dead souls(死魂灵)- 第26部分

〃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　not　be　buying　such　articles。〃

Chichikov　bit　his　lip；　and　stood　at　a　loss　for　a　retort。　He　tried　to　saying　something　about　〃family　and　domestic　circumstances；〃　but　Sobakevitch　cut　him　short　with：

〃I　don't　want　to　know　your　private　affairs；　for　I　never　poke　my　nose　into　such　things。　You　need　the　souls；　and　I　am　ready　to　sell　them。　Should　you　not　buy　them；　I　think　you　will　repent　it。〃

〃Two　roubles　is　my　price；〃　repeated　Chichikov。

〃Come；　come！　As　you　have　named　that　sum；　I　can　understand　your　not　liking　to　go　back　upon　it；　but　quote　me　a　bona　fide　figure。〃

〃The　devil　fly　away　with　him！〃　mused　Chichikov。　〃However；　I　will　add　another　half…rouble。〃　And　he　did　so。

〃Indeed？〃　said　Sobakevitch。　〃Well；　my　last　word　upon　it　isfifty　roubles　in　assignats。　That　will　mean　a　sheer　loss　to　me；　for　nowhere　else　in　the　world　could　you　buy　better　souls　than　mine。〃

〃The　old　skinflint！〃　muttered　Chichikov。　Then　he　added　aloud；　with　irritation　in　his　tone：　〃See　here。　This　is　a　serious　matter。　Any　one　but　you　would　be　thankful　to　get　rid　of　the　souls。　Only　a　fool　would　stick　to　them；　and　continue　to　pay　the　tax。〃

〃Yes；　but　remember　（and　I　say　it　wholly　in　a　friendly　way）　that　transactions　of　this　kind　are　not　generally　allowed；　and　that　any　one　would　say　that　a　man　who　engages　in　them　must　have　some　rather　doubtful　advantage　in　view。〃

〃Have　it　your　own　away；〃　said　Chichikov；　with　assumed　indifference。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　am　not　purchasing　for　profit；　as　you　suppose；　but　to　humour　a　certain　whim　of　mine。　Two　and　a　half　roubles　is　the　most　that　I　can　offer。〃

〃Bless　your　heart！〃　retorted　the　host。　〃At　least　give　me　thirty　roubles　in　assignats；　and　take　the　lot。〃

〃No；　for　I　see　that　you　are　unwilling　to　sell。　I　must　say　good…day　to　you。〃

〃Hold　on；　hold　on！〃　exclaimed　Sobakevitch；　retaining　his　guest's　hand；　and　at　the　same　moment　treading　heavily　upon　his　toesso　heavily；　indeed；　that　Chichikov　gasped　and　danced　with　the　pain。

〃I　BEG　your　pardon！〃　said　Sobakevitch　hastily。　〃Evidently　I　have　hurt　you。　Pray　sit　down　again。〃

〃No；〃　retorted　Chichikov。　〃I　am　merely　wasting　my　time；　and　must　be　off。〃

〃Oh；　sit　down　just　for　a　moment。　I　have　something　more　agreeable　to　say。〃　And；　drawing　closer　to　his　guest；　Sobakevitch　whispered　in　his　ear；　as　though　communicating　to　him　a　secret：　〃How　about　twenty…five　roubles？〃

〃No；　no；　no！〃　exclaimed　Chichikov。　〃I　won't　give　you　even　a　QUARTER　of　that。　I　won't　advance　another　kopeck。〃

For　a　while　Sobakevitch　remained　silent；　and　Chichikov　did　the　same。　This　lasted　for　a　couple　of　minutes；　and；　meanwhile；　the　aquiline…nosed　Bagration　gazed　from　the　wall　as　though　much　interested　in　the　bargaining。

〃What　is　your　outside　price？〃　at　length　said　Sobakevitch。

〃Two　and　a　half　roubles。〃

〃Then　you　seem　to　rate　a　human　soul　at　about　the　same　value　as　a　boiled　turnip。　At　least　give　me　THREE　roubles。〃

〃No；　I　cannot。〃

〃Pardon　me；　but　you　are　an　impossible　man　to　deal　with。　However；　even　though　it　will　mean　a　dead　loss　to　me；　and　yo