Мертвые души

           Onthecontrary,theonlyarticlestobeseenwereaswordandabraceofguns—theone“ofthemworththreehundredroubles,”andtheother“abouteighthundred.”Thebrother-in-lawinspectedthearticlesinquestion,andthenshookhisheadasbefore.Next,thevisitorswereshownsome“realTurkish”daggers,ofwhichoneboretheinadvertentinscription,“SaveliSibiriakov19,MasterCutler.”Thencameabarrel-organ,onwhichNozdrevstartedtoplaysometuneoranother.Forawhilethesoundswerenotwhollyunpleasing,butsuddenlysomethingseemedtogowrong,foramazurkastarted,tobefollowedby“Marlboroughhasgonetothewar,”andtothis,again,theresucceededanantiquatedwaltz.Also,longafterNozdrevhadceasedtoturnthehandle,oneparticularlyshrill-pitchedpipewhichhad,throughout,refusedtoharmonisewiththerestkeptupaprotractedwhistlingonitsownaccount.Thenfollowedanexhibitionoftobaccopipes—pipesofclay,ofwood,ofmeerschaum,pipessmokedandnon-smoked;pipeswrappedinchamoisleatherandnotsowrapped;anamber-mountedhookah(astakewonatcards)andatobaccopouch(worked,itwasalleged,bysomecountesswhohadfalleninlovewithNozdrevataposthouse,andwhosehandiworkNozdrevaverredtoconstitutethe“sublimityofsuperfluity”—atermwhich,intheNozdrevianvocabulary,purportedtosignifytheacmeofperfection).

           Finally,aftersomehors-d’oeuvresofsturgeon’sback,theysatdowntotable—thetimebeingthennearlyfiveo’clock.