Мертвые души
Chapter 7
“Thensendhimhere.”
Uponthatthepitcher-facedIvanAntonovitchmadehisappearanceinthedoorway,andbowed.
“Taketheseindentures,IvanAntonovitch,”saidthePresident,“andseethatthey—”
“ButfirstIwouldaskyoutoremember,”putinSobakevitch,“thatwitnessesoughttobeinattendance—notlessthantwoonbehalfofeitherparty.Letus,therefore,sendforthePublicProsecutor,whohaslittletodo,andhaseventhatlittledoneforhimbyhischiefclerk,Zolotucha.TheInspectoroftheMedicalDepartmentisalsoamanofleisure,andlikelytobeathome—ifhehasnotgoneouttoacardparty.Othersalsothereare—allmenwhocumberthegroundfornothing.”
“Quiteso,quiteso,”agreedthePresident,andatoncedispatchedaclerktofetchthepersonsnamed.
“Also,”requestedChichikov,“IshouldbegladifyouwouldsendfortheaccreditedrepresentativeofacertainladylandownerwithwhomIhavedonebusiness.HeisthesonofaFatherCyril,andaclerkinyouroffices.”
“Certainlyweshallcallhimhere,”repliedthePresident.“Everythingshallbedonetomeetyourconvenience,andIforbidyoutopresentanyofourofficialswithagratuity.Thatisaspecialrequestonmypart.Nofriendofmineeverpaysacopper.
