Мертвые души
Chapter 4
’Heavens,howcompletelycleanedoutIam!NotonlyhaveIlostfourgoodhorses,butalsomywatchandchain.”Chichikovperceivedthatinverytruthhisinterlocutorwasminusthearticlesnamed,aswellasthatoneofNozdrev’swhiskerswaslessbushyinappearancethantheotherone.“HadIhadanothertwentyroublesinmypocket,”wentonNozdrev,“IshouldhavewonbackallthatIhavelost,aswellashavepouchedafurtherthirtythousand.Yes,Igiveyoumywordofhonouronthat.”
“ButyouweresayingthesamethingwhenlastImetyou,”putintheflaxen-hairedman.“Yet,eventhoughIlentyoufiftyroubles,youlostthemall.”
“ButIshouldnothavelostthemTHIStime.Don’ttrytomakemeoutafool.IshouldNOThavelostthem,Itellyou.HadIonlyplayedtherightcard,Ishouldhavebrokenthebank.”
“ButyoudidNOTbreakthebank,”remarkedtheflaxen-hairedman.
“No.ThatwasbecauseIdidnotplaymycardsright.Butwhataboutyourpreciousmajor’splay?IsTHATgood?”
“Goodornot,atleasthebeatyou.”
“Splendidofhim!NeverthelessIwillgetmyownback.Lethimplaymeatdoubles,andweshallsoonseewhatsortofaplayerheis!FriendChichikov,atfirstwehadaglorioustime,forthefairwasatremendoussuccess.Indeed,thetradesmensaidthatneveryethadtherebeensuchagathering.Imyselfmanagedtoselleverythingfrommyestateatagoodprice.Infact,wehadamagnificenttime.
