Мертві душі

           Everyonenowedgedaway,andturnedadeafeartohisfurtherbabblings;buthiswordsonthesubjectofthepurchaseofdeadsoulshadnonethelessbeenutteredatthetopofhisvoice,andbeenaccompaniedwithsuchuproariouslaughterthatthecuriosityevenofthosewhohadhappenedtobesittingorstandingintheremotercornersoftheroomhadbeenaroused.Sostrangeandnovelseemedtheideathatthecompanystoodwithfacesexpressiveofnothingbutadumb,dullwonder.Onlysomeoftheladies(asChichikovdidnotfailtoremark)exchangedmeaning,ill-naturedwinksandaseriesofsarcasticsmiles:whichcircumstancestillfurtherincreasedhisconfusion.ThatNozdrevwasanotoriousliareveryone,ofcourse,knew,andthatheshouldhavegivenventtoanidioticoutburstofthissorthadsurprisednoone;butadeadsoul—well,whatwasonetomakeofNozdrev’sreferencetosuchacommodity?

           Naturallythisunseemlycontretempshadgreatlyupsetourhero;for,howeverfoolishbeamadman’swords,theymayyetprovesufficienttosowdoubtinthemindsofsanerindividuals.Hefeltmuchasdoesamanwho,shodwithwell-polishedboots,hasjuststeppedintoadirty,stinkingpuddle.Hetriedtoputawayfromhimtheoccurrence,andtoexpand,andtoenjoyhimselfoncemore.Nay,heeventookahandatwhist.Butallwasofnoavail—matterskeptgoingasawryasabadly-benthoop.