dead souls, imperial envoy

Chapter 39 Dead Souls (39)
"It's not a mistake," Petuch continued, "it's not a mistake. You should try this lunch first, and then judge whether it's a mistake or not. Please." He took Chichikov by the hand and led him away go into the house.Chichikov condescendingly turned his body sideways when he entered the door, in order to let his master go in with him; it was really superfluous: the master couldn't get in if he wanted to, not to mention that the master was not with him at the time.I only heard him shouting in the yard: "What's the matter with Dafuma? Why hasn't he come back yet? Confused Yemelyan, run to the stupid cook and tell him to take that sturgeon The fish is cleaned up. Fish semen, fish roe, viscera and bream make a soup, crucian carp should be in juice. Oh, and shrimp, shrimp! Stupid little Fuma, where did you put the shrimp? I ask you , Shrimp, Shrimp?" There was a long cry of "Shrimp, Shrimp" in the yard. "Oh, the master is very busy," said Chichikov, sitting in the armchair, looking at the corners and walls. "Look, here I come," said the host, and entered the room, followed by two boys in summer frock coats.The two teenagers were as slender as wicker, but they were a full argent taller than their father.

"These are my two sons. They are going to middle school in the city. They are coming back for the holidays... Nicholasa, you accompany the guests. Alexasha, you come with me." As soon as he finished speaking, the host said again gone.Chichikov chatted with Nikolaisha.Nicolassa is very talkative.He told Chichikov that the teachers at their school were not very good at teaching, and that whoever's mother sent more presents would be favored by the teachers; he said that there was an Ingermanland hussar regiment stationed in the city; he said The captain of the hussar regiment, Vetvitsky, rode a better horse than the regimental commander's horse, and the second lieutenant, Fuzyemtsev, was much better at equestrianism. "How is your father's estate now?"

"Mortgage out," said Pa himself, as he went back into the living room. "It was mortgaged out."

Chichikov merely moved his lips as one seems to see when there is no hope of success and nothing will come of it. "Why do you want to mortgage it?" He continued to ask.

"That's the thing. Everyone else has gone to mortgage, how can I fall behind others? Everyone said it is suitable. And I have always lived here, this time let me go to Moscow to live and see."

"Idiot, idiot!" Chichikov thought to himself, "I have ruined my family, and I have raised my children to be prodigals too. This bumpkin must know how good it is to live in the countryside."

"I know what you are thinking now," said Bituch.

"What am I thinking about?" Chichikov said with some embarrassment. "You must be thinking: 'This Bituch is a jerk, he asked me to come over for lunch, but the lunch has not been seen yet.' It will be ready soon, my most respected guest. As the saying goes, wait It won’t be better if a girl with a short haircut wears a braid.”

"Father, Platon Mihalitch is here," said Alexasha, looking out of the window. "He rode his bay horse." Nicholasa leaned over the window and took it. "Alexasha, do you think our dark gray horse is worse than it?"

"It's not bad at all, but our dark grays don't have the gait."

When the two brothers were discussing which one would be better, the bay red horse or the dark gray horse, a handsome man walked into the house. He was well-proportioned, with curly golden hair and black eyes.A frightening-looking poodle followed in, jingling a bell around its neck. "Have you had lunch yet?" asked the fat master.

"Eat." The visitor replied.

"So you're here to make fun of me?" Bituch said angrily. "What's the point to me if you come back after lunch?"

"But, Pyotr Petrovitch," said the guest, smiling, "you will be pleased with the fact that I did not eat anything for lunch, because I have no appetite at all."

"There are a lot of fish caught. It would be great if you saw it! A sturgeon of that size is here! There are too many crucian carp to count."

"It's enviable to hear you say that," said the guest, "tell me how I can be as happy as you are."

"What's there to worry about? Forget it!" said the master.

"What's there to worry about? Because it's boring!"

"You've eaten too little, that's the real reason. Try if you've had a good lunch. Boredom is a recent discovery. Who ever was bored before."

"Stop boasting! It's as if you've never been bored."

"I've never been bored! And I don't know what boredom is, and I don't even have time to be bored. Wake up every morning - first drink tea, then wait for the housekeeper to come to me, then go fishing, then arrive It’s time for lunch. Before I can snore after lunch, it’s time for dinner again. After dinner, the cooks come again—and tell me what to eat for lunch tomorrow. How can I be bored sometimes!”

While they were talking, Chichikov had been watching the visitor carefully.Platon Mikhalich Platonov has the characteristics of Achilles and Paris, two persons of high status in the history of world literature.I think he has all the virtues of the novel: well-proportioned, strong, and handsome, with an elegant, slightly sarcastic smile that seems to add to his beauty.However, even so, he was still somewhat dull and tired.Joy, sorrow, and excitement did not wrinkle his delicate face, but they did not add life to his face. "To tell you the truth, please forgive me," Chichikov said, "I really don't understand how you can be bored when you are so handsome. Of course, if you have no money to spend or are excluded by other people, it's a different matter." , some people sometimes even want to put people to death."

"But the point is that none of the things you say happened," Platonov said. Things that make people panic. Hehe, even if someone made me angry! But no! The last thing is to be bored."

"I don't understand. But what if you don't have enough land or you have few serfs?"

"There is no problem at all. My brother and I have 1000 acres of land and about [-] serfs."

"Are you still bored like this? It's incomprehensible! But what if the management of the farm is not good? Or the harvest of the crops is not good? Or a lot of serfs died?"

"On the contrary, everything is as good as it gets. My brother is very good at running the house."

"I really don't understand it," Chichikov said, shaking his shoulders.

"Then let us drive away our boredom now," said the fat host. "Run, Alexasha, to the kitchen and tell the cook to bring us the patties. Confused Yemelyan and the thief Ann Where's Toshka? Why haven't you brought some snacks?"

Just as the door opened.Dazed Yemelyan and the thief Antoshka came in with napkins, spread the table and brought a tray with six glass bottles containing wine of various colors .After a while, plates and glass jars were surrounded by plates containing fish roe, cheese, pickled milk mushrooms, armillaria, and covered plates were constantly being brought from the kitchen. There was a sizzling sound.The confused Yemelian and the thief Antoshka are two quick-witted people.Their names were given by the master, and the reason was that the master felt that there was no nickname, and everything seemed very ordinary, but the master did not like the ordinary, the fat master was kind, but he liked to use some sharp words.But people don't care about him because of this.After the snack comes the main meal.A good master becomes like a complete robber at this time.As long as there is only one piece on anyone's plate, he will immediately put another piece on it, saying: "If there is no match, neither humans nor birds can live." After the guest eats two pieces, he will send it to the second plate. Three yuan, said: "What number is two? God still likes the Trinity." When the guest finished eating three yuan, he said to the guest: "Which carriage has three wheels? Who built a house with only three corners?" Four yuan There is a saying of four yuan, and there is a saying of five yuan.No matter what Chichikov ate, he would eat 12 yuan in a row, thinking: "Hey, the master can't find any excuse now." The good part - the calf's back and kidneys were caught on his plate, but what a big calf it was!

"I fed it with milk for two full years," said the owner, "Take care of it like my own son!"

"I really can't eat anymore!" Chichikov said.

"You try it first, and then say you can't eat it!"

"I can't swallow it anymore, there is really no place."

"Churches are packed sometimes, but the mayor is here—there's still room. It's packed like hell. Try it: this thing is the same as the mayor."

Chichikov tasted it.This thing was just like the mayor, it found the right place, although it seemed that there was nothing he couldn't let go of.There is also an allusion to drinking.Every time Bituch got money from the pawn shop, he bought all the wine he would drink in a few years.He kept pouring wine; when the guests couldn't drink, he let Aleksanda and Nicholasa drink; the brothers drank from glass to glass; they left as if they were drinking water.The guests could not do it: they struggled to get to the balcony and sat down in armchairs with difficulty.And the fat master fell asleep as soon as he sat down in his extra-wide armchair.His fat body was like a bellows, and from his wide-open mouth and nose came sounds not even new music: drums, flutes, barks like dogs. "He snored so loudly!" said Platonov.Chichikov smiled. "I'm sure you won't be bored after eating like this!" Platonov said, "Go to bed right away after eating."

"Yes," said Chichikov lazily, his eyes narrowed. "But I—forgive me—don't understand how you can be bored. There are many ways to get rid of boredom."

"In what way?"

"Is it less for young people? Dancing, playing an instrument...or getting married."

"With whom? Please advise."

"Can't you find a fiancée who is both good-looking and rich?"

"Can't find it."

"Look elsewhere, or go out and see." A bold thought flashed through Chichikov's mind, and his eyes widened a little. "I have a brilliant idea now!" he said, looking into Platonov's eyes.

"What do you think?"

"You can go on a trip."

"Where are you going?"

"If you have time, come with me." After Chichikov finished speaking, he looked at Platonov and thought to himself, "This is good: the travel expenses can be shared equally between the two, and he will repair the car." Spend the money."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Where, how should I put it? Now I'm working for myself rather than being entrusted. General Bedrischev, my friend and benefactor, asked me to visit some of his relatives... of course , relatives belong to relatives, and sometimes it is for myself: to broaden horizons and gain insights—no matter what others think, it is also a book and a kind of learning.”

Platonov thought about it.Chichikov calculated in his mind at this time: "This is very good! He can even pay the full cost, or I can use his horse-drawn cart and put my horse in his village. To save money, I can also put the cart Stay here too, and go on his way in his carriage."

Platonov thought to himself: "Would you like to go out for a walk? Maybe you will be happier. Anyway, it's okay to stay at home. My brother is in charge of the family business, so it doesn't matter. Really, why don't you go out and have a look?" What?" Thinking of this, he said aloud, "Would you like to stay with my brother for two days? Otherwise, he won't let me go."

"Of course! You can stay for three days."

"Then let's make a high-five agreement! Let's go together!" Platonov said positively.

"Okay!" Chichikov said, and patted his hand: "Let's go together!"

"Where are you going?" cried his master, rising and staring at them. "No, gentlemen! I have had the wheels off your carriage, and your horse, Platon Mikhailych, has been taken off." They're taken fifteen versts away. No, you're going to spend the night here tonight and leave after lunch tomorrow."

"Unexpected!" Chichikov thought to himself.Platonov didn't say anything, he knew that Bituch had to follow the routine, so he could only stay.What they got thus was a wonderful evening together.The host arranged for everyone to enjoy the scenery on the river.Twelve oarsmen with 24 oars led them across the mirror-like lake in singing.Their boat rowed across the lake and into the river.The current of the river is gentle and the slope of the bank is gentle.The surface of the water was motionless.They sat in the boat, drank drinks and ate bread, and occasionally crossed the net ropes used for fishing on the river.Before drinking tea, the master took off his clothes, jumped into the river, thumped and yelled about Dafuma and Kuzima, and quarreled with the fishermen for half an hour. It was enviable to gobble up food on board the boat.The sun has set, but the sky is still bright.The shouting sounded louder.The fishermen on the shore had disappeared, replaced by groups of children taking a bath, and the sound of splashing and laughing spread farther. The 24 oars rise and fall at the same time, and the boat skims over the calm river like a bird.The pretty girlish young man who sat in the third seat at the helm started a crisp voice, and then five of them sang, and six followed in harmony.The song floats far away, as vast as Russia.The singers covered their ears, as if they were also intoxicated by the vast singing.Everyone felt free, Chichikov thought: "Oh, really, sooner or later I will build a village myself!" Platonov thought: "What's so good about this melancholy song? more upset."

When the boat turned back, it was already dark.The oars hit the water in the shadows, and the reflection of the sky was no longer visible on the water.Fires flickered by the lake.The moon was up when they landed.Fishermen can be seen everywhere cooking seabass and various live fish soups on trivets.People have all gone home, the geese, cows, and sheep have been driven back long ago, the dust they raised has long since settled, and the shepherd boy is standing at the gate after driving back the livestock and poultry, waiting for someone to give him a can of milk and let him in Go to the house to drink fish soup.In the distance came the sound of talking, noise, and the barking of dogs from the village and from the outside.The crescent rose, and the dark surroundings were illuminated, and finally the lake, the farmhouse—everything was illuminated.The lights dimmed.The silvery white smoke from the kitchen appeared by the moonlight.Nicholasa and Alexasha each rode a fast horse and chased past them, with a cloud of dust behind them, as if they had just passed a flock of sheep.Chichikov thought: "Ah, really, I'm going to get myself a little village sooner or later!"

At this moment, another woman and some little Chichikovs appeared before his eyes.Who would not be happy in such an evening?Dinner was another feast.Chichikov went to his room, lay down on the bed, patted his stomach and said: "It's turned into a drum! No mayor can get in!" It so happened that the master's study was next door.The walls are so thin that you can hear everything going on over there.The master is instructing the chef to make tomorrow's breakfast as rich as lunch.Listen to those meals he ordered!The dead will also salivate when they hear it, and make a sound of licking their mouths and tongues.Just listen: "To bake, but also to simmer!" The cook replied with a thin and high voice like a clarinet: "Yes, yes. That's fine."

"The pie has four corners. Sturgeon gills and fish tendons in one corner, buckwheat porridge, mushrooms and onions, sweet milk, brains and other things, and you should put whatever you want clear……"

"Okay. You can do that too."

"One side's got to be red, and the other side's been baked a little lighter. Bottom, bottom, you know, gotta be crispy, got the whole pie to ooze and melt like snowflakes in your mouth, It tastes silent."

"Damn it! It's impossible to sleep!" Chichikov tossed and turned on the bed, cursing inwardly.

"Bring me a pork belly bun. Put a piece of ice on the pork belly so it puffs up nicely. Sturgeon to be garnished, with a side dish, with a hearty side dish! Best with shrimp, and with it Put fried small fish, put some smelt diced fish, add more crushed buckwheat grains, Jerusalem artichokes, milk mushrooms, turnips, carrots, beans, and other vegetable roots ?”

"You can also put some turnips or beetroot stars," said the cook, "you can also put some turnips and beetroots, roast vegetables, if you give me this..."

"I'm all sleepy!" muttered Chichikov, turning over, slipping his head into the pillow, and covered himself with the quilt, not wanting to hear anything, but he kept hearing under the quilt:

"Fry, roast, and simmer!" Chichikov fell asleep when he heard something about turkey.The next day the guests had another big meal, and Platonov could no longer ride a horse.The horse was led away by Bituch's groom.He rode with Chichikov.The poodle lazily followed the car: it too had a big meal. "It's outrageous," said Chichikov, when the carriage had left the yard, "it's like feeding pigs. Are you comfortable, Platon Mikhalitch? The carriage used to be very comfortable, why not now?" Comfortable. Petrushka, what are you doing? There are boxes everywhere!"

Platonov smiled and said, "Let me tell you, it was Peter Petrovich who left some food for us to eat on the way."

"Well," said Petrushka, turning his head from the driver's seat, "pies, scones, put everything in the car."

"Well, Pavel Ivanovich," said Selifan, also turning cheerfully from the driver's seat, "is a very lovely gentleman. A hospitable landowner! And sent us both And the champagne. Order to serve us at the table--it's delicious. Rarely do you see such a lovely gentleman."

"You see? He has satisfied everyone," said Platonov, "but tell me sincerely: do you still have time to accompany me to a village ten versts away? I want to say goodbye to my sister and brother-in-law."

"Yes!" said Chichikov.

"You will do well to come. My brother-in-law is a very fine man."

"What do you mean?" said Chichikov.

(End of this chapter)