Мертвые души
Chapter 2
”Anotherroomcontainednofurnitureatall,although,afewdaysafterthemarriage,ithadbeensaid:“Mydear,to-morrowletussetaboutprocuringatleastsomeTEMPORARYfurnitureforthisroom.”Also,everyeveningwouldseeplaceduponthedrawing-roomtableafinebronzecandelabrum,astatuetterepresentativeoftheThreeGraces,atrayinlaidwithmother-of-pearl,andarickety,lop-sidedcopperinvalide.Yetofthefactthatallfourarticleswerethicklycoatedwithgreaseneitherthemasterofthehousenorthemistressnortheservantsseemedtoentertaintheleastsuspicion.Atthesametime,Manilovandhiswifewerequitesatisfiedwitheachother.Morethaneightyearshadelapsedsincetheirmarriage,yetoneofthemwasforeverofferinghisorherpartnerapieceofappleorabonbonoranut,whilemurmuringsometendersomethingwhichvoicedawhole-heartedaffection.“Openyourmouth,dearest”—thusrantheformula—“andletmepopintoitthistitbit.”Youmaybesurethatonsuchoccasionsthe“dearestmouth”parteditslipsmostgraciously!Fortheirmutualbirthdaysthepairalwayscontrivedsome“surprisepresent”intheshapeofaglassreceptaclefortooth-powder,orwhatnot;andastheysattogetheronthesofahewouldsuddenly,andforsomeunknownreason,layasidehispipe,andsheherwork(ifatthemomentshehappenedtobeholdingitinherhands)andhusbandandwifewouldimprintupononeanother’scheekssuchaprolongedandlanguishingkissthatduringitscontinuanceyoucouldhavesmokedasmallcigar.
