登陆注册
4707700000089

第89章

The next day young Pavlushka made his first attendance at school. But no special aptitude in any branch of learning did he display. Rather, his distinguishing characteristics were diligence and neatness. On the other hand, he developed great intelligence as regards the PRACTICALaspect of life. In a trice he divined and comprehended how things ought to be worked, and, from that time forth, bore himself towards his school-fellows in such a way that, though they frequently gave him presents, he not only never returned the compliment, but even on occasions pocketed the gifts for the mere purpose of selling them again. Also, boy though he was, he acquired the art of self-denial. Of the trifle which his father had given him on parting he spent not a kopeck, but, the same year, actually added to his little store by fashioning a bullfinch of wax, painting it, and selling the same at a handsome profit. Next, as time went on, he engaged in other speculations--in particular, in the scheme of buying up eatables, taking his seat in class beside boys who had plenty of pocket-money, and, as soon as such opulent individuals showed signs of failing attention (and, therefore, of growing appetite), tendering them, from beneath the desk, a roll of pudding or a piece of gingerbread, and charging according to degree of appetite and size of portion. He also spent a couple of months in training a mouse, which he kept confined in a little wooden cage in his bedroom. At length, when the training had reached the point that, at the several words of command, the mouse would stand upon its hind legs, lie down, and get up again, he sold the creature for a respectable sum. Thus, in time, his gains attained the amount of five roubles; whereupon he made himself a purse and then started to fill a second receptacle of the kind. Still more studied was his attitude towards the authorities. No one could sit more quietly in his place on the bench than he. In the same connection it may be remarked that his teacher was a man who, above all things, loved peace and good behaviour, and simply could not abide clever, witty boys, since he suspected them of laughing at him. Consequently any lad who had once attracted the master's attention with a manifestation of intelligence needed but to shuffle in his place, or unintentionally to twitch an eyebrow, for the said master at once to burst into a rage, to turn the supposed offender out of the room, and to visit him with unmerciful punishment. "Ah, my fine fellow," he would say, "I'LL cure you of your impudence and want of respect! Iknow you through and through far better than you know yourself, and will take good care that you have to go down upon your knees and curb your appetite." Whereupon the wretched lad would, for no cause of which he was aware, be forced to wear out his breeches on the floor and go hungry for days. "Talents and gifts," the schoolmaster would declare, "are so much rubbish. I respect only good behaviour, and shall award full marks to those who conduct themselves properly, even if they fail to learn a single letter of their alphabet: whereas to those in whom I may perceive a tendency to jocularity I shall award nothing, even though they should outdo Solon himself." For the same reason he had no great love of the author Krylov, in that the latter says in one of his Fables: "In my opinion, the more one sings, the better one works;" and often the pedagogue would relate how, in a former school of his, the silence had been such that a fly could be heard buzzing on the wing, and for the space of a whole year not a single pupil sneezed or coughed in class, and so complete was the absence of all sound that no one could have told that there was a soul in the place. Of this mentor young Chichikov speedily appraised the mentality; wherefore he fashioned his behaviour to correspond with it.

Not an eyelid, not an eyebrow, would he stir during school hours, howsoever many pinches he might receive from behind; and only when the bell rang would he run to anticipate his fellows in handing the master the three-cornered cap which that dignitary customarily sported, and then to be the first to leave the class-room, and contrive to meet the master not less than two or three times as the latter walked homeward, in order that, on each occasion, he might doff his cap. And the scheme proved entirely successful. Throughout the period of his attendance at school he was held in high favour, and, on leaving the establishment, received full marks for every subject, as well as a diploma and a book inscribed (in gilt letters) "For Exemplary Diligence and the Perfection of Good Conduct." By this time he had grown into a fairly good-looking youth of the age when the chin first calls for a razor;and at about the same period his father died, leaving behind him, as his estate, four waistcoats completely worn out, two ancient frockcoats, and a small sum of money. Apparently he had been skilled only in RECOMMENDING the saving of kopecks--not in ACTUALLYPRACTISING the art. Upon that Chichikov sold the old house and its little parcel of land for a thousand roubles, and removed, with his one serf and the serf's family, to the capital, where he set about organising a new establishment and entering the Civil Service.

同类推荐
  • Allan Quatermain

    Allan Quatermain

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 宋本备急灸法

    宋本备急灸法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 题秦州城

    题秦州城

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鼎镌国朝名公神断详刑公案

    鼎镌国朝名公神断详刑公案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 罂粟花

    罂粟花

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • THE MOONSTONE

    THE MOONSTONE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 兵器世界:军刀传奇

    兵器世界:军刀传奇

    本书从一个全新的角度来向读者展现了古代军刀、军用刺刀、军用刀具的独特魅力,中国青铜剑、加勒比海盗之剑、西洋剑,中国56式刺刀、81式刺刀,Aaron Harris战术刀、SOG刀具、蜘蛛刀……各种著名军刀以及军用刀具无不包含其中。除此之外,书中还向大家简单介绍了一些刀具战术,使本书的可读性、趣味性大大提高。
  • 小猪弗莱迪:大侦探弗莱迪

    小猪弗莱迪:大侦探弗莱迪

    《小猪弗莱迪》系列童话故事书每册都是一个精彩独立的故事。或是迷案重重、悬疑跌宕的侦探故事,或是意外横生、步步惊心的冒险故事;或是斗智斗勇、充满惊险的间谍之战;或是想像奇特、笑料十足的太空旅行……
  • 穿越千年之梦幻爱恋

    穿越千年之梦幻爱恋

    [此文乃架空式穿越文,纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属巧合]作品简介:兰心从奇怪的长梦中醒来,发现自己置身在了另一个朝代,梦中死去梦中活,灵魂寄托在了年仅13岁的小公主身上,奇怪的是,她却半点不觉得排斥,反倒觉得这就是千年前的自己。十三年前死去的母妃?十三年前失散民间,又重新找回的公主!还有千年之后穿越过去的兰心?她们三者究竟有何关联?面对皇上的独宠,后宫之中又会掀起怎样的风云?毁容?失忆,历经生死,纠结人心,她却始终倍受保护。先有邹洌那浓浓的‘父爱’,再有邹安那不渝的‘深爱’,还有楚王子那绵长温柔的‘关爱’。面对三大美男,她的心究竟系于谁身?
  • 爱的教育(语文新课标课外必读第五辑)

    爱的教育(语文新课标课外必读第五辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • 红楼别梦

    红楼别梦

    对喽,大家看这书的时候,前面五篇是长诗形式的。如果不想看,就从(太虚幻境,缘起——修改后的样子)看起就可以了,是从开始写的,这一章节就是一个开头,不用担心和前面连接不上。又一个红楼故事,本来不想再写红楼故事了,另一个小说已经开工动笔了,这个别梦本来是用长诗写的,可是看的人实在是太少,若是不写了,有舍不得这个已经在脑海形成中的故事,于是,改为普通的白话小说了。这是一个黛玉宝钗宝玉从小时候就开始的故事,没有太多的勾心斗角,只是感情上的纠葛,至于金玉良缘和木石前盟,到底哪一个占了上风,那就请大家看故事了。因为这是由长诗改的,所以没有存稿的,每天都需要边写边更新的,所以心急的朋友还是不要心急吧,慢慢地看下去哦。虽然舍不得长诗这种形式,不过还是忍痛割爱吧,希望大家喜欢这个故事。推荐自己的新作《问君惜妾否》推荐自己的新作:《红楼梦断之大漠潇湘》推荐一下自己的旧作:《红楼梦中梦之瑕不掩玉》《新续红楼》推荐朋友的作品http://m.wkkk.net/info/254843《破脸皇妃》推荐朋友的作品《贪吃肥妻》推荐好友玉人何处的作品《红楼之玉落谁家》
  • 做一个敬业乐群的人

    做一个敬业乐群的人

    现代领导或老板对员工最欣赏和最喜欢的品质有两个:一曰敬业,二曰乐群。有道是,敬业者成事,乐群者得助,敬业乐群者,无往而不胜!
  • 猫城记

    猫城记

    本书包含老舍先生的两部长篇小说,分别是《猫城记》《小坡的生日》。老舍先生在1932年完成了一部当时称得上异类的作品《猫城记》。从某种意义上来说,《猫城记》在当时可算得上是一部超越时代的作品。当这部作品被译介到西方时,其题材及风格便深受西方读者的喜爱。《牛天赐传》中商户他们牛老头年老无子,一天,有人给他们送来了一个孩子,他们认为这个孩子是老天爷赐予的,遂取名牛天赐。天赐从小娇养,加之牛氏夫妇畸形的教育,除了玩和写点小文章之外他什么都不会做。家道中落后,除了曾经的下人和朋友虎爷,天赐一无所有。这时,曾经受过牛老头恩惠的天赐的老师突然出现,给这个孩子带来了一线生机……
  • 《中华人民共和国安全生产法》释义及实用指南

    《中华人民共和国安全生产法》释义及实用指南

    本书由《中华人民共和国安全生产法》立法的同志撰写。本书共分三个部分:第一部分,法律文本及条文释义;第二部分,立法文件;第三部分,相关司法解释和行政法规。本书逐条对安全生产法进行了释解,并对实务中需要注意的问题进行了特别提示。本书适于生产管理者、生产安全监督者、法律实务工作者阅读。
  • 弄拙成巧,双面沐少拥她入怀

    弄拙成巧,双面沐少拥她入怀

    在“卡地”酒吧,有着数双贪婪的眼睛如野外的猛兽盯着它们要猎捕的食物般目不转睛地如饥似渴地盯着江非儿。他们已经收了定金,要在今天晚上给江非儿拍上几张照片,而且要是那种跟男人一起上床的艳照……江非儿可以对天发誓她对沐南风没有丁点意思,可是却偏偏总是被人误会,甚至连沐南风一开始也这么认为。于是一而再再而三地被人当作了打击对付的目标……一次次的设计陷害却无意间促成了江非儿跟沐南风,连江非儿自己都还没意识过来,她竟然就成了沐南风——沐少——沐总的女人……也同时揭露出来一个惊天的大阴谋,原来沐大少爷的母亲……