Мертві душі

           Oneofthemwasthatofawomaninamobcapwithfeaturesaslongandasnarrowasacucumber,andtheotherthatofamanwithfeaturesasbroadandasshortastheMoldavianpumpkins(knownasgorlianki)whereofbalallaiki—thespeciesoflight,two-stringedinstrumentwhichconstitutestheprideandthejoyofthegayyoungfellowoftwentyashesitswinkingandsmilingatthewhite-necked,white-bosomedmaidenswhohavegatheredtolistentohislow-pitchedtinkling—arefashioned.Thisscrutinymade,bothfaceswithdrew,andtherecameoutontotheentrancestepsalacqueycladinagreyjacketandastiffbluecollar.ThisfunctionaryconductedChichikovintothehall,wherehewasmetbythemasterofthehousehimself,whorequestedhisguesttoenter,andthenledhimintotheinnerpartofthemansion.

           AcovertglanceatSobakevitchshowedourherothathishostexactlyresembledamoderate-sizedbear.Tocompletetheresemblance,Sobakevitch’slongfrockcoatandbaggytrouserswereoftheprecisecolourofabear’shide,while,whenshufflingacrossthefloor,hemadeacriss-crossmotionofthelegs,andhad,inaddition,aconstanthabitoftreadinguponhiscompanion’stoes.Asforhisface,itwasofthewarm,ardenttintofapiatok23.Personsofthiskind—personstowhosedesigningnaturehasdevotednotmuchthought,andinthefashioningofwhoseframesshehasusednoinstrumentssodelicateasafileoragimletandsoforth—arenotuncommon.Suchpersonsshemerelyroughhews.