Мертві душі
Chapter 8
Yet,thoughthoseglancesandexpressionsweretoosubtle,tooinsufficientlyopen,thedifficultyinnowaydiminishedhishighspirits.Easilyandgracefullydidheexchangeagreeablebandinagewithonelady,andthenapproachanotheronewiththeshort,mincingstepsusuallyaffectedbyyoung-olddandieswhoareflutteringaroundthefair.Asheturned,notwithoutdexterity,torightandleft,hekeptonelegslightlydraggingbehindtheother,likeashorttailorcomma.Thistricktheladiesparticularlyadmired.Inshort,theynotonlydiscoveredinhimahostofrecommendationsandattractions,butalsobegantoseeinhisfaceasortofgrand,Mars-like,militaryexpression—athingwhich,asweknow,neverfailstopleasethefeminineeye.Certainoftheladieseventooktobickeringoverhim,and,onperceivingthathespentmostofhistimestandingnearthedoor,someoftheirnumberhastenedtooccupychairsnearertohispostofvantage.Infact,whenacertaindamechancedtohavethegoodfortunetoanticipateahatedrivalintheracethereverynearlyensuedamostlamentablescene—which,tomanyofthosewhohadbeendesirousofdoingexactlythesamething,seemedapeculiarlyhorribleinstanceofbrazen-facedaudacity.
