Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Personsofsuperficialobservationareapttoconsiderthatamancladinadifferentcoatisquiteadifferentpersonfromwhatheusedtobe.
Tocontinue.ThethreevehiclesbowleduptothestepsofNozdrev’shouse,andtheiroccupantsalighted.Butnopreparationswhatsoeverhadbeenmadefortheguest’sreception,foronsomewoodentrestlesinthecentreofthedining-roomacoupleofpeasantswereengagedinwhitewashingtheceilinganddrawlingoutanendlesssongastheysplashedtheirstuffaboutthefloor.Hastilybiddingpeasantsandtrestlestobegone,Nozdrevdepartedtoanotherroomwithfurtherinstructions.Indeed,soaudiblewasthesoundofhisvoiceasheordereddinnerthatChichikov—whowasbeginningtofeelhungryoncemore—wasenabledtogatherthatitwouldbeatleastfiveo’clockbeforeamealofanykindwouldbeavailable.Onhisreturn,Nozdrevinvitedhiscompanionstoinspecthisestablishment—eventhoughasearlyastwoo’clockhehadtoannouncethatnothingmorewastobeseen.
Thetourbeganwithaviewofthestables,wherethepartysawtwomares(theoneagrey,andtheotheraroan)andacolt;whichlatteranimal,thoughfarfromshowy,Nozdrevdeclaredtohavecosthimtenthousandroubles.
“YouNEVERpaidtenthousandroublesforthebrute!”exclaimedthebrother-in-law.“Heisn’tworthevenathousand.”
“ByGod,IDIDpaytenthousand!”assertedNozdrev.
“Youcanswearthatasmuchasyoulike,”retortedtheother.
“WillyoubetthatIdidnot?”askedNozdrev,butthebrother-in-lawdeclinedtheoffer.
