Chapter 2

           Formorethantwoweeksthevisitorlivedamidaroundofeveningpartiesanddinners;whereforehespent(asthesayinggoes)averypleasanttime.FinallyhedecidedtoextendhisvisitsbeyondtheurbanboundariesbygoingandcallinguponlandownersManilovandSobakevitch,seeingthathehadpromisedonhishonourtodoso.Yetwhatreallyincitedhimtothismayhavebeenamoreessentialcause,amatterofgreatergravity,apurposewhichstoodnearertohisheart,thanthemotivewhichIhavejustgiven;andofthatpurposethereaderwilllearnifonlyhewillhavethepatiencetoreadthisprefatorynarrative(which,lengthythoughitbe,mayyetdevelopandexpandinproportionasweapproachthedenouementwithwhichthepresentworkisdestinedtobecrowned).

           Oneevening,therefore,Selifanthecoachmanreceivedorderstohavethehorsesharnessedingoodtimenextmorning;whilePetrushkareceivedorderstoremainbehind,forthepurposeoflookingaftertheportmanteauandtheroom.Inpassing,thereadermaycaretobecomemorefullyacquaintedwiththetwoserving-menofwhomIhavespoken.Naturally,theywerenotpersonsofmuchnote,butmerelywhatfolkcallcharactersofsecondary,orevenoftertiary,importance.Yet,despitethefactthatthespringsandthethreadofthisromancewillnotDEPENDuponthem,butonlytouchuponthem,andoccasionallyincludethem,theauthorhasapassionforcircumstantiality,and,liketheaverageRussian,suchadesireforaccuracyasevenaGermancouldnotrival.