Мертвые души
Chapter 2
Amongitsmembersourregimentnumberedalieutenant—amostexcellent,well-educatedfellow—whowassimplyINCAPABLEofremovinghispipefromhismouth,whetherattableor(pardonme)inotherplaces.Heisnowforty,yetnomancouldenjoybetterhealththanhehasalwaysdone.”
Chichikovrepliedthatsuchcaseswerecommon,sincenaturecomprisedmanythingswhicheventhefinestintellectcouldnotcompass.
“Butallowmetoputtoyouaquestion,”hewentoninatoneinwhichtherewasastrange—or,atallevents,RATHERastrange—note.Forsomeunknownreason,also,heglancedoverhisshoulder.Forsomeequallyunknownreason,ManilovglancedoverHIS.
“Howlongisit,”inquiredtheguest,“sinceyoulastrenderedacensusreturn?”
“Oh,along,longtime.Infact,Icannotrememberwhenitwas.”
“Andsincethenhavemanyofyourserfsdied?”
“Idonotknow.ToascertainthatIshouldneedtoaskmybailiff.Footman,goandcallthebailiff.Ithinkhewillbeathometo-day.”
Beforelongthebailiffmadehisappearance.Hewasamanofunderforty,clean-shaven,cladinasmock,andevidentlyusedtoaquietlife,seeingthathisfacewasofthatpuffyfullness,andtheskinencirclinghisslit-likeeyeswasofthatsallowtint,whichshowsthattheownerofthosefeaturesiswellacquaintedwithafeatherbed.
