Мертвые души
Chapter 10
Imyselfwassentforandquestionedaboutyou,butIstuckupforyouthroughthickandthin,andtoldthetchinovniksthatIhadbeenatschoolwithyou,andhadknownyourfather.Infact,Igavethefellowsaknockortwoforthemselves.”
“YousaythatIambelievedtobeaforger?”saidChichikov,startingfromhisseat.
“Yes,”saidNozdrev.“Whyhaveyougoneandfrightenedeverybodyasyouhavedone?Someofourfolkarealmostoutoftheirmindsaboutit,anddeclareyoutobeeitherabrigandindisguiseoraspy.YesterdaythePublicProsecutorevendiedofit,andistobeburiedto-morrow”(thiswastrueinsofarasthat,onthepreviousday,theofficialinquestionhadhadafatalstroke—probablyinducedbytheexcitementofthepublicmeeting).“Ofcourse,Idon’tsupposeyoutobeanythingofthekind,but,yousee,thesefellowsareinabluefunkaboutthenewGovernor-General,fortheythinkhewillmaketroubleforthemoveryouraffair.Apropos,heisbelievedtobeamanwhoputsonairs,andturnsuphisnoseateverything;andifso,hewillgetonbadlywiththedvoriane,seeingthatfellowsofthatsortneedtobehumouredabit.Yes,myword!ShouldthenewGovernor-Generalshuthimselfupinhisstudy,andgivenoballs,therewillbetheverydeviltopay!Bytheway,Chichikov,thatisariskyschemeofyours.”
“Whatschemetoyoumean?”Chichikovaskeduneasily.
“Why,thatschemeofcarryingofftheGovernor’sdaughter.However,totellthetruth,Iwasexpectingsomethingofthekind.
