dead souls, imperial envoy

Chapter 43 Dead Souls (43)
"Because of insufficient education," Chichikov said.

"Who knows why. We are all educated, but how do we live? I also went to college and listened to various courses. Not only did I not learn to live a serious life, but I learned to spend money to pursue various New gadgets and new enjoyment, I learned more ways to squander. Is it because I didn’t learn well? No, other students are also like this. There are probably two or three people who have gained real benefits from learning, and that may be because They are smart. Other students are trying to learn things that are not good for health and waste money. Really! The purpose of our school is probably to applaud and give awards to the professors, not to learn from them Learned something. We were educated to learn only the bad things; only superficially, not at all the fundamental things. No, Pavel Ivanovich, we will not be sure that there is another reason, but I do say Can't come out, what is the reason?"

"There must be a reason," said Chichikov.Poor Khlobuyev took a deep breath and said: "Really, I sometimes feel that the Russians seem to be a broken type of people. Lack of perseverance, no consistency. Want to do everything, but can't do anything." I can’t do it. I always want to start a new life from tomorrow, work hard from tomorrow, and use diet therapy from tomorrow, but nothing happens: I just stared at it that night, and I can’t even move my tongue, just like a night owl Sitting there looking at everybody. Indeed, that's what it's all about."

"Rely on reason," said Chichikov, "consult with reason all the time, have friendly conversations with reason."

"How can it be done!" said Khlobuev. "I do think we are irrational by nature. I don't believe that any of us is sane. Even if you see someone earning a living, earning money, saving money , I don't believe him either! When he was old, he would be obsessed with ghosts and spend it all at once! Russians are all like this, whether they are nobles or peasants, educated or uneducated. There is such a clever The farmer, who was a poor man, earned a hundred thousand, and as soon as he made a hundred thousand, he had a whim and built a champagne bath, and he bathed in champagne every day. We seemed to have seen it all, and there was nothing more to see. Do you want to see the water mill? There is no waterwheel on the water mill, and the houses are not in good shape."

"There's nothing to see there!" said Chichikov, "then let's go back."

The three of them started walking back.The same thing happened on the way back.Everywhere was in disarray.A scene of desolation and decay.Just added a new puddle in the middle of a road.A village woman in coarse, greasy clothes raged and beat a poor little girl half to death, swearing all kinds of nasty things in her mouth.The two farmers stood on the sidelines and watched the drunk woman show off her power, unmoved at all.One was scratching the lower back, and the other was yawning.Various buildings also showed a yawning look.The roof is yawning too.Platonov also yawned when he saw this.Chichikov thought to himself: "My future property - the farmer is full of holes and holes, patch after patch!" A farmhouse has no roof, and the top is covered with two doors, and some windows are about to fall down. , supported by poles from the master's granary.It seems that Khlobuyev managed the estate by tearing down one thing and filling another.They finally entered the house.Chichikov was amazed at the poverty of the house mixed with some of the most fashionable glittering decorations.Among the clutter and furniture were some new bronze statues.Shakespeare is seated at an inkwell, and on the table is a very fine ivory back scratcher.Khlobuyev introduced the hostess to the guests.The hostess is really hard to pick.Even in Moscow there is no disgrace.She is well-dressed and fashionable.She likes to talk about cities and their theaters.It was evident in every respect that she hated the country more than her husband, and yawned more when he was alone than Platonov.The room was soon filled with children—boys and girls, five in all.In my arms is the sixth.All the children are fine and good-looking.They are also cute, well-dressed, lively and happy.It was all the more worrisome to watch them.It might be better if they just wear coarse skirts and ordinary clothes and run around in the yard like peasant children!After a while, a guest of the hostess came.The mistress accompanied her to the other houses.The children also ran out.There were only a few men left in the house.Chichikov talked of business.Like all buyers, he routinely devalued the estate he wanted to buy.After being demoted from all aspects, he asked, "What price do you want to sell?"

"You can see that I'm not going to ask you for more money, I don't want to do it," said Khlobuyev, "it's shameless. I won't hide it from you: there are a hundred people registered in my village There are no more than [-] serfs, and some died of illness, and some left without passports, so you can assume that they are dead. So, I only want [-]."

"Hey, thirty thousand! The manor is in a mess, and the serfs are half dead and half alive. Thirty thousand! Twenty-five thousand."

"Pavel Ivanovich! I can get twenty-five thousand at the pawn shop, you know? Then I can get twenty-five thousand, and the estate is still in my hands. The reason I want to sell it is because I am anxious to use it." money; the pawn, the payment is delayed, I have to pay the subordinates, but there is no money."

"Anyway, twenty-five thousand."

Platonov felt ashamed for Chichikov and said: "Buy it, Pavel Ivanovitch. The estate is all at that price. If you don't want to pay thirty thousand, my brother and I will enter into a partnership." wanted."

Chichikov was astonished...

"Okay!" Chichikov said, "I promise to pay [-]. I will give [-] as a deposit first, [-] a week later, and the remaining [-] a month later."

"No, Pavel Ivanovich! The money must be paid at once. You must give me at least fifteen thousand at the moment, and the rest must not be later than two weeks."

"I don't have [-] on me, and I have [-] in total. Let me raise it."

Chichikov lied; he had twenty thousand at hand. "No, Pavel Ivanovitch! As I said, I want fifteen thousand now."

"I'm indeed short of five thousand, and I don't know where to borrow it."

"I'll lend it to you," Platonov continued.

"That's the only way!" Chichikov said, thinking: "It's just right for him to lend me. Then I'll deliver it tomorrow." Taking the small mahogany box from the carriage, Chichikov quickly went out of it. Ten thousand was drawn and given to Khlobuyev; the remaining five thousand were promised to be delivered tomorrow.A promise is a promise, but his plan is to send three thousand first tomorrow, and then send the remaining two thousand in two or three days. If it can be delayed, it is best to delay it for a few days.For some reason Chichikov particularly disliked money leaving his hands.Even when it is especially necessary, he will feel that it is better to pay tomorrow rather than today.He thinks like all of us!He is also happy to ask the person who needs to pay the bill to make two extra trips.Let him sit in the hall and grind his back!As if he couldn't wait a few more days!Whether his time is valuable or his career will be lost is none of our business!
"Brother, come tomorrow, I'm a little restless today."

"Where do you plan to live in the future?" Platonov asked Khlobuyev: "Do you have another village?"

"No, I'm moving to the city. Mainly for the kids: the kids need a theology teacher, a music teacher, a dance teacher, they can't do that in the country."

"I don't have a piece of bread, and I want someone to teach the child how to dance," Chichikov thought.

"Strange!" thought Platonov.

“We should have something to drink to celebrate the success of the deal,” Khlobuyev said. “Hey, Kiryushka, bring a bottle of champagne.”

"Not a piece of bread, but champagne!" thought Chichikov.I don't know what Platonov was thinking.Champagne is brought.They drank three glasses and cheered up.Khlobuyev lost his restraint and became smart and cute, with witty remarks and lively conversation.How much knowledge of the world can be seen from his words!How thoroughly and correctly he sees many things; how accurately and skillfully he draws the images of some nearby landowners in a few words; how clearly he sees the weaknesses and mistakes of others; How well he knew the reasons and how he went bankrupt; how characteristically and vividly he described the trivial habits of the landowners——Chichikov and Platonov were fascinated. , indeed he must be considered a most intelligent man. "Excuse me," Platonov asked, grabbing his hand, "since you have such intelligence, experience and experience, why can't you find a good way to change your current predicament?"

"There is a good way." Khlobuyev said and immediately came up with a lot of plans.The schemes were so preposterous and absurd that they both shrugged their shoulders and said, "My God, what a distance there is between knowledge of the world and the ability to use it!"

Most of the various plans are based on suddenly borrowing 20 to 20 from somewhere.He felt that at that time everything would fall into place: management would be improved, all loopholes would be plugged, income would triple, and all debts would be paid off.Finally he said: "But what should I do? I can't find anyone who can lend me [-] or [-]. It seems that God doesn't agree."

Chichikov thought to himself: "Of course God won't reward this foolish bastard with 20 yuan!"

"Although I have an aunt with a family fortune of 300 million yuan," Khlobuyev said, "this old lady is a devout believer: she is willing to donate, but only to churches and monasteries; donating to relatives is a bit stingy. She is very special. It’s worth seeing, it’s an antique. There are more than 400 canaries in her family, pugs, female diners, and servants, all of which are invisible now. The youngest of her servants is about [-], but She still calls him 'Hi, lad!' If a guest behaves in any way she doesn't like, she asks him not to be served at lunch. The servant does not."

Platonov smiled.

"What's her name and where does she live?" asked Chichikov.

"She lives locally, her last name is Hanasarova."

"Why don't you ask her?" Platonov said sympathetically, "I feel that if she understands your situation, no matter how stingy she is, she won't stand by."

"No, she'll just stand by! My aunt is very stubborn. She's a hard-hearted old woman, Platon Mikhailovich! And she's already surrounded by fawning friends. And there's a wannabe governor. The taller ones have become relatives with her... What the hell! He might be lucky! Let them go! I have never tried to curry favor before, and I can't bend down now either."

Chichikov thought: "What a bastard! If it were me, I would take care of her like a nanny to a child!"

"How boring to talk like that!" said Khlobuyev. "Hey, Kiryushka, bring me another bottle of champagne."

"No, no, I'm not coming," said Platonov. "I don't drink anymore," said Chichikov.Both of them firmly stated that they would not drink.

"Then you must at least agree to visit your residence in our city: on June [-]th, I will hold a banquet for the dignitaries of our city."

"Forget it!" Platonov shouted. "You are completely bankrupt in this situation. What kind of banquet is there?"

"Is there any way? Circumstances forced it. I owe it to others," said Khlobuev. "They invited me too."

"What can be done about him?" thought Platonov.He did not yet know that in Russia, in Moscow and other cities, there were such able men whose lives seemed like impenetrable enigmas.Seeming to have squandered all the property, borrowed money everywhere, and lost all income, yet a banquet was held; it seemed to be the last, and those who attended thought that the master would be dragged to prison the next day.But after ten years, this talented man can still hold on in the world, and the debt is even higher, but he still holds the banquet.Khlobuyev is such a capable person.Only Russia has this way of being.If someone looked at Khlobuyev's mansion in the city, he would never be able to tell what kind of person the owner of this mansion was.Today the priest prays here wearing vestments, and tomorrow some French actors are rehearsing there.It doesn't make anyone in the family feel awkward that a stranger, whom the family hardly knows, comes into the living room one day with official papers to deal with, as if it were an ordinary little thing.Sometimes there was not a single loaf of bread in the house for days at a time, and sometimes there were grand banquets that would satisfy the most discerning gourmand.The owner is leisurely, happy, and looks like a rich man, and seems to be living a very prosperous life.But sometimes it is so difficult that someone else would hang himself or shoot himself.But he survived death by virtue of his devout faith.Religious devotion alternated strangely with his luxurious life.When his family was in a difficult situation, he devoutly read "The Life of the Ascetic" and "The Life of the Hardworking Man" to free himself from pain and misfortune.At this time, he was full of docileness, compassion, and tears in his eyes.Strange to say, he almost always gets unexpected help: Either an old friend remembered that he had sent him money, or a strange lady who was passing by overheard what happened to him and showed kindness for him. A handsome gift had come, or he had made money in some business (of which he had never heard).

At this time, he sincerely thanked God for his great mercy, held thanksgiving prayers, and then began to live a dissolute life again. "I feel sorry for him, really poor," Platonov said to Chichikov, after leaving his house. "A pure black sheep!" said Chichikov. "There is nothing to be pitied about such a man."

Soon, they stopped thinking about him.Platonov is because he looks at life as he looks at everything in the world, with an attitude of being content with the situation and muddling along.When he sees others suffering, he will sympathize and feel uncomfortable, but he will not be deeply impressed.He doesn't think about Khlobuyev anymore, because he doesn't even think about himself.Chichikov no longer thought about Khlobuyev because his mind was occupied by the estate he had just bought.He calculated and considered the various benefits of buying the manor.No matter how he calculated it, he thought it was an absolutely worthwhile deal.The manor can be mortgaged to the pawn shop.Only dead serfs and fugitive serfs can be pawned.You can also sell the good land piecemeal first, and then send it to the pawn shop for pawning.You can also ask Costan Joglo, a neighbor and benefactor, to teach you how to manage the estate and become a landowner like him.You can also sell the manor (of course, on the premise that you don't want to manage it), leaving only fugitive serfs and dead serfs.At that time, there was another bonus: being able to sneak away from here without paying Costanjoglo's debts.In a word, he saw that no matter how he calculated this deal, it was absolutely worthwhile.He is a little proud, because he is no longer an imaginary landlord, he has become a veritable landlord with land and serfs, and the serfs are no longer those illusory serfs that only existed in imagination, but real serfs. Serfs exist now.So he twisted his buttocks lightly, rubbed his hands together, hummed a few ditties, muttered a few words, put one hand into a fist and put it on his mouth, played a march like a trumpet, and even He also used names such as "bird eggs" and "capon" to encourage himself.But later he felt that he was not alone here, so he suddenly quieted down, trying his best to conceal his over-excited behavior just now; Platonov took Chichikov's voices as words to him. He asked, "What?" He replied, "Nothing."

It was only then that Chichikov took a look around, and they had driven into a beautiful birch grove; the beautiful birch trees lined the left and right sides like a fence.A white stone church gleamed between the trees.At the end of the street, the owner had already come towards them. He was wearing a top hat and holding a cane with some scars in his hand.A shiny English poodle ran ahead of him on long, spindly legs. "Stop!" Platonov called to the coachman and jumped out of the car.Chichikov also got out of the car.They walked towards the master.Alb has already kissed the English poodle, and it seems that he has known the English poodle for a long time, because when Azor (the English poodle) kissed his fat face passionately, he always A nonchalant expression.The clever poodle named Azor, after kissing Arb, ran up to Platonov, kissed his hand with his dexterous tongue, and then ran into Chichikov's arms. He wanted to kiss his lips, but Chichikov pushed him away, and when he failed to reach him, he ran back to Platonov, wanting to kiss his ear.Platonov and the oncoming host had now come together and embraced each other. "Platon, how can you treat me like this?" the master asked eagerly.

"What's the matter?" Platonov asked nonchalantly.

"How can this be? You haven't heard from home for three days! Bituch's groom brought your horse back and said: 'Go away with a gentleman.' You don't even have to say where you are going, It doesn’t matter what you do or how long you go. Brother, how can you be so casual? God knows how I got here these three days!”

(End of this chapter)