Мертвые души
Chapter 4
“Iforgottosendyouword,andwehavebeennofurtherthanConstantine’s(who,withoursister,sendsyouhisgreeting).Bytheway,mayIintroducePaulIvanovitchChichikov?”
Thepairshookhandswithoneanother.Then,doffingtheircaps,theyembraced.
“WhatsortofmanisthisChichikov?”thoughtVassili.“AsarulemybrotherPlatonisnotover-niceinhischoiceofacquaintances.”And,eyeingourheroasnarrowlyascivilitypermitted,hesawthathisappearancewasthatofaperfectlyrespectableindividual.
ChichikovreturnedVassili’sscrutinywithasimilarobservanceofthedictatesofcivility,andperceivedthathewasshorterthanPlaton,thathishairwasofadarkershade,andthathisfeatures,thoughlesshandsome,containedfarmorelife,animation,andkindlinessthandidhisbrother’s.Clearlyheindulgedinlessdreaming,thoughthatwasanaspectwhichChichikovlittleregarded.
“IhavemadeupmymindtogotouringourHolyRussiawithPaulIvanovitch,”saidPlaton.“Perhapsitwillridmeofmymelancholy.”
“Whathasmadeyoucometosuchasuddendecision?”askedtheperplexedVassili(verynearlyheadded:“Fancygoingtravellingwithamanwhoseacquaintanceyouhavejustmade,andwhomayturnouttobearascalorthedevilknowswhat!”But,inspiteofhisdistrust,hecontentedhimselfwithanothercovertscrutinyofChichikov,andthistimecametotheconclusionthattherewasnofaulttobefoundwithhisexterior).
