Мертвые души
Chapter 5
Alwaystheyaretobeseensittinginthesameplace,andholdingtheirheadsatexactlythesameangle,sothatonecomeswithinanaceofmistakingthemforfurniture,andthinkstooneselfthatneversincethedayoftheirbirthcantheyhavespokenasingleword.
“Mydear,”saidSobakevitch,“thecabbagesoupisexcellent.”Withthathefinishedhisportion,andhelpedhimselftoagenerousmeasureofniania25—thedishwhichfollowsshtchiandconsistsofasheep’sstomachstuffedwithblackporridge,brains,andotherthings.“Whatnianiathisis!”headdedtoChichikov.“Neverwouldyougetsuchstuffinatown,whereoneisgiventhedevilknowswhat.”
“NeverthelesstheGovernorkeepsafairtable,”saidChichikov.
“Yes,butdoyouknowwhatallthestuffisMADEOF?”retortedSobakevitch.“IfyouDIDknowyouwouldnevertouchit.”
“OfcourseIamnotinapositiontosayhowitisprepared,butatleasttheporkcutletsandtheboiledfishseemedexcellent.”
“Ah,itmighthavebeenthoughtso;yetIknowthewayinwhichsuchthingsareboughtinthemarket-place.TheyareboughtbysomerascalofacookwhomaFrenchmanhastaughthowtoskinatomcatandthenserveitupashare.”
“Ugh!Whathorriblethingsyousay!”putinMadame.
“Well,mydear,thatishowthingsaredone,anditisnofaultofminethatitisso.Moreover,everythingthatisleftover—everythingthatWE(pardonmeformentioningit)castintotheslop-pail—isusedbysuchfolkformakingsoup.”
“Alwaysattableyoubegintalkinglikethis!”objectedhishelpmeet.
