Мертві душі
Chapter 7
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“Butwearenotgoingtoletyouchargeyourselfwithanythingwhatsoever.WEmustprovidethechampagne,foryouareourguest,anditisforus—itisourduty,itisourboundenobligation—toentertainyou.Lookhere,gentlemen.LetusadjourntothehouseoftheChiefofPolice.Heisthemagicianwhoneedsbuttowinkwhenpassingafishmonger’sorawinemerchant’s.Notonlyshallwefarewellathisplace,butalsoweshallgetagameofwhist.”
Tothisproposalnoonehadanyobjectiontooffer,forthemerementionofthefishshoparousedthewitnesses’appetite.Consequently,theceremonybeingover,therewasageneralreachingforhatsandcaps.Asthepartywerepassingthroughthegeneraloffice,IvanAntonovitchwhisperedinChichikov’sear,withacourteousinclinationofhisjug-shapedphysiognomy:
“Youhavegivenahundredthousandroublesfortheserfs,buthavepaidMEonlyatrifleformytrouble.”
“Yes,”repliedChichikovwithasimilarwhisper,“butwhatsortofserfsdoyousupposethemtobe?Theyareapoor,uselesslot,andnotworthevenhalfthepurchasemoney.”
ThisgaveIvanAntonovitchtounderstandthatthevisitorwasamanofstrongcharacter—amanfromwhomnothingmorewastobeexpected.
“WhyhaveyougoneandpurchasedsoulsfromPlushkin?”whisperedSobakevitchinChichikov’sotherear.
“WhydidYOUgoandaddthewomanVorobeitoyourlist?”retortedChichikov.
