Мертвые души
Chapter 9
Yetwhenmycoachman,Andrusha,askedmefordirectionsIcouldnotgetawordout—Ijuststoodstaringathimlikeafool,untilIthoughthemustthinkmemad.Oh,AnnaGrigorievna,ifyoubutknewhowupsetIam!”
“Whatastrangeaffair!”commentedthehostess.“Whatonearthcanthemanhavemeantby‘deadsouls’?Iconfessthatthewordspassmyunderstanding.Curiouslyenough,thisisthesecondtimeIhaveheardspeakofthosesouls.True,myhusbandaversthatNozdrevwaslying;yetinhisliesthereseemstohavebeenagrainoftruth.”
“Well,justthinkofmystatewhenIheardallthis!‘Andnow,’apparentlysaidKorobotchkatotheArchpriest’swife,‘Iamaltogetheratalosswhattodo,for,throwingmefifteenroubles,themanforcedmetosignaworthlesspaper—yes,me,aninexperienced,defencelesswidowwhoknowsnothingofbusiness.’Thatsuchthingsshouldhappen!TRYandimaginemyfeelings!”
“Inmyopinion,thereisinthismorethanthedeadsoulswhichmeettheeye.”
“Ithinksotoo,”agreedtheother.Asamatteroffact,herfriend’sremarkhadstruckherwithcompletesurprise,aswellasfilledherwithcuriositytoknowwhattheword“more”mightpossiblysignify.Infact,shefeltdriventoinquire:“WhatdoYOUsupposetobehiddenbeneathitall?”
“No;tellmewhatYOUsuppose?”
“WhatIsuppose?Iamatalosstoconjecture.”
“Yes,buttellmewhatisinyourmind?”
Uponthisthevisitorhadtoconfessherselfnonplussed;for,thoughcapableofgrowinghysterical,shewasincapableofpropoundinganyrationaltheory.
