Мертві душі

           Ofhimself,however,thetravellerhadspokenlittle;or,ifhehadspokenatanylength,hehaddonesoinageneralsortofwayandwithmarkedmodesty.Indeed,atmomentsofthekindhisdiscoursehadassumedsomethingofaliteraryvein,inthatinvariablyhehadstatedthat,beingawormofnoaccountintheworld,hewasdeservingofnoconsiderationatthehandsofhisfellows;thatinhistimehehadundergonemanystrangeexperiences;thatsubsequentlyhehadsufferedmuchinthecauseofTruth;thathehadmanyenemiesseekinghislife;andthat,beingdesirousofrest,hewasnowengagedinsearchingforaspotwhereintodwell—wherefore,havingstumbleduponthetowninwhichhenowfoundhimself,hehadconsideredithisboundendutytoevincehisrespectforthechiefauthoritiesoftheplace.This,andnomore,wasallthat,forthemoment,thetownsucceededinlearningaboutthenewarrival.NaturallyhelostnotimeinpresentinghimselfattheGovernor’seveningparty.First,however,hispreparationsforthatfunctionoccupiedaspaceofovertwohours,andnecessitatedanattentiontohistoiletofakindnotcommonlyseen.Thatistosay,afterabriefpost-prandialnaphecalledforsoapandwater,andspentaconsiderableperiodinthetaskofscrubbinghischeeks(which,forthepurpose,hesupportedfromwithinwithhistongue)andthenofdryinghisfull,roundface,fromtheearsdownwards,withatowelwhichhetookfromthewaiter’sshoulder.