Мертві душі

           Thatistosay,eitherhereceivedagoodkicking,orhehadhisthickandveryhandsomewhiskerspulled;withtheresultthatoncertainoccasionshereturnedhomewithoneofthoseappendageslookingdecidedlyragged.Yethisplump,healthy-lookingcheeksweresorobustlyconstituted,andcontainedsuchanabundanceofrecreativevigour,thatanewwhiskersoonsproutedinplaceoftheoldone,andevensurpasseditspredecessor.Again(andthefollowingisaphenomenonpeculiartoRussia)averyshorttimewouldhaveelapsedbeforeoncemorehewouldbeconsortingwiththeverycronieswhohadrecentlycuffedhim—andconsortingwiththemasthoughnothingwhatsoeverhadhappened—noreferencetothesubjectbeingmadebyhim,andtheytooholdingtheirtongues.

           Inshort,Nozdrevwas,asitwere,amanofincident.Neverwashepresentatanygatheringwithoutsomesortofafracasoccurringthereat.Eitherhewouldrequiretobeexpelledfromtheroombygendarmes,orhisfriendswouldhavetokickhimoutintothestreet.Atallevents,shouldneitherofthoseoccurrencestakeplace,atleasthedidsomethingofanaturewhichwouldnototherwisehavebeenwitnessed.Thatistosay,shouldhenotplaythefoolinabuffettosuchanextentastomakeeveryonesmile,youmaybesurethathewasengagedinlyingtoadegreewhichattimesabashedevenhimself.Moreover,themanliedwithoutreason.