Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Next,Nozdrevshowedhisguestssomeemptystallswhereanumberofequallyfineanimals(sohealleged)hadlatelystood.Alsotherewasonviewthegoatwhichanoldbeliefstillconsiderstobeanindispensableadjuncttosuchplaces,eventhoughitsapparentuseistopaceupanddownbeneaththenosesofthehorsesasthoughtheplacebelongedtoit.Thereafterthehosttookhisgueststolookatayoungwolfwhichhehadgottiedtoachain.“Heisfedonnothingbutrawmeat,”heexplained,“forIwanthimtogrowupasfierceaspossible.”Thenthepartyinspectedapondinwhichtherewere“fishofsuchasizethatitwouldtaketwomenalltheirtimetoliftoneofthemout.”
Thispieceofinformationwasreceivedwithrenewedincredulityonthepartofthebrother-in-law.
“Now,Chichikov,”wentonNozdrev,“letmeshowyouatrulymagnificentbraceofdogs.Thehardnessoftheirmuscleswillsurpriseyou,andtheyhavejowlsassharpasneedles.”
Sosaying,heledthewaytoasmall,butneatly-built,shedsurroundedoneverysidewithafenced-inrun.Enteringthisrun,thevisitorsbeheldanumberofdogsofallsortsandsizesandcolours.IntheirmidstNozdrevlookedlikeafatherlordingitoverhisfamilycircle.Erectingtheirtails—their“stems,”asdogfancierscallthosemembers—theanimalscameboundingtogreettheparty,andfullyascoreofthemlaidtheirpawsuponChichikov’sshoulders.Indeed,onedogwasmovedwithsuchfriendlinessthat,standingonitshindlegs,itlickedhimonthelips,andsoforcedhimtospit.
