dead souls(死魂灵)-第45章

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ave　the　sky　and　the　light　clouds　through　which　the　moon　is　cleaving　her　way　seem　halted；　the　brief　glimpses　wherein　one　can　discern　nothing　clearly　have　in　them　a　pervading　touch　of　mystery。　Ah；　troika；　troika；　swift　as　a　bird；　who　was　it　first　invented　you？　Only　among　a　hardy　race　of　folk　can　you　have　come　to　birthonly　in　a　land　which；　though　poor　and　rough；　lies　spread　over　half　the　world；　and　spans　versts　the　counting　whereof　would　leave　one　with　aching　eyes。　Nor　are　you　a　modishly…fashioned　vehicle　of　the　roada　thing　of　clamps　and　iron。　Rather；　you　are　a　vehicle　but　shapen　and　fitted　with　the　axe　or　chisel　of　some　handy　peasant　of　Yaroslav。　Nor　are　you　driven　by　a　coachman　clothed　in　German　livery；　but　by　a　man　bearded　and　mittened。　See　him　as　he　mounts；　and　flourishes　his　whip；　and　breaks　into　a　long…drawn　song！　Away　like　the　wind　go　the　horses；　and　the　wheels；　with　their　spokes；　become　transparent　circles；　and　the　road　seems　to　quiver　beneath　them；　and　a　pedestrian；　with　a　cry　of　astonishment；　halts　to　watch　the　vehicle　as　it　flies；　flies；　flies　on　its　way　until　it　becomes　lost　on　the　ultimate　horizona　speck　amid　a　cloud　of　dust！

And　you；　Russia　of　mineare　not　you　also　speeding　like　a　troika　which　nought　can　overtake？　Is　not　the　road　smoking　beneath　your　wheels；　and　the　bridges　thundering　as　you　cross　them；　and　everything　being　left　in　the　rear；　and　the　spectators；　struck　with　the　portent；　halting　to　wonder　whether　you　be　not　a　thunderbolt　launched　from　heaven？　What　does　that　awe…inspiring　progress　of　yours　foretell？　What　is　the　unknown　force　which　lies　within　your　mysterious　steeds？　Surely　the　winds　themselves　must　abide　in　their　manes；　and　every　vein　in　their　bodies　be　an　ear　stretched　to　catch　the　celestial　message　which　bids　them；　with　iron…girded　breasts；　and　hooves　which　barely　touch　the　earth　as　they　gallop；　fly　forward　on　a　mission　of　God？　Whither；　then；　are　you　speeding；　O　Russia　of　mine？　Whither？　Answer　me！　But　no　answer　comesonly　the　weird　sound　of　your　collar…bells。　Rent　into　a　thousand　shreds；　the　air　roars　past　you；　for　you　are　overtaking　the　whole　world；　and　shall　one　day　force　all　nations；　all　empires　to　stand　aside；　to　give　you　way！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1841。






PART　II



CHAPTER　I

Why　do　I　so　persistently　paint　the　poverty；　the　imperfections　of　Russian　life；　and　delve　into　the　remotest　depths；　the　most　retired　holes　and　corners；　of　our　Empire　for　my　subjects？　The　answer　is　that　there　is　nothing　else　to　be　done　when　an　author's　idiosyncrasy　happens　to　incline　him　that　way。　So　again　we　find　ourselves　in　a　retired　spot。　But　what　a　spot！

Imagine；　if　you　can；　a　mountain　range　like　a　gigantic　fortress；　with　embrasures　and　bastions　which　appear　to　soar　a　thousand　versts　towards　the　heights　of　heaven；　and；　towering　grandly　over　a　boundless　expanse　of　plain；　are　broken　up　into　precipitous；　overhanging　limestone　cliffs。　Here　and　there　those　cliffs　are　seamed　with　water…courses　and　gullies；　while　at　other　points　they　are　rounded　off　into　spurs　of　greenspurs　now　coated　with　fleece…like　tufts　of　young　undergrowth；　now　studded　with　the　stumps　of　felled　trees；　now　covered　with　timber　which　has；　by　some　miracle；　escaped　the　woodman's　axe。　Also；　a　river　winds　awhile　between　its　banks；　then　leaves　the　meadow　land；　divides　into　runlets　（all　flashing　in　the　sun　like　fire）；　plunges；　re…united；　into　the　midst　of　a　thicket　of　elder；　birth；　and　pine；　and；　lastly；　speeds　triumphantly　past　bridges　and　mills　and　weirs　which　seem　to　be　lying　in　wait　for　it　at　every　turn。

At　one　particular　spot　the　steep　flank　of　the　mountain　range　is　covered　with　billowy　verdure　of　denser　growth　than　the　rest；　and　here　the　aid　of　skilful　planting；　added　to　the　shelter　afforded　by　a　rugged　ravine；　has　enabled　the　flora　of　north　and　south　so　to　be　brought　together　that；　twined　about　with　sinuous　hop…tendrils；　the　oak；　the　spruce　fir；　the　wild　pear；　the　maple；　the　cherry；　the　thorn；　and　the　mountain　ash　either　assist　or　check　one　another's　growth；　and　everywhere　cover　the　declivity　with　their　straggling　profusion。　Also；　at　the　edge　of　the　summit　there　can　be　seen　mingling　with　the　green　of　the　trees　the　red　roofs　of　a　manorial　homestead；　while　behind　the　upper　stories　of　the　mansion　proper　and　its　carved　balcony　and　a　great　semi…circular　window　there　gleam　the　tiles　and　gables　of　some　peasants'　huts。　Lastly；　over　this　combination　of　trees　and　roofs　there　risesovertopping　everything　with　its　gilded；　sparkling　steeplean　old　village　church。　On　each　of　its　pinnacles　a　cross　of　carved　gilt　is　stayed　with　supports　of　similar　gilding　and　design；　with　the　result　that　from　a　distance　the　gilded　portions　have　the　effect　of　hanging　without　visible　agency　in　the　air。　And　the　wholethe　three　successive　tiers　of　woodland；　roofs；　and　crosses　wholelies　exquisitely　mirrored　in　the　river　below；　where　hollow　willows；　grotesquely　shaped　（some　of　them　rooted　on　the　river's　banks；　and　some　in　the　water　itself；　and　all　drooping　their　branches　until　their　leaves　have　formed　a　tangle　with　the　water　lilies　which　float　on　the　surface）；　seem　to　be　gazing　at　the　marvellous　reflection　at　their　feet。

Thus　the　view　from　below　is　beautiful　indeed。　But　the　view　from　above　is　even　better。　No　guest；　no　visitor；　could　stand　on　the　balcony　of　the　mansion　and　remain　indifferent。　So　boundless　is　the　panorama　revealed　that　surprise　would　cause　him　to　catch　at　his　breath；　and　exclaim：　〃Lord　of　Heaven；　but　what　a　prospect！〃　Beyond　meadows　studded　with　spinneys　and　water…mills　lie　forests　belted　with　green；　while　beyond；　again；　there　can　be　seen　showing　through　the　slightly　misty　air　strips　of　yellow　heath；　and；　again；　wide…rolling　forests　（as　blue　as　the　sea　or　a　cloud）；　and　more　heath；　paler　than　the　first；　but　still　yellow。　Finally；　on　the　far　horizon　a　range　of　chalk…topped　hills　gleams　white；　even　in　dull　weather；　as　though　it　were　lightened　with　perpetual　sunshine；　and　here　and　there　on　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　its　lower　slopes　some　plaster…like；　nebulous　patches　represent　far…off　villages　which　lie　too　remote　for　the　eye　to　discern　their　details。　Indeed；　only　when　the　sunlight　touches　a　steeple　to　gold　does　one　realise　that　each　such　patch　is　a　human　settlement。　Finally；　all　is　wrapped　in　an　immensity　of　silence　which　even　the　far；　faint　echoes　of　persons　singing　in　the　void　of　the　plain　cannot　shatter。

Even　after　gazing　at　the　spectacle　for　a　couple　of　hours　or　so；　the　visitor　would　still　find　nothing　to　say；　save：　〃Lord　of　Heaven；　but　what　a　prospect！〃　Then　who　is　the　dweller　in；　the　proprietor　of；　this　manora　manor　to　which；　as　to　an　impregnable　fortress；　entrance　cannot　be　gained　from　the　side　where　we　have　been　standing；　but　only　from　the　other　approach；　where　a　few　scattered　oaks　offer　hospitable　welcome　to　the　visitor；　and　then；　spreading　above　him　their　spacious　branches　（as　in　friendly　embrace）；　accompany　him　to　the　facade　of　the　mansion　whose　top　we　have　been　regarding　from　the　reverse　aspect；　but　which　now　stands　frontwise　on　to　us；　and　has；　on　one　side　of　it；　a　row　of　peasants'　huts　with　red　tiles　and　carved　gables；　and；　on　the　other；　the　village　church；　with　those　glittering　golden　crosses　and　gilded　open…work　charms　which　seem　to　hang　suspended　in　the　air？　Yes；　indeed！to　what　fortunate　individual　does　this　corner　of　the　world　belong？　It　belongs　to　Andrei　Ivanovitch　Tientietnikov；　landowner　of　the　canton　of　Tremalakhan；　and；　withal；　a　bachelor　of　about　thirty。

Should　my　lady　readers　ask　of　me　what　manner　of　man　is　Tientietnikov；　and　what　are　his　attributes　and　peculiarities；　I　should　refer　them　to　his　neighbours。　Of　these；　a　member　of　the　almost　extinct　tribe　of　intelligent　staff　officers　on　the　retired　list　once　summed　up　Tientietnikov　in　the　phrase；　〃He　is　an　absolute　blockhead；〃　while　a　General　who　resided　ten　versts　away　was　heard　to　remark　that　〃he　is　a　young　man　who；　though　not　exactly　a　fool；　has　at　least　too　much　crowded　into　his　head。　I　myself　might　have　been　of　use　to　him；　for　not　only　do　I　maintain　certain　connections　with　St。　Petersburg；　but　also〃　And　the　General　left　his　sentence　unfinished。　Thirdly；　a　captain…superintendent　of　rural　police　happened　to　remark　in　the　course　of　conversation：　〃To…morrow　I　must　go　and　see　Tientietnikov　about　his　arrears。〃　Lastly；　a　peasant　of　Tientietnikov's　own　village；　when　asked　what　his　barin　was　like；　returned　no　answer　at　all。　All　of　which　would　appear　to　show　that　Tientietnikov　was　not　exactly　looked　upon　with　favour。

To　speak　dispassionately；　however；　he　was　not　a　bad　sort　of　fellowmerely　a　star…gazer；　and　since　the　world　contains　many　watchers　of　the　skies；　why　should　Tientietnikov　not　have　been　one　of　them？　However；　let　me　describe　in　detail　a　specimen　day　of　his　existenceone　that　will　closely　resemble　the　rest；　and　then　the　reader　will　be　enabled　to　judge　of　Tientietnikov's　character；　and　how　far　his　life　corresponded　to　the　beauties　of　nature　with　which　he　lived　surrounded。

On　the　morning　of　the　specimen　day　in　question　he　awoke　very　late；　and；　raising　himself　to　a　sitting　posture；　rubbed　his　eyes。　And　since　those　eyes　were　small；　the　process　of　rubbing　them　occupied　a　very　long　time；　and　throughout　its　continuance　there　stood　waiting　by　the　door　his　valet；　Mikhailo；　armed　with　a　towel　and　basin。　For　one　hour；　for　two　hours；　did　poor　Mikhailo　stand　there：　then　he　departed　to　the　kitchen；　and　returned　to　find　his　master　still　rubbing　his　eyes　as　he　sat　on　the　bed。　At　length；　however；　Tientietnikov　rose；　washed　himself；　donned　a　dressing…gown；　and　moved　into　the　drawing…room　for　morning　tea；　coffee；　cocoa；　and　warm　milk；　of　all　of　which　he　partook　but　sparingly；　while　munching　a　piece　of　bread；　and　scattering　tobacco　ash　with　complete　insouciance。　Two　hours　did　he　sit　over　this　meal；　then　poured　himself　out　another　cup　of　the　rapidly　cooling　tea；　and　walked　to　the　window。　This　faced　the　courtyard；　and　outside　it；　as　usual；　there　took　place　the　following　daily　altercation　between　a　serf　named　Grigory　（who　purported　to　act　as　butler）　and　the　housekeeper；　Perfilievna。

Grigory。　Ah；　you　nuisance；　you　good…for…nothing；　you　had　better　hold　your　stupid　tongue。

Perfilievna。　Yes；　and　don't　you　wish　that　I　would？

Grigory。　What？　You　so　thick　with　that　bailiff　of　yours；　you　housekeeping　jade！

Perfilievna。　Nay；　he　is　as　big　a　thief　as　you　are。　Do　you　think　the　barin　doesn't　know　you？　And　there　he　is！　He　must　have　heard　everything！

Grigory。　Where？

Perfilievna。　Theresitting　by　the　window；　and　looking　at　us！

Next；　to　complete　the　hubbub；　a　serf　child　which　had　been　clouted　by　its　mother　broke　out　into　a　bawl；　while　a　borzoi　puppy　which　had　happened　to　get　splashed　with　boiling　water　by　the　cook　fell　to　yelping　vociferously。　In　short；　the　place　soon　became　a　babel　of　shouts　and　squeals；　and；　after　watching　and　listening　for　a　time；　the　barin　found　it　so　impossible　to　concentrate　his　mind　upon　anything　that　he　sent　out　word　that　the　noise　would　have　to　be　abated。

The　next　item　was　that；　a　couple　of　hours　before　luncheon　time；　he　withdrew　to　his　study；　to　set　about　employing　himself　upon　a　weighty　work　which　was　to　consider　Russia　from　every　point　of　view：　from　the　political；　from　the　philosophical；　and　from　the　religious；　as　well　as　to　resolve　vario