Мертвые души
Chapter 2
Myreferencetosuchofyourpleasantsoulsasaredeadwasintendedtobetakenliterally.”
Manilovstillfeltataloss—thoughhewasconsciousthatheMUSTdosomething,heMUSTpropoundsomequestion.Butwhatquestion?Thedevilaloneknew!Intheendhemerelyexpelledsomemoretobaccosmoke—thistimefromhisnostrilsaswellasfromhismouth.
“So,”wentonChichikov,“ifnoobstaclestandsintheway,wemightaswellproceedtothecompletionofthepurchase.”
“What?Ofthepurchaseofthedeadsouls?”
“Ofthe‘dead’souls?Ohdearno!LetuswritethemdownasLIVINGones,seeingthatthatishowtheyfigureinthecensusreturns.NeverdoIpermitmyselftostepoutsidethecivillaw,greatthoughhasbeentheharmwhichthatrulehaswroughtmeinmycareer.Inmyeyesanobligationisasacredthing.InthepresenceofthelawIamdumb.”
TheselastwordsreassuredManilovnotalittle:yetstillthemeaningoftheaffairremainedtohimamystery.Bywayofanswer,hefelltosuckingathispipewithsuchvehemencethatatlengththepipebegantogurglelikeabassoon.Itwasasthoughhehadbeenseekingofitinspirationinthepresentunheard-ofjuncture.Butthepipeonlygurgled,etpraetereanihil.
“Perhapsyoufeeldoubtfulabouttheproposal?”saidChichikov.
“Notatall,”repliedManilov.
