Мертві душі
Chapter 5
“Mydear,allowmetointroducePaulIvanovitchChichikov,”addedSobakevitch.“HehasthehonourofbeingacquaintedbothwithourGovernorandwithourPostmaster.”
UponthisTheoduliaIvanovnarequestedherguesttobeseated,andaccompaniedtheinvitationwiththekindofbowusuallyemployedonlybyactresseswhoareplayingtheroleofqueens.Next,shetookaseatuponthesofa,drewaroundherhermerinogown,andsatthereafterwithoutmovinganeyelidoraneyebrow.AsforChichikov,heglancedupwards,andoncemorecaughtsightofKanariswithhisfatthighsandinterminablemoustache,andofBobelinaandtheblackbird.Forfullyfiveminutesallpresentpreservedacompletesilence—theonlysoundaudiblebeingthatoftheblackbird’sbeakagainstthewoodenfloorofthecageasthecreaturefishedforgrainsofcorn.MeanwhileChichikovagainsurveyedtheroom,andsawthateverythinginitwasmassiveandclumsyinthehighestdegree;asalsothateverythingwascuriouslyinkeepingwiththemasterofthehouse.Forexample,inonecorneroftheapartmenttherestoodahazelwoodbureauwithabulgingbodyonfourgrotesquelegs—theperfectimageofabear.Also,thetablesandthechairswereofthesameponderous,unrestfulorder,andeverysinglearticleintheroomappearedtobesayingeither,“I,too,amaSobakevitch,”or“IamexactlylikeSobakevitch.”
“IheardspeakofyouonedaywhenIwasvisitingthePresidentoftheCouncil,”saidChichikov,onperceivingthatnooneelsehadamindtobeginaconversation.“ThatwasonThursdaylast.Wehadaverypleasantevening.
