Мертвые души
Chapter 7
Thefactthathehurriedalongwasnotduetoafearofbeinglate(seeingthatthePresidentoftheLocalCouncilwasanintimateacquaintanceofhis,aswellasafunctionarywhocouldshortenorprolonganinterviewatwill,evenasHomer’sZeuswasabletoshortenortoprolonganightoraday,wheneveritbecamenecessarytoputanendtothefightingofhisfavouriteheroes,ortoenablethemtojoinbattle),butrathertoafeelingthathewouldliketohavetheaffairconcludedasquicklyaspossible,seeingthat,throughout,ithadbeenananxiousanddifficultbusiness.Also,hecouldnotgetridoftheideathathissoulswereunsubstantialthings,andthattherefore,underthecircumstances,hisshouldershadbetterberelievedoftheirloadwiththeleastpossibledelay.Pullingonhiscinnamon-coloured,bear-linedovercoatashewent,hehadjuststeppedthoughtfullyintothestreetwhenhecollidedwithagentlemandressedinasimilarcoatandanear-lappetedfurcap.Uponthatthegentlemanutteredanexclamation.Behold,itwasManilov!Atoncethefriendsbecamefoldedinastrenuousembrace,andremainedsolockedforfullyfiveminutes.Indeed,thekissesexchangedweresovigorousthatbothsufferedfromtoothacheforthegreaterportionoftheday.Also,Manilov’sdelightwassuchthatonlyhisnoseandlipsremainedvisible—theeyescompletelydisappeared.AfterwardshespentaboutaquarterofanhourinholdingChichikov’shandandchafingitvigorously.
