Мертвые души

           And,behold,nosoonerdoIarriveherethanIamtoldthathehasboughtthreemillionroubles’worthofpeasantsfortransferment!Fortransferment,indeed!AndhewantedtobargainwithmeformyDEADones!Lookhere,Chichikov.Youareaswine!Yes,byGod,youareanutterswine!Isnotthatso,yourExcellency?Isnotthatso,friendProkurator34?”

           ButbothhisExcellency,thePublicProsecutor,andChichikovweretootakenabacktoreply.Thehalf-tipsyNozdrev,withoutnoticingthem,continuedhisharangueasbefore.

           “Ah,myfinesir!”hecried.“THIStimeIdon’tmeantoletyougo.No,notuntilIhavelearntwhatallthispurchasingofdeadpeasantsmeans.Lookhere.Yououghttobeashamedofyourself.Yes,Isaythat—Iwhoamoneofyourbestfriends.”HereheturnedtotheGovernoragain.“YourExcellency,”hecontinued,“youwouldneverbelievewhatinseperablesthismanandIhavebeen.Indeed,ifyouhadstoodthereandsaidtome,‘Nozdrev,tellmeonyourhonourwhichofthetwoyoulovebest—yourfatherorChichikov?’Ishouldhavereplied,‘Chichikov,byGod!’”Withthathetackledourheroagain,“Come,come,myfriend!”heurged.“Letmeimprintuponyourcheeksabaiserortwo.YouwillexcusemeifIkisshim,willyounot,yourExcellency?No,donotresistme,Chichikov,butallowmetoimprintatleastonebaiseruponyourlily-whitecheek.”AndinhiseffortstoforceuponChichikovwhathetermedhis“baisers”hecameneartomeasuringhislengthuponthefloor.