Мертві душі
Chapter 8
Infact,torefinetheRussiantonguethemorethoroughly,somethinglikehalfthewordsinitwerecutout:whichcircumstancenecessitatedveryfrequentrecoursetothetongueofFrance,sincethesamewords,ifspokeninFrench,wereanothermatteraltogether,andonecoulduseevenblunteronesthantheonesoriginallyobjectedto.
SomuchfortheladiesofN.,providedthatoneconfinesone’sobservationstothesurface;yethardlyneeditbesaidthat,shouldonepenetratedeeperthanthat,agreatdealmorewouldcometolight.Atthesametime,itisneveraverysafeproceedingtopeerdeeplyintotheheartsofladies;wherefore,restrictingourselvestotheforegoingsuperficialities,letusproceedfurtheronourway.
HithertotheladieshadpaidChichikovnoparticularattention,thoughgivinghimfullcreditforhisgentlemanlyandurbanedemeanour;butfromthemomentthattherearoserumoursofhisbeingamillionaireotherqualitiesofhisbegantobecanvassed.Nevertheless,notALLtheladiesweregovernedbyinterestedmotives,sinceitisduetotheterm“millionaire”ratherthantothecharacterofthepersonwhobearsit,thatthemeresoundofthewordexercisesuponrascals,upondecentfolk,anduponfolkwhoareneithertheonenortheother,anundeniableinfluence.
