Мертвые души
Chapter 9
Yetlittlewasgleanedfromthatsource—merelyastatementthathehadboughtofhersomesoulsforfifteenroublesapiece,andalsoaquantityoffeathers,whilepromisingalsotobuysomeothercommoditiesinthefuture,seeingthat,inparticular,hehadenteredintoacontractwiththeTreasuryforlard,afactconstitutingfairlypresumptiveproofthatthemanwasarogue,seeingthatjustsuchanotherfellowhadboughtaquantityoffeathers,yethadcheatedfolkallround,and,inparticular,haddonetheArchpriestoutofoverahundredroubles.ThusthenetresultofMadame’scross-examinationwastoconvincethetchinovniksthatshewasagarrulous,sillyoldwoman.WithregardtoManilov,herepliedthathewouldanswerforChichikovashewouldforhimself,andthathewouldgladlysacrificehispropertyintotoiftherebyhecouldattainevenatitheofthequalitieswhichPaulIvanovitchpossessed.Finally,hedeliveredonChichikov,withacutely-knittedbrows,aeulogycouchedinthemostcharmingofterms,andcoupledwithsundrysentimentsonthesubjectoffriendshipandaffectioningeneral.True,theseremarkssufficedtoindicatethetenderimpulsesofthespeaker’sheart,butalsotheydidnothingtoenlightenhisexaminersconcerningthebusinessthatwasactuallyathand.
