Мертвые души
Chapter 8
Neithersignaturenordatewereappendedtothedocument,butonlyapostscriptexpressingaconjecturethatChichikov’sownheartwouldtellhimwhothewriterwas,andstating,inaddition,thatthesaidwriterwouldbepresentattheGovernor’sballonthefollowingnight.
ThisgreatlyinterestedChichikov.Indeed,therewassomuchthatwasalluringandprovocativeofcuriosityintheanonymousmissivethathereaditthroughasecondtime,andthenathird,andfinallysaidtohimself:“ISHOULDliketoknowwhosentit!”Inshort,hetookthethingseriously,andspentoveranhourinconsideringthesame.Atlength,mutteringacommentupontheepistle’sefflorescentstyle,herefoldedthedocument,andcommittedittohisdispatch-boxincompanywithaplay-billandaninvitationtoawedding—thelatterofwhichhadforthelastsevenyearsreposedintheself-samereceptacleandintheself-sameposition.ShortlyafterwardstherearrivedacardofinvitationtotheGovernor’sballalreadyreferredto.Inpassing,itmaybesaidthatsuchfestivitiesarenotinfrequentphenomenaincountytowns,forthereasonthatwhereGovernorsexisttheremusttakeplaceballsiffromthelocalgentrythereistobeevokedthatrespectfulaffectionwhichiseveryGovernor’sdue.
Thenceforthallextraneousthoughtsandconsiderationswerelaidasideinfavourofpreparingforthecomingfunction.Indeed,thisconjunctionofexcitingandprovocativemotivesledtoChichikovdevotingtohistoiletanamountoftimeneverwitnessedsincethecreationoftheworld.
