dead souls(死魂灵)- 第36部分

In　his　little　room；　with　its　door　of　communication　blocked　with　a　wardrobe；　his　frame　of　mind　remained　as　uncomfortable　as　the　chair　in　which　he　was　seated。　His　heart　ached　with　a　dull；　unpleasant　sensation；　with　a　sort　of　oppressive　emptiness。

〃The　devil　take　those　who　first　invented　balls！〃　was　his　reflection。　〃Who　derives　any　real　pleasure　from　them？　In　this　province　there　exist　want　and　scarcity　everywhere：　yet　folk　go　in　for　balls！　How　absurd；　too；　were　those　overdressed　women！　One　of　them　must　have　had　a　thousand　roubles　on　her　back；　and　all　acquired　at　the　expense　of　the　overtaxed　peasant；　or；　worse　still；　at　that　of　the　conscience　of　her　neighbour。　Yes；　we　all　know　why　bribes　are　accepted；　and　why　men　become　crooked　in　soul。　It　is　all　done　to　provide　wivesyes；　may　the　pit　swallow　them　up！with　fal…lals。　And　for　what　purpose？　That　some　woman　may　not　have　to　reproach　her　husband　with　the　fact　that；　say；　the　Postmaster's　wife　is　wearing　a　better　dress　than　she　isa　dress　which　has　cost　a　thousand　roubles！　'Balls　and　gaiety；　balls　and　gaiety'　is　the　constant　cry。　Yet　what　folly　balls　are！　They　do　not　consort　with　the　Russian　spirit　and　genius；　and　the　devil　only　knows　why　we　have　them。　A　grown；　middle…aged　mana　man　dressed　in　black；　and　looking　as　stiff　as　a　pokersuddenly　takes　the　floor　and　begins　shuffling　his　feet　about；　while　another　man；　even　though　conversing　with　a　companion　on　important　business；　will；　the　while；　keep　capering　to　right　and　left　like　a　billy…goat！　Mimicry；　sheer　mimicry！　The　fact　that　the　Frenchman　is　at　forty　precisely　what　he　was　at　fifteen　leads　us　to　imagine　that　we　too；　forsooth；　ought　to　be　the　same。　No；　a　ball　leaves　one　feeling　that　one　has　done　a　wrong　thingso　much　so　that　one　does　not　care　even　to　think　of　it。　It　also　leaves　one's　head　perfectly　empty；　even　as　does　the　exertion　of　talking　to　a　man　of　the　world。　A　man　of　that　kind　chatters　away；　and　touches　lightly　upon　every　conceivable　subject；　and　talks　in　smooth；　fluent　phrases　which　he　has　culled　from　books　without　grazing　their　substance；　whereas　go　and　have　a　chat　with　a　tradesman　who　knows　at　least　ONE　thing　thoroughly；　and　through　the　medium　of　experience；　and　see　whether　his　conversation　will　not　be　worth　more　than　the　prattle　of　a　thousand　chatterboxes。　For　what　good　does　one　get　out　of　balls？　Suppose　that　a　competent　writer　were　to　describe　such　a　scene　exactly　as　it　stands？　Why；　even　in　a　book　it　would　seem　senseless；　even　as　it　certainly　is　in　life。　Are；　therefore；　such　functions　right　or　wrong？　One　would　answer　that　the　devil　alone　knows；　and　then　spit　and　close　the　book。〃

Such　were　the　unfavourable　comments　which　Chichikov　passed　upon　balls　in　general。　With　it　all；　however；　there　went　a　second　source　of　dissatisfaction。　That　is　to　say；　his　principal　grudge　was　not　so　much　against　balls　as　against　the　fact　that　at　this　particular　one　he　had　been　exposed；　he　had　been　made　to　disclose　the　circumstance　that　he　had　been　playing　a　strange；　an　ambiguous　part。　Of　course；　when　he　reviewed　the　contretemps　in　the　light　of　pure　reason；　he　could　not　but　see　that　it　mattered　nothing；　and　that　a　few　rude　words　were　of　no　account　now　that　the　chief　point　had　been　attained；　yet　man　is　an　odd　creature；　and　Chichikov　actually　felt　pained　by　the　could…shouldering　administered　to　him　by　persons　for　whom　he　had　not　an　atom　of　respect；　and　whose　vanity　and　love　of　display　he　had　only　that　moment　been　censuring。　Still　more；　on　viewing　the　matter　clearly；　he　felt　vexed　to　think　that　he　himself　had　been　so　largely　the　cause　of　the　catastrophe。

Yet　he　was　not　angry　with　HIMSELFof　that　you　may　be　sure；　seeing　that　all　of　us　have　a　slight　weakness　for　sparing　our　own　faults；　and　always　do　our　best　to　find　some　fellow…creature　upon　whom　to　vent　our　displeasurewhether　that　fellow…creature　be　a　servant；　a　subordinate　official；　or　a　wife。　In　the　same　way　Chichikov　sought　a　scapegoat　upon　whose　shoulders　he　could　lay　the　blame　for　all　that　had　annoyed　him。　He　found　one　in　Nozdrev；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　the　scapegoat　in　question　received　a　good　drubbing　from　every　side；　even　as　an　experienced　captain　or　chief　of　police　will　give　a　knavish　starosta　or　postboy　a　rating　not　only　in　the　terms　become　classical；　but　also　in　such　terms　as　the　said　captain　or　chief　of　police　may　invent　for　himself。　In　short；　Nozdrev's　whole　lineage　was　passed　in　review；　and　many　of　its　members　in　the　ascending　line　fared　badly　in　the　process。

Meanwhile；　at　the　other　end　of　the　town　there　was　in　progress　an　event　which　was　destined　to　augment　still　further　the　unpleasantness　of　our　hero's　position。　That　is　to　say；　through　the　outlying　streets　and　alleys　of　the　town　there　was　clattering　a　vehicle　to　which　it　would　be　difficult　precisely　to　assign　a　name；　seeing　that；　though　it　was　of　a　species　peculiar　to　itself；　it　most　nearly　resembled　a　large；　rickety　water　melon　on　wheels。　Eventually　this　monstrosity　drew　up　at　the　gates　of　a　house　where　the　archpriest　of　one　of　the　churches　resided；　and　from　its　doors　there　leapt　a　damsel　clad　in　a　jerkin　and　wearing　a　scarf　over　her　head。　For　a　while　she　thumped　the　gates　so　vigorously　as　to　set　all　the　dogs　barking；　then　the　gates　stiffly　opened；　and　admitted　this　unwieldy　phenomenon　of　the　road。　Lastly；　the　barinia　herself　alighted；　and　stood　revealed　as　Madame　Korobotchka；　widow　of　a　Collegiate　Secretary！　The　reason　of　her　sudden　arrival　was　that　she　had　felt　so　uneasy　about　the　possible　outcome　of　Chichikov's　whim；　that　during　the　three　nights　following　his　departure　she　had　been　unable　to　sleep　a　wink；　whereafter；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　her　horses　were　not　shod；　she　had　set　off　for　the　town；　in　order　to　learn　at　first　hand　how　the　dead　souls　were　faring；　and　whether　（which　might　God　forfend！）　she　had　not　sold　them　at　something　like　a　third　of　their　true　value。　The　consequences　of　her　venture　the　reader　will　learn　from　a　conversation　between　two　ladies。　We　will　reserve　it　for　the　ensuing　chapter。




CHAPTER　IX

Next　morning；　before　the　usual　hour　for　paying　calls；　there　tripped　from　the　portals　of　an　orange…coloured　wooden　house　with　an　attic　storey　and　a　row　of　blue　pillars　a　lady　in　an　elegant　plaid　cloak。　With　her　came　a　footman　in　a　many…caped　greatcoat　and　a　polished　top　hat　with　a　gold　band。　Hastily；　but　gracefully；　the　lady　ascended　the　steps　let　down　from　a　koliaska　which　was　standing　before　the　entrance；　and　as　soon　as　she　had　done　so　the　footman　shut　her　in；　put　up　the　steps　again；　and；　catching　hold　of　the　strap　behind　the　vehicle；　shouted　to　the　coachman；　〃Right　away！〃　The　reason　of　all　this　was　that　the　lady　was　the　possessor　of　a　piece　of　intelligence　that　she　was　burning　to　communicate　to　a　fellow…creature。　Every　moment　she　kept　looking　out　of　the　carriage　window；　and　perceiving；　with　almost　speechless　vexation；　that；　as　yet；　she　was　but　half…way　on　her　journey。　The　fronts　of　the　houses　appeared　to　her　longer　than　usual；　and　in　particular　did　the　front　of　the　white　stone　hospital；　with　its　rows　of　narrow　windows；　seem　interminable　to　a　degree　which　at　length　forced　her　to　ejaculate：　〃Oh；　the　cursed　building！　Positively　there　is　no　end　to　it！〃　Also；　she　twice　adjured　the　coachman　with　the　words；　〃Go　quicker；　Andrusha！　You　are　a　horribly　long　time　over　the　journey　this　morning。〃　But　at　length　the　goal　was　reached；　and　the　koliaska　stopped　before　a　one…storied　wooden　mansion；　dark　grey　in　colour；　and　having　white　carvings　over　the　windows；　a　tall　wooden　fence　and　narrow　garden　in　front　of　the　latter；　and　a　few　meagre　trees　looming　white　with　an　incongruous　coating　of　road　dust。　In　the　windows　of　the　building　were　also　a　few　flower　pots　and　a　parrot　that　kept　alternately　dancing　on　the　floor　of　its　cage　and　hanging　on　to　the　ring　of　the　same　with　its　beak。　Also；　in　the　sunshine　before　the　door　two　pet　dogs　were　sleeping。　Here　there　lived　the　lady's　bosom　friend。　As　soon　as　the　bosom　friend　in　question　learnt　of　the　newcomer's　arrival；　she　ran　down　into　the　hall；　and　the　two　ladies　kissed　and　embraced　one　another。　Then　they　adjourned　to　the　drawing…room。

〃How　glad　I　am　to　see　you！〃　said　the　bosom　friend。　〃When　I　heard　some　one　arriving　I　wondered　who　could　possibly　be　calling　so　early。　Parasha　declared　that　it　must　be　the　Vice…Governor's　wife；　so；　as　I　did　not　want　to　be　bored　with　her；　I　gave　orders　that　I　was　to　be　reported　'not　at　home。'〃

For　her　part；　the　guest　would　have　liked　to　have　proceeded　to　business　by　communicating　her　tidings；　but　a　sudden　exclamation　from　the　hostess　imparted　（temporarily）　a　new　direction　to　the　conversation。

〃What　a　pretty　chintz！〃　she　cried；　gazing　at　the　other's　gown。

〃Yes；　it　IS　pretty；〃　agreed　the　visitor。　〃On　the　other　hand；　Praskovia　Thedorovna　thinks　that〃

In　other　words；　the　ladies　proceeded　to　indulge　in　a　conversation　on　the　subject　of　dress；　and　only　after　this　had　lasted　for　a　considerable　while　did　the　visitor　let　fall　a　remark　which　led　her　entertainer　to　inquire：

〃And　how　is　the　universal　charmer？〃

〃My　God！〃　replied　the　other。　〃There　has　been　SUCH　a　business！　In　fact；　do　you　know　why　I　am　here　at　all？〃　And　the　visitor's　breathing　became　more　hurried；　and　further　words　seemed　to　be　hovering　between　her　lips　like　hawks　preparing　to　stoop　upon　their　prey。　Only　a　person　of　the　unhumanity　of　a　〃true　friend〃　would　have　had　the　heart　to　interrupt　her；　but　the　hostess　was　just　such　a　friend；　and　at　once　interposed　with：

〃I　wonder　how　any　one　can　see　anything　in　the　man　to　praise　or　to　admire。　For　my　own　part；　I　thinkand　I　would　say　the　same　thing　straight　to　his　facethat　he　is　a　perfect　rascal。〃

〃Yes；　but　do　listen　to　what　I　have　got　to　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　that　some　people　think　him　handsome；〃　continued　the　hostess；　unmoved；　〃but　_I_　say　that　he　is　nothing　of　the　kindthat；　in　particular；　his　nose　is　perfectly　odious。〃

〃Yes；　but　let　me　finish　what　I　was　saying。〃　The　guest's　tone　was　almost　piteous　in　its　appeal。

〃What　is　it；　then？〃

〃You　cannot　imagine　my　state　of　mind！　You　see；　this　morning　I　received　a　visit　from　Father　Cyril's　wifethe　Archpriest's　wifeyou　know　her；　don't　you？　Well；　whom　do　you　suppose　that　fine　gentleman　visitor　of　ours　has　turned　out　to　be？〃

〃The　man　who　has　built　the　Archpriest　a　poultry…run？〃

〃Oh　dear　no！　Had　that　b