the cloak-第7部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



question；　〃Why？〃　replied；　〃Well；　because　he　is　dead！　he　was　buried

four　days　ago。〃　In　this　manner　did　they　hear　of　Akakiy　Akakievitch's

death　at　the　department；　and　the　next　day　a　new　official　sat　in　his

place；　with　a　handwriting　by　no　means　so　upright；　but　more　inclined

and　slanting。



But　who　could　have　imagined　that　this　was　not　really　the　end　of　Akakiy

Akakievitch；　that　he　was　destined　to　raise　a　commotion　after　death；　as

if　in　compensation　for　his　utterly　insignificant　life？　But　so　it

happened；　and　our　poor　story　unexpectedly　gains　a　fantastic　ending。



A　rumour　suddenly　spread　through　St。　Petersburg　that　a　dead　man　had

taken　to　appearing　on　the　Kalinkin　Bridge　and　its　vicinity　at　night　in

the　form　of　a　tchinovnik　seeking　a　stolen　cloak；　and　that；　under　the

pretext　of　its　being　the　stolen　cloak；　he　dragged；　without　regard　to

rank　or　calling；　every　one's　cloak　from　his　shoulders；　be　it　cat…skin；

beaver；　fox；　bear；　sable；　in　a　word；　every　sort　of　fur　and　skin　which

men　adopted　for　their　covering。　One　of　the　department　officials　saw

the　dead　man　with　his　own　eyes　and　immediately　recognised　in　him

Akakiy　Akakievitch。　This；　however；　inspired　him　with　such　terror　that

he　ran　off　with　all　his　might；　and　therefore　did　not　scan　the　dead　man

closely；　but　only　saw　how　the　latter　threatened　him　from　afar　with　his

finger。　Constant　complaints　poured　in　from　all　quarters　that　the　backs

and　shoulders；　not　only　of　titular　but　even　of　court　councillors；　were

exposed　to　the　danger　of　a　cold　on　account　of　the　frequent　dragging

off　of　their　cloaks。



Arrangements　were　made　by　the　police　to　catch　the　corpse；　alive　or

dead；　at　any　cost；　and　punish　him　as　an　example　to　others　in　the　most

severe　manner。　In　this　they　nearly　succeeded；　for　a　watchman；　on　guard

in　Kirushkin　Alley；　caught　the　corpse　by　the　collar　on　the　very　scene

of　his　evil　deeds；　when　attempting　to　pull　off　the　frieze　coat　of　a

retired　musician。　Having　seized　him　by　the　collar；　he　summoned；　with　a

shout；　two　of　his　comrades；　whom　he　enjoined　to　hold　him　fast　while　he

himself　felt　for　a　moment　in　his　boot；　in　order　to　draw　out　his

snuff…box　and　refresh　his　frozen　nose。　But　the　snuff　was　of　a　sort

which　even　a　corpse　could　not　endure。　The　watchman　having　closed　his

right　nostril　with　his　finger；　had　no　sooner　succeeded　in　holding　half

a　handful　up　to　the　left　than　the　corpse　sneezed　so　violently　that　he

completely　filled　the　eyes　of　all　three。　While　they　raised　their　hands

to　wipe　them；　the　dead　man　vanished　completely；　so　that　they

positively　did　not　know　whether　they　had　actually　had　him　in　their

grip　at　all。　Thereafter　the　watchmen　conceived　such　a　terror　of　dead

men　that　they　were　afraid　even　to　seize　the　living；　and　only　screamed

from　a　distance；　〃Hey；　there！　go　your　way！〃　So　the　dead　tchinovnik

began　to　appear　even　beyond　the　Kalinkin　Bridge；　causing　no　little

terror　to　all　timid　people。



But　we　have　totally　neglected　that　certain　prominent　personage　who　may

really　be　considered　as　the　cause　of　the　fantastic　turn　taken　by　this

true　history。　First　of　all；　justice　compels　us　to　say　that　after　the

departure　of　poor；　annihilated　Akakiy　Akakievitch　he　felt　something

like　remorse。　Suffering　was　unpleasant　to　him；　for　his　heart　was

accessible　to　many　good　impulses；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　his　rank

often　prevented　his　showing　his　true　self。　As　soon　as　his　friend　had

left　his　cabinet；　he　began　to　think　about　poor　Akakiy　Akakievitch。　And

from　that　day　forth；　poor　Akakiy　Akakievitch；　who　could　not　bear　up

under　an　official　reprimand；　recurred　to　his　mind　almost　every　day。

The　thought　troubled　him　to　such　an　extent　that　a　week　later　he　even

resolved　to　send　an　official　to　him；　to　learn　whether　he　really　could

assist　him；　and　when　it　was　reported　to　him　that　Akakiy　Akakievitch

had　died　suddenly　of　fever；　he　was　startled；　hearkened　to　the

reproaches　of　his　conscience；　and　was　out　of　sorts　for　the　whole　day。



Wishing　to　divert　his　mind　in　some　way；　and　drive　away　the

disagreeable　impression；　he　set　out　that　evening　for　one　of　his

friends'　houses；　where　he　found　quite　a　large　party　assembled。　What

was　better；　nearly　every　one　was　of　the　same　rank　as　himself；　so　that

he　need　not　feel　in　the　least　constrained。　This　had　a　marvellous

effect　upon　his　mental　state。　He　grew　expansive；　made　himself

agreeable　in　conversation；　in　short；　he　passed　a　delightful　evening。

After　supper　he　drank　a　couple　of　glasses　of　champagnenot　a　bad

recipe　for　cheerfulness；　as　every　one　knows。　The　champagne　inclined

him　to　various　adventures；　and　he　determined　not　to　return　home；　but

to　go　and　see　a　certain　well…known　lady　of　German　extraction；　Karolina

Ivanovna；　a　lady；　it　appears；　with　whom　he　was　on　a　very　friendly

footing。



It　must　be　mentioned　that　the　prominent　personage　was　no　longer　a

young　man；　but　a　good　husband　and　respected　father　of　a　family。　Two

sons；　one　of　whom　was　already　in　the　service；　and　a　good…looking；

sixteen…year…old　daughter；　with　a　rather　retrousse　but　pretty　little

nose；　came　every　morning　to　kiss　his　hand　and　say；　〃Bonjour；　papa。〃

His　wife；　a　still　fresh　and　good…looking　woman；　first　gave　him　her

hand　to　kiss；　and　then；　reversing　the　procedure；　kissed　his。　But　the

prominent　personage；　though　perfectly　satisfied　in　his　domestic

relations；　considered　it　stylish　to　have　a　friend　in　another　quarter

of　the　city。　This　friend　was　scarcely　prettier　or　younger　than　his

wife；　but　there　are　such　puzzles　in　the　world；　and　it　is　not　our　place

to　judge　them。　So　the　important　personage　descended　the　stairs；

stepped　into　his　sledge；　said　to　the　coachman；　〃To　Karolina

Ivanovna's；〃　and；　wrapping　himself　luxuriously　in　his　warm　cloak；

found　himself　in　that　delightful　frame　of　mind　than　which　a　Russian

can　conceive　no　better；　namely；　when　you　think　of　nothing　yourself；

yet　when　the　thoughts　creep　into　your　mind　of　their　own　accord；　each

more　agreeable　than　the　other；　giving　you　no　trouble　either　to　drive

them　away　or　seek　them。　Fully　satisfied；　he　recalled　all　the　gay

features　of　the　evening　just　passed；　and　all　the　mots　which　had　made

the　little　circle　laugh。　Many　of　them　he　repeated　in　a　low　voice；　and

found　them　quite　as　funny　as　before；　so　it　is　not　surprising　that　he

should　laugh　heartily　at　them。　Occasionally；　however；　he　was

interrupted　by　gusts　of　wind；　which；　coming　suddenly；　God　knows　whence

or　why；　cut　his　face；　drove　masses　of　snow　into　it；　filled　out　his

cloak…collar　like　a　sail；　or　suddenly　blew　it　over　his　head　with

supernatural　force；　and　thus　caused　him　constant　trouble　to

disentangle　himself。



Suddenly　the　important　personage　felt　some　one　clutch　him　firmly　by

the　collar。　Turning　round；　he　perceived　a　man　of　short　stature；　in　an

old；　worn　uniform；　and　recognised；　not　without　terror；　Akakiy

Akakievitch。　The　official's　face　was　white　as　snow；　and　looked　just

like　a　corpse's。　But　the　horror　of　the　important　personage　transcended

all　bounds　when　he　saw　the　dead　man's　mouth　open；　and；　with　a　terrible

odour　of　the　grave；　gave　vent　to　the　following　remarks：　〃Ah；　here　you

are　at　last！　I　have　you；　thatby　the　collar！　I　need　your　cloak；　you

took　no　trouble　about　mine；　but　reprimanded　me；　so　now　give　up　your

own。〃



The　pallid　prominent　personage　almost　died　of　fright。　Brave　as　he　was

in　the　office　and　in　the　presence　of　inferiors　generally；　and

although；　at　the　sight　of　his　manly　form　and　appearance；　every　one

said；　〃Ugh！　how　much　character　he　had！〃　at　this　crisis；　he；　like　many

possessed　of　an　heroic　exterior；　experienced　such　terror；　that；　not

without　cause；　he　began　to　fear　an　attack　of　illness。　He　flung　his

cloak　hastily　from　his　shoulders　and　shouted　to　his　coachman　in　an

unnatural　voice；　〃Home　at　full　speed！〃　The　coachman；　hearing　the　tone

which　is　generally　employed　at　critical　moments　and　even　accompanied

by　something　much　more　tangible；　drew　his　head　down　between　his

shoulders　in　case　of　an　emergency；　flourished　his　whip；　and　flew　on

like　an　arrow。　In　a　little　more　than　six　minutes　the　prominent

personage　was　at　the　entrance　of　his　own　house。　Pale；　thoroughly

scared；　and　cloakless；　he　went　home　instead　of　to　Karolina　Ivanovna's；

reached　his　room　somehow　or　other；　and　passed　the　night　in　the　direst

distress；　so　that　the　next　morning　over　their　tea　his　daughter　said；

〃You　are　very　pale　to…day；　papa。〃　But　papa　remained　silent；　and　said

not　a　word　to　any　one　of　what　had　happened　to　him；　where　he　had　been；

or　where　he　had　intended　to　go。



This　occurrence　made　a　deep　impression　upon　him。　He　even　began　to　say：

〃How　dare　you？　do　you　realise　who　stands　before　you？〃　less　frequently

to　the　under…officials；　and　if　he　did　utter　the　words；　it　was　only

after　having　first　learned　the　bearings　of　the　matter。　But　the　most

noteworthy　point　was；　that　from　that　day　forward　the　apparition　of　the

dead　tchinovnik　ceased　to　be　seen。　Evidently　the　prominent　personage's

cloak　just　fitted　his　shoulders；　at　all　events；　no　more　instances　of

his　dragging　cloaks　from　people's　shoulders　were　heard　of。　But　many

active　and　apprehensive　persons　could　by　no　means　reassure　themselves；

and　asserted　that　the　dead　tchinovnik　still　showed　himself　in　distant

parts　of　the　city。



In　fact；　one　watchman　in　Kolomna　saw　with　his　own　eyes　the　apparition

come　from　behind　a　house。　But　being　rather　weak　of　body；　he　dared　not

arrest　him；　but　followed　him　in　the　dark；　until；　at　length；　the

apparition　looked　round；　paused；　and　inquired；　〃What　do　you　want？〃　at

the　same　time　showing　a　fist　such　as　is　never　seen　on　living　men。　The

watchman　said；　〃It's　of　no　consequence；〃　and　turned　back　instantly。

But　the　apparition　was　much　too　tall；　wore　huge　moustaches；　and；

directing　its　steps　apparently　towards　the　Obukhoff　bridge；

disappeared　in　the　darkness　of　the　night。