Мертвые души
Chapter 4
“Youdefendedhim,andwentbailforhim,eventhoughhehadbeenuptobusinesswhicheventhelowestthiefwouldnothavetouched!”
“Pardonme,yourHighness;Idonotunderstandtowhatyouarereferring.”
“Iamreferringtothematterofthefraudulentwill.Thefellowoughttohavebeengivenapublicfloggingforit.”
“AlthoughtoexculpateChichikovisnotmyintention,mightIaskyouwhetheryoudonotthinkthecaseisnon-proven?Atallevents,sufficientevidenceagainsthimisstilllacking.”
“What?Wehaveaschiefwitnessthewomanwhopersonatedthedeceased,andIwillhaveherinterrogatedinyourpresence.”
Touchingabell,thePrinceorderedhertobesentfor.
“Itisamostdisgracefulaffair,”hewenton;“and,ashamedthoughIamtohavetosayit,someofourleadingtchinovniks,includingthelocalGovernorhimself,havebecomeimplicatedinthematter.YetyoutellmethatthisChichikovoughtnottobeconfinedamongthievesandrascals!”ClearlytheGovernor-General’swrathwasverygreatindeed.
“YourHighness,”saidMurazov,“theGovernorofthetownisoneoftheheirsunderthewill:whereforehehasacertainrighttointervene.Also,thefactthatextraneouspersonshavemeddledinthematterisonlywhatistobeexpectedfromhumannature.Arichwomandies,andnoexact,regulardispositionofherpropertyismade.Hencetherecomesflockingfromeverysideacloudoffortunehunters.Whatelsecouldoneexpect?Suchishumannature.”
“Yes,butwhyshouldsuchpersonsgoandcommitfraud?”askedthePrinceirritably.
