第一章 霍尔和加利尼奇1

Anyone who has chanced to pass from the Bolhovsky district into the Zhizdrinsky district, must have been impressed by the striking difference between the race of people in the province of Orel and the population of the province of Kaluga.

凡是恰巧从博尔霍夫县路过、来到日兹德拉县的人，肯定都会对奥廖尔省与卡卢加省人之间的显著差异感到大为吃惊。

The peasant of Orel is not tall, is bent in figure, sullen and suspicious in his looks; he lives in wretched little hovels of aspen—wood, labours as a serf in the fields, and engages in no kind of trading, is miserably fed, and wears slippers of bast: the rent—paying peasant of Kaluga lives in roomy cottages of pine—wood; he is tall, bold, and cheerful in his looks, neat and clean of countenance; he carries on a trade in butter and tar, and on holidays he wears boots.

奥廖尔省的农民个子不高，有点驼背，看上去脸色忧郁、疑心重重；他们住在颤杨木制的小破屋里，像农奴一样在田里劳作，不做任何买卖，吃的食物很差，穿的也是用树皮做的拖鞋。卡卢加省的佃农却住在宽敞的松木屋里；他们高大有力、神情愉快、面容干净整洁；他们做黄油和柏油的买卖，逢年过节还穿会靴子。

The village of the Orel province （we are speaking now of the eastern part of the province）is usually situated in the midst of ploughed fields, near a water—course which has been converted into a filthy pool. Except for a few of the ever—accommodating willows, and two or three gaunt birch—trees, you do not see a tree for a verst round; hut is huddled up against hut, their roofs covered with rotting thatch.... The villages of Kaluga, on the contrary, are generally surrounded by forest; the huts stand more freely, are more upright, and have boarded roofs; the gates fasten closely, the hedge is not broken down nor trailing about; there are no gaps to invite the visits of the passing pig.... And things are much better in the Kaluga province for the sportsman. In the Orel province the last of the woods and copses will have disappeared five years hence, and there is no trace of moorland left; in Kaluga, on the contrary, the moors extend over tens, the forest over hundreds of miles, and a splendid bird, the grouse, is still extant there; there are abundance of the friendly larger snipe, and the loud—clapping partridge cheers and startles the sportsman and his dog by its abrupt upward flight.

奥廖尔省的村庄（我们现在指的是这个省的东部）通常位于耕地的中间，临近已经沦为污水塘的沟渠。方圆一俄里以内，除了几棵曾为人提供便利的柳树以及两三棵干巴巴的白桦树外，就再看不到什么树了；茅屋一间挨着一间，屋顶上铺着烂茅草……卡卢加省的村庄则恰恰相反，它们大都被树木环绕着，茅屋也排列得更为松散齐整，屋顶上铺着木板，大门紧闭着，篱笆既不破破烂烂也不东倒西歪，没有给路过的猪留下可钻入的空隙……对猎人来说，卡卢加省各方面的条件都好多了。再过上五年，奥廖尔省的最后一批树林和萌生林将会消失殆尽，高沼地也会荡然无存；而卡卢加省则正好相反，有数十俄里沼泽地，数百俄里的森林，美丽的松鸡尚未绝迹，温顺的大沙锥也多得是，山鹑大声拍打着翅膀突然飞起，令猎人和猎犬又惊又喜。

On a visit to the Zhizdrinsky district in search of sport, I met in the fields a petty proprietor of the Kaluga province called Polutikin, and made his acquaintance. He was an enthusiastic sportsman; it follows, therefore, that he was an excellent fellow. He was liable, indeed, to a few weaknesses; he used, for instance, to pay his addresses to every unmarried heiress in the province, and when he had been refused her hand and house, broken—hearted he confided his sorrows to all his friends and acquaintances, and continued to shower offerings of sour peaches and other raw produce from his garden upon the young lady's relatives; he was fond of repeating one and the same anecdote, which, in spite of Mr. Polutikin's appreciation of its merits, had certainly never amused anyone; he admired the works of Akim Nahimov and the novel Pinna; he stammered; he called his dog Astronomer; instead of "however" said "howsomever"; and had established in his household a French system of cookery, the secret of which consisted, according to his cook's interpretation, in a complete transformation of the natural taste of each dish; in this artiste's hands meat assumed the flavour of fish, fish of mushrooms, macaroni of gunpowder; to make up for this, not a single carrot went into the soup without taking the shape of a rhombus or trapezium. But, with the exception of these few and insignificant failings, Mr. Polutikin was, as has been said already, an excellent fellow.

我有一次去日兹德拉县打猎，在野外遇到了卡卢加省一个名叫波卢特金的小地主，并与他结识。他酷爱打猎，因而是一个理想的同伴。的确，他是有一些缺点。比如，他曾向省里所有未婚的女继承人求过婚。在遭到拒绝被赶出门后，他虽然伤心地向所有朋友及相识的人诉苦，却继续给那些年轻小姐们的亲人们，送上大量自家果园里种出来的酸桃子和其他的生果子。他喜欢重复讲同一件趣事，尽管他自己讲得神采飞扬，却从未把任何人逗笑；他欣赏阿基姆•纳希莫夫的作品，喜欢《平娜》这部小说；他说话结巴，把自己的狗取名为 “天文学家” ；他把 “可是” 念成 “可系” ；他还在家里构建了一套法式烹饪方法，他家厨师解释说，做这种菜的秘密就在于完全改变各种食物本来的味道；在这位能手的手里，肉能做得有鱼味，鱼能做得有蘑菇味，通心粉则做得有火药味；为了补偿这一点，任何一根胡萝卜，他如果不切成菱形或梯形，绝不放进汤里。不过，除了这些为数不多而又无关紧要的缺点外，正如之前所说的，波卢特金先生是一个理想的同伴。

On the first day of my acquaintance with Mr. Polutikin, he invited me to stay the night at his house.

我同波卢特金先生认识的第一天，他就邀请我到他家留宿。

"It will be five miles farther to my house, " he added; "it's a long way to walk; let us first go to Hor's.” （The reader must excuse my omitting his stammer. ）

“离我家有五英里，” 他补充说道， “走路去太远了，我们先去霍尔家吧。” （读者一定会原谅我没有按照他口吃的方式转述吧。）

"Who is Hor? "

“霍尔是谁呀？”

"A peasant of mine. He is quite close by here. "

“是我家的一个农民，他家离这里不远。”

We went in that direction. In a well—cultivated clearing in the middle of the forest rose Hor's solitary homestead. It consisted of several pine—wood buildings, enclosed by plank fences; a porch ran along the front of the principal building, supported on slender posts. We went in. We were met by a young lad of twenty, tall and good—looking.

我们便朝霍尔家走去。树林中间有一块精耕细作的空地，霍尔的农庄就孤零零地伫立在那里。农庄被板材栅栏圈着，里面有几间松木构造的屋子，正屋前面有一处门廊，是用几根细柱子支撑着的。我们走了进去。一位二十来岁、高大英俊的年轻小伙子来迎接我们。

"Ah, Fedya! is Hor at home? " Mr. Polutikin asked him.

“啊，费佳！霍尔在家吗？” 波卢特金先生问他。

"No. Hor has gone into town, " answered the lad, smiling and showing a row of snow—white teeth. "You would like the little cart brought out? "

“不在，霍尔进城去了，” 小伙子微笑着答道，露出了一排雪白的牙齿， “需要为您备辆小马车吗？”

"Yes, my boy, the little cart. And bring us some Kvas. "

“对，伙计，备辆小马车吧。再给我们拿些克瓦斯来。”

We went into the cottage. Not a single cheap glaring print was pasted up on the clean boards of the walls; in the corner, before the heavy, holy picture in its silver setting, a lamp was burning; the table of linden—wood had been lately planed and scrubbed; between the joists and in the cracks of the window—frames there were no lively Prussian beetles running about, nor gloomy cockroaches in hiding. The young lad soon reappeared with a great white pitcher filled with excellent kvas, a huge hunch of wheaten bread, and a dozen salted cucumbers in a wooden bowl. He put all these provisions on the table, and then, leaning with his back against the door, began to gaze with a smiling face at us. We had not had time to finish eating our lunch when the cart was already rattling before the doorstep. We went out. A curly—headed, rosy—cheeked boy of fifteen was sitting in the cart as driver, and with difficulty holding in the well—fed piebald horse. Round the cart stood six young giants, very like one another, and Fedya.

我们走到了屋里。墙上的木板很干净，连一张廉价刺眼的画都没贴；角落里，一幅沉甸甸的、镶着银色框架的圣像前燃着一盏灯；椴木桌子刚被刨平擦洗过；在搁栅之间的缝隙里和窗框的缝里，既没有活泼的普鲁士甲虫跑来跑去，也没有忧郁的蟑螂藏在里面。那个年轻小伙子很快就又进来了，端着一个装满上好的克瓦斯酒的大白罐子、一大块小麦面包和盛有十几根腌黄瓜的木碗。他把这些食物统统放在桌子上，然后背靠在门上，带着微笑看着我们。我们还没来得及把午餐吃完，就听到门阶外响起了马车声。我们走了出去。一个十五岁的小男孩坐在马车上，他头发卷曲、脸颊红润，正费力地控制着那匹肥壮的花斑马。马车周围站着六个高大的年轻人，他们长得都差不多，跟费佳也很像。

"All of these Hor's sons! " said Polutikin.

“这些都是霍尔的儿子！” 波卢特金说道。

"These are all Horkies" （i. e. wild cats）, put in Fedya, who had come after us on to the step; "but that's not all of them: Potap is in the wood, and Sidor has gone with old Hor to the town. Look out, Vasya, " he went on, turning to the coachman; "drive like the wind; you are driving the master. Only mind what you're about over the ruts, and easy a little; don't tip the cart over, and upset the master's stomach!”

“这是小霍尔们，” （ “霍尔” 即 “野猫” 的意思）费佳插话说道，还跟着我们走到了台阶上， “不过人还没全到齐：波塔普在林子里，西多尔跟着老霍尔进城去了。当心啊，瓦夏，” 他转向车夫继续说道， “跑快些，你送的可是老爷呢。不过，在颠簸的时候要小心点，走慢些，别把马车弄翻了，也别颠得老爷肚子难受。”

The other Horkies smiled at Fedya's sally. "Lift Astronomer in! " Mr. Polutikin called majestically. Fedya, not without amusement, lifted the dog, who wore a forced smile, into the air, and laid her at the bottom of the cart. Vasya let the horse go. We rolled away. "And here is my counting—house, " said Mr. Polutikin suddenly to me, pointing to a little low—pitched house. "Shall we go in? "

听到费佳的俏皮话，一旁的小霍尔们都笑了。 “把天文学家放上来！” 波卢特金先生摆着架子喊道。费佳高兴地把那只勉强带笑的狗举了起来，然后放到了马车底部。瓦夏让马动起来。我们的车轮也滚动了起来。 “这是我的办公室，” 波卢特金先生指着一间带有缓坡屋顶的小屋子，突然对我说道， “要不要进去看看？”

"By all means. " "It is no longer used, " he observed, going in; "still, it is worth looking at. " The counting—house consisted of two empty rooms. The caretaker, a one—eyed old man, ran out of the yard.

“当然啦。” “我已经不用这个办公室了，” 他边说着边走了进去， “不过，它还是值得一看的。” 这个办公室是由两个空空的房间组成的。看门的是个独眼的老头，从后院跑了出来。

"Good day, Minyaitch, " said Mr. Polutikin; "bring us some water. "

“你好啊，米尼亚伊奇，” 波卢特金先生说， “给我们弄点水来。”

The one—eyed old man disappeared, and at once returned with a bottle of water and two glasses. "Taste it, " Polutikin said to me; "it is splendid spring water. " We drank off a glass each, while the old man bowed low.

接着独眼老头就不见了，但马上就拿了一瓶水和两个杯子回来。 “尝尝吧，” 波卢特金对我说， “这可是上好的泉水啊。” 我俩各喝了一杯，这时候那个老头向我们深深地鞠了一躬。

"Come, now, I think we can go on, " said my new Friend. "In that counting—house I sold the merchant Alliluev four acres of forest—land for a good price.”

“走吧，我想我们现在可以继续上路了，” 我的新朋友说道，” “就是在这个办公室里，我把四英亩树林地卖给了叫阿利卢耶夫的那个商人，而且卖了个好价钱。

We took our seats in the cart, and in half—an—hour we had reached the court of the manor—house.

我们坐上了马车，半小时后就到了庄园主宅地的院子里。

"Tell me, please, " I asked Polutikin at supper; "why does Hor live apart from your other peasants? "

“请问，” 我在吃晚餐的时候问波卢特金， “为什么霍尔与您其他的农民是分开住的呢？”

"Well, this is why: he is a clever peasant. Twenty—five years ago his cottage was burnt down; so he came up to my late father and said: 'Allow me, Nikolai Kouzmitch, ' says he, 't o settle in your forest, on the bog. I will pay you a good rent. ' 'But what do you want to settle on the bog for? '

“哦，是这样的：他是个聪明的农民。二十五年前他的小屋被火烧掉了，于是他就来找我父亲，说： ‘尼古拉•库济米奇，请让我到您树林里的沼泽地上住吧。我会付您一份不错的租金的。’ ‘但是你为什么要到沼泽地上住呢? '

'Oh, I want to; only, your honour, Nikolai Kouzmitch, be so good as not to claim any labour from me, but fix a rent as you think best. '

‘哦，我就是想到那里住；不过，尼古拉•库济米奇老爷，请您行行好，别让我干什么活了，至于租金多少，由您来定。’

'Fifty roubles a year! '

‘一年五十卢布! '

'Very well. '

‘行。’

'But I'll have no arrears, mind!’

‘但我可不准拖欠租金，记好了! '

'Of course, no arrears' ; and so he settled on the bog. Since then they have called him Hor（i. e. wild cat）.

‘那当然，我不会欠租金的’ 。就这样，他就住到了沼泽地上。从那以后，人们就叫他霍尔（即野猫）。”

"Well, and has he grown rich? " I inquired.

“那么，他后来发财了吗？” 我问。

"Yes, he has grown rich. Now he pays me a round hundred for rent, and I shall raise it again, I dare say. I have said to him more than once, 'Buy your freedom, Hor; come, buy your freedom. ' …. But he declares, the rogue, that he can't; has no money, he says.... As though that were likely....”

“嗯，他发财了。现在他付给我的租金是一百卢布整，我可能还要再涨价呢。我对他说过不止一次了， ‘赎身吧，霍尔，来赎身吧……’ 可他这个狡猾的东西，说没法赎身，他说自己没钱……说得跟真的似的……”

The next day, directly after our morning tea, we started out hunting again. As we were driving through the village, Mr. Polutikin ordered the coachman to stop at a low—pitched cottage and called loudly, "Kalinitch! " "Coming, your honour, coming" sounded a voice from the yard; "I am tying on my shoes. "

第二天，我们喝过早茶后，就又出发去打猎了。马车从村庄里驶过的时候，波卢特金先生让马车夫在一间带缓坡屋顶的屋子旁停下，大声喊道： “加利尼奇！” “来了，老爷，来了，” 听起来这声音是从院子里传来的， “我正穿鞋呢。”