dead souls(死魂灵)-第48部分

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　virtue　left；　and　all　that　remains　of　his　body　is　but　the　ribs　and　the　hide；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　is　for　ever　being　smuggled　upon　the　scene；　it　is　because　the　〃man　of　worth〃　has　at　length　forfeited　every　one's　respect。　For　these　reasons　do　I　reaffirm　that　it　is　high　time　to　yoke　a　rascal　to　the　shafts。　Let　us　yoke　that　rascal。

Our　hero's　beginnings　were　both　modest　and　obscure。　True；　his　parents　were　dvoriane；　but　he　in　no　way　resembled　them。　At　all　events；　a　short；　squab　female　relative　who　was　present　at　his　birth　exclaimed　as　she　lifted　up　the　baby：　〃He　is　altogether　different　from　what　I　had　expected　him　to　be。　He　ought　to　have　taken　after　his　maternal　grandmother；　whereas　he　has　been　born；　as　the　proverb　has　it；　'like　not　father　nor　mother；　but　like　a　chance　passer…by。'〃　Thus　from　the　first　life　regarded　the　little　Chichikov　with　sour　distaste；　and　as　through　a　dim；　frost…encrusted　window。　A　tiny　room　with　diminutive　casements　which　were　never　opened；　summer　or　winter；　an　invalid　father　in　a　dressing…gown　lined　with　lambskin；　and　with　an　ailing　foot　swathed　in　bandagesa　man　who　was　continually　drawing　deep　breaths；　and　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　and　spitting　into　a　sandbox；　a　period　of　perpetually　sitting　on　a　bench　with　pen　in　hand　and　ink　on　lips　and　fingers；　a　period　of　being　eternally　confronted　with　the　copy…book　maxim；　〃Never　tell　a　lie；　but　obey　your　superiors；　and　cherish　virtue　in　your　heart；〃　an　everlasting　scraping　and　shuffling　of　slippers　up　and　down　the　room；　a　period　of　continually　hearing　a　well…known；　strident　voice　exclaim：　〃So　you　have　been　playing　the　fool　again！〃　at　times　when　the　child；　weary　of　the　mortal　monotony　of　his　task；　had　added　a　superfluous　embellishment　to　his　copy；　a　period　of　experiencing　the　ever…familiar；　but　ever…unpleasant；　sensation　which　ensued　upon　those　words　as　the　boy's　ear　was　painfully　twisted　between　two　long　fingers　bent　backwards　at　the　tipssuch　is　the　miserable　picture　of　that　youth　of　which；　in　later　life；　Chichikov　preserved　but　the　faintest　of　memories！　But　in　this　world　everything　is　liable　to　swift　and　sudden　change；　and；　one　day　in　early　spring；　when　the　rivers　had　melted；　the　father　set　forth　with　his　little　son　in　a　teliezshka＇1＇　drawn　by　a　sorrel　steed　of　the　kind　known　to　horsy　folk　as　a　soroka；　and　having　as　coachman　the　diminutive　hunchback　who；　father　of　the　only　serf　family　belonging　to　the　elder　Chichikov；　served　as　general　factotum　in　the　Chichikov　establishment。　For　a　day　and　a　half　the　soroka　conveyed　them　on　their　way；　during　which　time　they　spent　the　night　at　a　roadside　inn；　crossed　a　river；　dined　off　cold　pie　and　roast　mutton；　and　eventually　arrived　at　the　county　town。　To　the　lad　the　streets　presented　a　spectacle　of　unwonted　brilliancy；　and　he　gaped　with　amazement。　Turning　into　a　side　alley　wherein　the　mire　necessitated　both　the　most　strenuous　exertions　on　the　soroka's　part　and　the　most　vigorous　castigation　on　the　part　of　the　driver　and　the　barin；　the　conveyance　eventually　reached　the　gates　of　a　courtyard　which；　combined　with　a　small　fruit　garden　containing　various　bushes；　a　couple　of　apple…trees　in　blossom；　and　a　mean；　dirty　little　shed；　constituted　the　premises　attached　to　an　antiquated…looking　villa。　Here　there　lived　a　relative　of　the　Chichikovs；　a　wizened　old　lady　who　went　to　market　in　person　and　dried　her　stockings　at　the　samovar。　On　seeing　the　boy；　she　patted　his　cheek　and　expressed　satisfaction　at　his　physique；　whereupon　the　fact　became　disclosed　that　here　he　was　to　abide　for　a　while；　for　the　purpose　of　attending　a　local　school。　After　a　night's　rest　his　father　prepared　to　betake　himself　homeward　again；　but　no　tears　marked　the　parting　between　him　and　his　son；　he　merely　gave　the　lad　a　copper　or　two　and　（a　far　more　important　thing）　the　following　injunctions。　〃See　here；　my　boy。　Do　your　lessons　well；　do　not　idle　or　play　the　fool；　and　above　all　things；　see　that　you　please　your　teachers。　So　long　as　you　observe　these　rules　you　will　make　progress；　and　surpass　your　fellows；　even　if　God　shall　have　denied　you　brains；　and　you　should　fail　in　your　studies。　Also；　do　not　consort　overmuch　with　your　comrades；　for　they　will　do　you　no　good；　but；　should　you　do　so；　then　make　friends　with　the　richer　of　them；　since　one　day　they　may　be　useful　to　you。　Also；　never　entertain　or　treat　any　one；　but　see　that　every　one　entertains　and　treats　YOU。　Lastly；　and　above　all　else；　keep　and　save　your　every　kopeck。　To　save　money　is　the　most　important　thing　in　life。　Always　a　friend　or　a　comrade　may　fail　you；　and　be　the　first　to　desert　you　in　a　time　of　adversity；　but　never　will　a　KOPECK　fail　you；　whatever　may　be　your　plight。　Nothing　in　the　world　cannot　be　done；　cannot　be　attained；　with　the　aid　of　money。〃　These　injunctions　given；　the　father　embraced　his　son；　and　set　forth　on　his　return；　and　though　the　son　never　again　beheld　his　parent；　the　latter's　words　and　precepts　sank　deep　into　the　little　Chichikov's　soul。

＇1＇　Four…wheeled　open　carriage。

The　next　day　young　Pavlushka　made　his　first　attendance　at　school。　But　no　special　aptitude　in　any　branch　of　learning　did　he　display。　Rather；　his　distinguishing　characteristics　were　diligence　and　neatness。　On　the　other　hand；　he　developed　great　intelligence　as　regards　the　PRACTICAL　aspect　of　life。　In　a　trice　he　divined　and　comprehended　how　things　ought　to　be　worked；　and；　from　that　time　forth；　bore　himself　towards　his　school…fellows　in　such　a　way　that；　though　they　frequently　gave　him　presents；　he　not　only　never　returned　the　compliment；　but　even　on　occasions　pocketed　the　gifts　for　the　mere　purpose　of　selling　them　again。　Also；　boy　though　he　was；　he　acquired　the　art　of　self…denial。　Of　the　trifle　which　his　father　had　given　him　on　parting　he　spent　not　a　kopeck；　but；　the　same　year；　actually　added　to　his　little　store　by　fashioning　a　bullfinch　of　wax；　painting　it；　and　selling　the　same　at　a　handsome　profit。　Next；　as　time　went　on；　he　engaged　in　other　speculationsin　particular；　in　the　scheme　of　buying　up　eatables；　taking　his　seat　in　class　beside　boys　who　had　plenty　of　pocket…money；　and；　as　soon　as　such　opulent　individuals　showed　signs　of　failing　attention　（and；　therefore；　of　growing　appetite）；　tendering　them；　from　beneath　the　desk；　a　roll　of　pudding　or　a　piece　of　gingerbread；　and　charging　according　to　degree　of　appetite　and　size　of　portion。　He　also　spent　a　couple　of　months　in　training　a　mouse；　which　he　kept　confined　in　a　little　wooden　cage　in　his　bedroom。　At　length；　when　the　training　had　reached　the　point　that；　at　the　several　words　of　command；　the　mouse　would　stand　upon　its　hind　legs；　lie　down；　and　get　up　again；　he　sold　the　creature　for　a　respectable　sum。　Thus；　in　time；　his　gains　attained　the　amount　of　five　roubles；　whereupon　he　made　himself　a　purse　and　then　started　to　fill　a　second　receptacle　of　the　kind。　Still　more　studied　was　his　attitude　towards　the　authorities。　No　one　could　sit　more　quietly　in　his　place　on　the　bench　than　he。　In　the　same　connection　it　may　be　remarked　that　his　teacher　was　a　man　who；　above　all　things；　loved　peace　and　good　behaviour；　and　simply　could　not　abide　clever；　witty　boys；　since　he　suspected　them　of　laughing　at　him。　Consequently　any　lad　who　had　once　attracted　the　master's　attention　with　a　manifestation　of　intelligence　needed　but　to　shuffle　in　his　place；　or　unintentionally　to　twitch　an　eyebrow；　for　the　said　master　at　once　to　burst　into　a　rage；　to　turn　the　supposed　offender　out　of　the　room；　and　to　visit　him　with　unmerciful　punishment。　〃Ah；　my　fine　fellow；〃　he　would　say；　〃I'LL　cure　you　of　your　impudence　and　want　of　respect！　I　know　you　through　and　through　far　better　than　you　know　yourself；　and　will　take　good　care　that　you　have　to　go　down　upon　your　knees　and　curb　your　appetite。〃　Whereupon　the　wretched　lad　would；　for　no　cause　of　which　he　was　aware；　be　forced　to　wear　out　his　breeches　on　the　floor　and　go　hungry　for　days。　〃Talents　and　gifts；〃　the　schoolmaster　would　declare；　〃are　so　much　rubbish。　I　respect　only　good　behaviour；　and　shall　award　full　marks　to　those　who　conduct　themselves　properly；　even　if　they　fail　to　learn　a　single　letter　of　their　alphabet：　whereas　to　those　in　whom　I　may　perceive　a　tendency　to　jocularity　I　shall　award　nothing；　even　though　they　should　outdo　Solon　himself。〃　For　the　same　reason　he　had　no　great　love　of　the　author　Krylov；　in　that　the　latter　says　in　one　of　his　Fables：　〃In　my　opinion；　the　more　one　sings；　the　better　one　works；〃　and　often　the　pedagogue　would　relate　how；　in　a　former　school　of　his；　the　silence　had　been　such　that　a　fly　could　be　heard　buzzing　on　the　wing；　and　for　the　space　of　a　whole　year　not　a　single　pupil　sneezed　or　coughed　in　class；　and　so　complete　was　the　absence　of　all　sound　that　no　one　could　have　told　that　there　was　a　soul　in　the　place。　Of　this　mentor　young　Chichikov　speedily　appraised　the　mentality；　wherefore　he　fashioned　his　behaviour　to　correspond　with　it。　Not　an　eyelid；　not　an　eyebrow；　would　he　stir　during　school　hours；　howsoever　many　pinches　he　might　receive　from　behind；　and　only　when　the　bell　rang　would　he　run　to　anticipate　his　fellows　in　handing　the　master　the　three…cornered　cap　which　that　dignitary　customarily　sported；　and　then　to　be　the　first　to　leave　the　class…room；　and　contrive　to　meet　the　master　not　less　than　two　or　three　times　as　the　latter　walked　homeward；　in　order　that；　on　each　occas