Мертві душі
Chapter 7
SoonerorlaterIshallhavetopayforit.”Andherelapsedintomelancholy.
“Justlistentothefellow!”wasChichikov’sandthePresident’sjointinwardcomment.“WhatonearthhasHEtocomplainof?”
“Ihavealetterforyou,IvanGrigorievitch,”wentonChichikovaloudasheproducedfromhispocketPlushkin’sepistle.
“Fromwhom?”inquiredthePresident.Havingbrokentheseal,heexclaimed:“Why,itisfromPlushkin!TothinkthatHEisstillalive!Whatastrangeworlditis!Heusedtobesuchanicefellow,andnow—”
“Andnowheisacur,”concludedSobakevitch,“aswellasamiserwhostarveshisserfstodeath.”
“Allowmeamoment,”saidthePresident.Thenhereadtheletterthrough.Whenhehadfinishedheadded:“Yes,IamquitereadytoactasPlushkin’sattorney.Whendoyouwishthepurchasedeedstoberegistered,MonsieurChichikov—noworlater?”
“Now,ifyouplease,”repliedChichikov.“Indeed,Ibegthat,ifpossible,theaffairmaybeconcludedto-day,sinceto-morrowIwishtoleavethetown.Ihavebroughtwithmeboththeformsofindentureandmystatementofapplication.”
“Verywell.Neverthelesswecannotletyoudepartsosoon.Theindenturesshallbecompletedto-day,butyoumustcontinueyoursojourninourmidst.Iwillissuethenecessaryordersatonce.”
Sosaying,heopenedthedoorintothegeneraloffice,wheretheclerkslookedlikeaswarmofbeesaroundahoneycomb(ifImaylikenaffairsofGovernmenttosuchanarticle?).
“IsIvanAntonovitchhere?”askedthePresident.
“Yes,”repliedavoicefromwithin.
