Мертвые души
Chapter 5
Andtothattherewillbeaddedprideandaffectation,andshewillbegintoobserveestablishedrules,andtorackherbrainsastohow,andhowmuch,sheoughttotalk,andtowhom,andwhere,andsoforth.Everymomentwillseehergrowingtimorousandconfusedlestshebesayingtoomuch.Finally,shewilldevelopintoaconfirmedprevaricator,andendbymarryingthedevilknowswhom!”Chichikovpausedawhile.Thenhewenton:“YetIshouldliketoknowwhosheis,andwhoherfatheris,andwhetherheisarichlandownerofgoodstanding,ormerelyarespectablemanwhohasacquiredafortuneintheserviceoftheGovernment.Shouldheallowher,onmarriage,adowryof,say,twohundredthousandroubles,shewillbeaverynicecatchindeed.Shemighteven,sotospeak,makeamanofgoodbreedinghappy.”
Indeed,soattractivelydidtheideaofthetwohundredthousandroublesbegintodancebeforehisimaginationthathefeltatwingeofself-reproachbecause,duringthehubbub,hehadnotinquiredofthepostillionorthecoachmanwhothetravellersmightbe.ButsoonthesightofSobakevitch’scountryhousedissipatedhisthoughts,andforcedhimtoreturntohisstocksubjectofreflection.
Sobakevitch’scountryhouseandestatewereofveryfairsize,andoneachsideofthemansionwereexpansesofbirchandpineforestintwoshadesofgreen.Thewoodenedificeitselfhaddark-greywallsandared-gabledroof,foritwasamansionofthekindwhichRussiabuildsforhermilitarysettlersandforGermancolonists.
