　waiting　for　Nozdrev's　reply；　seized　his　cap；　slipped　behind　the　Superintendent's　back；　rushed　out　on　to　the　verandah；　sprang　into　his　britchka；　and　ordered　Selifan　to　drive　like　the　wind。



CHAPTER　V

Certainly　Chichikov　was　a　thorough　coward；　for；　although　the　britchka　pursued　its　headlong　course　until　Nozdrev's　establishment　had　disappeared　behind　hillocks　and　hedgerows；　our　hero　continued　to　glance　nervously　behind　him；　as　though　every　moment　expecting　to　see　a　stern　chase　begin。　His　breath　came　with　difficulty；　and　when　he　tried　his　heart　with　his　hands　he　could　feel　it　fluttering　like　a　quail　caught　in　a　net。

〃What　a　sweat　the　fellow　has　thrown　me　into！〃　he　thought　to　himself；　while　many　a　dire　and　forceful　aspiration　passed　through　his　mind。　Indeed；　the　expressions　to　which　he　gave　vent　were　most　inelegant　in　their　nature。　But　what　was　to　be　done　next？　He　was　a　Russian　and　thoroughly　aroused。　The　affair　had　been　no　joke。　〃But　for　the　Superintendent；〃　he　reflected；　〃I　might　never　again　have　looked　upon　God's　daylightI　might　have　vanished　like　a　bubble　on　a　pool；　and　left　neither　trace　nor　posterity　nor　property　nor　an　honourable　name　for　my　future　offspring　to　inherit！〃　（it　seemed　that　our　hero　was　particularly　anxious　with　regard　to　his　possible　issue）。

〃What　a　scurvy　barin！〃　mused　Selifan　as　he　drove　along。　〃Never　have　I　seen　such　a　barin。　I　should　like　to　spit　in　his　face。　'Tis　better　to　allow　a　man　nothing　to　eat　than　to　refuse　to　feed　a　horse　properly。　A　horse　needs　his　oatsthey　are　his　proper　fare。　Even　if　you　make　a　man　procure　a　meal　at　his　own　expense；　don't　deny　a　horse　his　oats；　for　he　ought　always　to　have　them。〃

An　equally　poor　opinion　of　Nozdrev　seemed　to　be　cherished　also　by　the　steeds；　for　not　only　were　the　bay　and　the　Assessor　clearly　out　of　spirits；　but　even　the　skewbald　was　wearing　a　dejected　air。　True；　at　home　the　skewbald　got　none　but　the　poorer　sorts　of　oats　to　eat；　and　Selifan　never　filled　his　trough　without　having　first　called　him　a　villain；　but　at　least　they　WERE　oats；　and　not　haythey　were　stuff　which　could　be　chewed　with　a　certain　amount　of　relish。　Also；　there　was　the　fact　that　at　intervals　he　could　intrude　his　long　nose　into　his　companions'　troughs　（especially　when　Selifan　happened　to　be　absent　from　the　stable）　and　ascertain　what　THEIR　provender　was　like。　But　at　Nozdrev's　there　had　been　nothing　but　hay！　That　was　not　right。　All　three　horses　felt　greatly　discontented。

But　presently　the　malcontents　had　their　reflections　cut　short　in　a　very　rude　and　unexpected　manner。　That　is　to　say；　they　were　brought　back　to　practicalities　by　coming　into　violent　collision　with　a　six…horsed　vehicle；　while　upon　their　heads　descended　both　a　babel　of　cries　from　the　ladies　inside　and　a　storm　of　curses　and　abuse　from　the　coachman。　〃Ah；　you　damned　fool！〃　he　vociferated。　〃I　shouted　to　you　loud　enough！　Draw　out；　you　old　raven；　and　keep　to　the　right！　Are　you　drunk？〃　Selifan　himself　felt　conscious　that　he　had　been　careless；　but　since　a　Russian　does　not　care　to　admit　a　fault　in　the　presence　of　strangers；　he　retorted　with　dignity：　〃Why　have　you　run　into　US？　Did　you　leave　your　eyes　behind　you　at　the　last　tavern　that　you　stopped　at？〃　With　that　he　started　to　back　the　britchka；　in　the　hope　that　it　might　get　clear　of　the　other's　harness；　but　this　would　not　do；　for　the　pair　were　too　hopelessly　intertwined。　Meanwhile　the　skewbald　snuffed　curiously　at　his　new　acquaintances　as　they　stood　planted　on　either　side　of　him；　while　the　ladies　in　the　vehicle　regarded　the　scene　with　an　expression　of　terror。　One　of　them　was　an　old　woman；　and　the　other　a　damsel　of　about　sixteen。　A　mass　of　golden　hair　fell　daintily　from　a　small　head；　and　the　oval　of　her　comely　face　was　as　shapely　as　an　egg；　and　white　with　the　transparent　whiteness　seen　when　the　hands　of　a　housewife　hold　a　new…laid　egg　to　the　light　to　let　the　sun's　rays　filter　through　its　shell。　The　same　tint　marked　the　maiden's　ears　where　they　glowed　in　the　sunshine；　and；　in　short；　what　with　the　tears　in　her　wide…open；　arresting　eyes；　she　presented　so　attractive　a　picture　that　our　hero　bestowed　upon　it　more　than　a　passing　glance　before　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　hubbub　which　was　being　raised　among　the　horses　and　the　coachmen。

〃Back　out；　you　rook　of　Nizhni　Novgorod！〃　the　strangers'　coachman　shouted。　Selifan　tightened　his　reins；　and　the　other　driver　did　the　same。　The　horses　stepped　back　a　little；　and　then　came　together　againthis　time　getting　a　leg　or　two　over　the　traces。　In　fact；　so　pleased　did　the　skewbald　seem　with　his　new　friends　that　he　refused　to　stir　from　the　melee　into　which　an　unforeseen　chance　had　plunged　him。　Laying　his　muzzle　lovingly　upon　the　neck　of　one　of　his　recently…acquired　acquaintances；　he　seemed　to　be　whispering　something　in　that　acquaintance's　earand　whispering　pretty　nonsense；　t