Мертвые души
Chapter 4
”AndalmostasChichikovspokehesawathirdchessmancomingintoviewbetweenthequeens.Godonlyknowswhencethatchessmanhadmaterialised.
“No,no!”shoutedChichikovasherosefromthetable.“Itisimpossibletoplaywithamanlikeyou.Peopledon’tmovethreepiecesatonce.”
“How‘threepieces’?AllthatIhavedoneistomakeamistake—tomoveoneofmypiecesbyaccident.Ifyoulike,Iwillforfeitittoyou.”
“Andwhencehasthethirdpiececome?”
“Whatthirdpiece?”
“Theonenowstandingbetweenthequeens?”
“‘Tisoneofyourownpieces.Surelyyouareforgetting?”
“No,no,myfriend.Ihavecountedeverymove,andcanremembereachone.Thatpiecehasonlyjustbecomeaddedtotheboard.Putitbackinitsplace,Isay.”
“Itsplace?WhichISitsplace?”ButNozdrevhadreddenedagooddeal.“Iperceiveyoutobeastrategistatthegame.”
“No,no,goodfriend.YOUarethestrategist—thoughanunsuccessfulone,asithappens.”
“Thenofwhatareyousupposingmecapable?Ofcheatingyou?”
“Iamnotsupposingyoucapableofanything.AllthatIsayisthatIwillnotplaywithyouanymore.”
“Butyoucan’trefuseto,”saidNozdrev,growingheated.“Yousee,thegamehasbegun.”
“Nevertheless,Ihavearightnottocontinueit,seeingthatyouarenotplayingasanhonestmanshoulddo.”
“Youarelying—youcannottruthfullysaythat.”
“‘Tisyouwhoarelying.”
“ButIhaveNOTcheated.Consequentlyyoucannotrefusetoplay,butmustcontinuethegametoafinish.
