Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Excusemeforhavingbeenunabletostay.GladlywouldIhavestayed,butreallyIcannot.”
Thebrother-in-lawrepeatedhisexcusesagainandagainwithoutnoticingthathehadenteredthebritchka,thatithadpassedthroughthegates,andthathewasnowintheopencountry.Permissiblywemaysupposethathiswifesucceededingleaningfromhimfewdetailsofthefair.
“Whatafool!”saidNozdrevas,standingbythewindow,hewatchedthedepartingvehicle.“Yethisoff-horseisnotsuchabadone.ForalongtimepastIhavebeenwantingtogetholdofit.Amanlikethatissimplyimpossible.Yes,heisaThetuk,aregularThetuk.”
Withthattheyrepairedtotheparlour,where,onPorphyribringingcandles,Chichikovperceivedthathishosthadproducedapackofcards.
“Itellyouwhat,”saidNozdrev,pressingthesidesofthepacktogether,andthenslightlybendingthem,sothatthepackcrackedandacardflewout.“Howwoulditbeif,topassthetime,Iweretomakeabankofthreehundred?”
Chichikovpretendednottohaveheardhim,butremarkedwithanairofhavingjustrecollectedaforgottenpoint:
“Bytheway,IhadomittedtosaythatIhavearequesttomakeofyou.”
“Whatrequest?”
“Firstgivemeyourwordthatyouwillgrantit.”
“Whatistherequest,Isay?”
“Thenyougivemeyourword,doyou?”
“Certainly.”
“Yourwordofhonour?”
“Mywordofhonour.”
“This,then,ismyrequest.Ipresumethatyouhavealargenumberofdeadserfswhosenameshavenotyetbeenremovedfromtherevisionlist?”
“Ihave.
