按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ciently complex mechanism of the State。 Nevertheless； said Chichikov； the general equity of this measure did not obviate a certain amount of annoyance to landowners； since it forced them to pay upon a non…living article the tax due upon a living。 Hence （our hero concluded） he （Chichikov） was prepared； owing to the personal respect which he felt for Sobakevitch； to relieve him； in part； of the irksome obligation referred to （in passing； it may be said that Chichikov referred to his principal point only guardedly； for he called the souls which he was seeking not 〃dead；〃 but 〃non…existent〃）。
Meanwhile Sobakevitch listened with bent head； though something like a trace of expression dawned in his face as he did so。 Ordinarily his body lacked a soulor； if he did posses a soul； he seemed to keep it elsewhere than where it ought to have been； so that； buried beneath mountains （as it were） or enclosed within a massive shell； its movements produced no sort of agitation on the surface。
〃Well？〃 said Chichikovthough not without a certain tremor of diffidence as to the possible response。
〃You are after dead souls？〃 were Sobakevitch's perfectly simple words。 He spoke without the least surprise in his tone； and much as though the conversation had been turning on grain。
〃Yes；〃 replied Chichikov； and then； as before； softened down the expression 〃dead souls。〃
〃They are to be found；〃 said Sobakevitch。 〃Why should they not be？〃
〃Then of course you will be glad to get rid of any that you may chance to have？〃
〃Yes； I shall have no objection to SELLING them。〃 At this point the speaker raised his head a little； for it had struck him that surely the would…be buyer must have some advantage in view。
〃The devil！〃 thought Chichikov to himself。 〃Here is he selling the goods before I have even had time to utter a word！〃
〃And what about the price？〃 he added aloud。 〃Of course； the articles are not of a kind very easy to appraise。〃
〃I should be sorry to ask too much；〃 said Sobakevitch。 〃How would a hundred roubles per head suit you？〃
〃What； a hundred roubles per head？〃 Chichikov stared open…mouthed at his hostdoubting whether he had heard aright； or whether his host's slow…moving tongue might not have inadvertently substituted one word for another。
〃Yes。 Is that too much for you？〃 said Sobakevitch。 Then he added： 〃What is your own price？〃
〃My own price？ I think that we cannot properly have understood one anotherthat you must have forgotten of what the goods consist。 With my hand on my heart do I submit that eight grivni per soul would be a handsome； a VERY handsome； offer。〃
〃What？ Eight grivni？〃
〃In my opinion； a higher offer would be impossible。〃
〃But I am not a seller of boots。〃
〃No； yet you； for your part； will agree that these souls are not live human beings？〃
〃I suppose you hope to find fools ready to sell you souls on the census list for a couple of groats apiece？〃
〃Pardon me； but why do you use the term 'on the census list'？ The souls themselves have long since passed away； and have left behind them only their names。 Not to trouble you with any further discussion of the subject； I can offer you a rouble and a half per head； but no more。〃
〃You should be ashamed even to mention such a sum！ Since you deal in articles of this kind； quote me a genuine price。〃
〃I cannot； Michael Semenovitch。 Believe me； I cannot。 What a man cannot do； that he cannot do。〃 The speaker ended by advancing another half…rouble per head。
〃But why hang back with your money？〃 said Sobakevitch。 〃Of a truth I am not asking much of you。 Any other rascal than myself would have cheated you by selling you old rubbish instead of good； genuine souls； whereas I should be ready to give you of my best； even were you buying only nut…kernels。 For instance； look at wheelwright Michiev。 Never was there such a one to build spring carts！ And his handiwork was not like your Moscow handiworkgood only for an hour。 No； he did it all himself； even down to the varnishing。〃
Chichikov opened his mouth to remark that； nevertheless； the said Michiev had long since departed this world； but Sobakevitch's eloquence had got too thoroughly into its stride to admit of any interruption。
〃And look； too； at Probka Stepan； the carpenter；〃 his host went on。 〃I will wager my head that nowhere else would you find such a workman。 What a strong fellow he was！ He had served in the Guards； and the Lord only knows what they had given for him； seeing that he was over three arshins in height。〃
Again Chichikov tried to remark that Probka was dead； but Sobakevitch's tongue was borne on the torrent of its own verbiage； and the only thing to be done was to listen。
〃And Milushkin； the bricklayer！ He could build a stove in any house you liked！ And Maksim Teliatnikov； the bootmaker！ Anything that he drove his awl into became a pair of bootsand boots for which you would be thankful； although he WAS a bit foul of the mouth。 And Eremi Sorokoplechin； too！ He was the best of the lot； and used to work at his trade in Moscow； where he paid a tax of five hundred roubles。 Well； THERE'S an assortment of serfs for you！a very different assortment from what Plushkin would sell you！〃
〃But permit me；〃 at length put in Chichikov； astounded at this flood of eloquence to which there appeared to be no end。 〃Permit me； I say； to inquire why you enumerate the talents of the deceased； seeing that they are all of them dead； and that therefore there can be no sense in doing so。 'A dead body is only good to prop a fence with；' says the proverb。〃
〃Of course they are dead；〃 replied Sobakevitch； but rather as though the idea had only just occurred to him； and was giving him food for thought。 〃But tell me； now： what is the use of listing them as still alive？ And what is the use of them themselves？ They are flies； not human beings。〃
〃Well；〃 said Chichikov； 〃they exist； though only in idea。〃
〃But noNOT only in idea。 I tell you that nowhere else would you find such a fellow for working heavy tools as was Michiev。 He had the strength of a horse in his shoulders。〃 And； with the words； Sobakevitch turned； as though for corroboration； to the portrait of Bagration； as is frequently done by one of the parties in a dispute when he purports to appeal to an extraneous individual who is not only unknown to him； but wholly unconnected with the subject in hand； with the result that the individual is left in doubt whether to make a reply； or whether to betake himself elsewhere。
〃Nevertheless； I CANNOT give you more than two roubles per head；〃 said Chichikov。
〃Well； as I don't want you to swear that I have asked too much of you and won't meet you halfway； suppose； for friendship's sake； that you pay me seventy…five roubles in assignats？〃
〃Good heavens！〃 thought Chichikov to himself。 〃Does the man take me for a fool？〃 Then he added aloud： 〃The situation seems to me a strange one； for it is as though we were performing a stage comedy。 No other explanation would meet the case。 Yet you appear to be a man of sense； and possessed of some education。 The matter is a very simple one。 The question is： what is a dead soul worth； and is it of any use to any one？〃
〃It is of use to YOU； or you would