Мертві душі
Chapter 5
“Andwhynot?”saidSobakevitch.“ItellyoustraightthatIwouldnoteatsuchnastiness,evenhadImadeitmyself.Sugarafrogasmuchasyoulike,butnevershallitpassMYlips.NorwouldIswallowanoyster,forIknowonlytoowellwhatanoystermayresemble.Buthavesomemutton,friendChichikov.Itisshoulderofmutton,andverydifferentstufffromthemuttonwhichtheycookinnoblekitchens—muttonwhichhasbeenkickingaboutthemarket-placefourdaysormore.AllthatsortofcookeryhasbeeninventedbyFrenchandGermandoctors,andIshouldliketohangthemforhavingdoneso.TheygoandprescribedietsandahungercureasthoughwhatsuitstheirflaccidGermansystemswillagreewithaRussianstomach!Suchdevicesarenogoodatall.”Sobakevitchshookhisheadwrathfully.“Fellowslikethoseareforevertalkingofcivilisation.AsifTHATsortofthingwascivilisation!Phew!”(Perhapsthespeaker’sconcludingexclamationwouldhavebeenevenstrongerhadhenotbeenseatedattable.)“Formyself,Iwillhavenoneofit.WhenIeatporkatameal,givemetheWHOLEpig;whenmutton,theWHOLEsheep;whengoose,theWHOLEofthebird.Twodishesarebetterthanathousand,providedthatonecaneatofthemasmuchasonewants.”
Andheproceededtoputpreceptintopracticebytakinghalftheshoulderofmuttonontohisplate,andthendevouringitdowntothelastmorselofgristleandbone.
“Myword!”reflectedChichikov.“Thefellowhasaprettygoodholdingcapacity!”
“Noneofitforme,”repeatedSobakevitchashewipedhishandsonhisnapkin.
