Мертві душі
Chapter 7
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WiththathegaveIvanAntonovitchthenecessaryinstructions;andthoughtheyscarcelyseemedtomeetwiththatfunctionary’sapproval,uponthePresidentthepurchasedeedshadevidentlyproducedanexcellentimpression,moreespeciallysincethemomentwhenhehadperceivedthesumtotaltoamounttonearlyahundredthousandroubles.ForamomentortwohegazedintoChichikov’seyeswithanexpressionofprofoundsatisfaction.Thenhesaid:
“Welldone,PaulIvanovitch!Youhaveindeedmadeanicehaul!”
“Thatisso,”repliedChichikov.
“Excellentbusiness!Yes,excellentbusiness!”
“I,too,conceivethatIcouldnotwellhavedonebetter.Thetruthisthatneveruntilamanhasdrivenhomethepilesofhislife’sstructureuponalastingbottom,insteadofuponthewaywardchimerasofyouth,willhisaimsinlifeassumeadefiniteend.”And,thatsaid,ChichikovwentontodeliverhimselfofaverytellingindictmentofLiberalismandourmodernyoungmen.Yetinhiswordsthereseemedtolurkacertainlackofconviction.Somehowheseemedsecretlytobesayingtohimself,“Mygoodsir,youaretalkingthemostabsoluterubbish,andnothingbutrubbish.”NordidheeventhrowaglanceatSobakevitchandManilov.Itwasasthoughhewereuncertainwhathemightnotencounterintheirexpression.Yetheneednothavebeenafraid.
