Мертві душі

           Atthesametime,certainquestionswhichheputtothosetwolandownersevincednotonlycuriosity,butalsoacertainamountofsoundintelligence;forhebeganbyaskinghowmanypeasantsoulseachofthempossessed,andhowtheiraffairshappenedatpresenttobesituated,andthenproceededtoenlightenhimselfalsoastheirstandingandtheirfamilies.Indeed,itwasnotlongbeforehehadsucceededinfairlyenchantinghisnewfriends.InparticulardidManilov—amanstillinhisprime,andpossessedofapairofeyeswhich,sweetassugar,blinkedwheneverhelaughed—findhimselfunabletomakeenoughofhisenchanter.ClaspingChichikovlongandferventlybythehand,hebesoughthimtodohim,Manilov,thehonourofvisitinghiscountryhouse(whichhedeclaredtolieatadistanceofnotmorethanfifteenverstsfromtheboundariesofthetown);andinreturnChichikovaverred(withanexceedinglyaffablebowandamostsincerehandshake)thathewaspreparednotonlytofulfilhisfriend’sbehest,butalsotolookuponthefulfillingofitasasacredduty.InthesamewaySobakevitchsaidtohimlaconically:“AnddoyoupayMEavisit,”andthenproceededtoshuffleapairofbootsofsuchdimensionsthattofindapairtocorrespondwiththemwouldhavebeenindeeddifficult—moreespeciallyatthepresentday,whentheraceofepicheroesisbeginningtodieoutinRussia.

           NextdayChichikovdinedandspenttheeveningatthehouseoftheChiefofPolice—aresidencewhere,threehoursafterdinner,everyonesatdowntowhist,andremainedsoseateduntiltwoo’clockinthemorning.