Мертві душі
Chapter 6
Butaboutthelistofthosegood-for-nothingsouls—Ihappentopossesssuchalist,sinceIhavedrawnoneupinreadinessforthenextrevision.”
WiththatPlushkindonnedhisspectacles,andoncemorestartedtorummageinthecupboard,andtosmotherhisguestwithdustasheuntiedsuccessivepackagesofpapers—somuchsothathisvictimburstoutsneezing.Finallyheextractedamuch-scribbleddocumentinwhichthenamesofthedeceasedpeasantslayasclose-packedasacloudofmidges,fortherewereahundredandtwentyoftheminall.Chichikovgrinnedwithjoyatthesightofthemultitude.Stuffingthelistintohispocket,heremarkedthat,tocompletethetransaction,itwouldbenecessarytoreturntothetown.
“Tothetown?”repeatedPlushkin.“Butwhy?Moreover,howcouldIleavethehouse,seeingthateveryoneofmyservantsiseitherathieforarogue?Daybydaytheypilferthings,untilsoonIshallhavenotasinglecoattohangonmyback.”
“Thenyoupossessacquaintancesinthetown?”
“Acquaintances?No.EveryacquaintancewhomIeverpossessedhaseitherleftmeorisdead.Butstopamoment.IDOknowthePresidentoftheCouncil.Eveninmyoldagehehasonceortwicecometovisitme,forheandIusedtobeschoolfellows,andtogoclimbingwallstogether.Yes,himIdoknow.ShallIwritehimaletter?”
“Byallmeans.”
“Yes,himIknowwell,forwewerefriendstogetheratschool.”
OverPlushkin’swoodenfeaturestherehadgleamedarayofwarmth—araywhichexpressed,ifnotfeeling,atalleventsfeeling’spalereflection.
