Мертві душі

           Thatistosay,thissectionaverredthatChichikovdidNOTpossessawife,butthat,asamanofsubtletyandexperience,hehadbethoughthimofobtainingthedaughter’shandthroughtheexpedientoffirsttacklingthemotherandcarryingonwithheranardentliaison,andthat,thereafter,hehadmadeanapplicationforthedesiredhand,butthatthemother,fearingtocommitasinagainstreligion,andfeelinginherheartcertaingnawingsofconscience,hadreturnedablankrefusaltoChichikov’srequest;whereuponChichikovhaddecidedtocarryouttheabductionalleged.Totheforegoing,ofcourse,therebecameappendedvariousadditionalproofsanditemsofevidence,inproportionasthesensationspreadtomoreremotecornersofthetown.Atlength,withtheseperfectings,theaffairreachedtheearsoftheGovernor’swifeherself.Naturally,asthemotherofafamily,andasthefirstladyinthetown,andasamatronwhohadneverbeforebeensuspectedofthingsofthekind,shewashighlyoffendedwhensheheardthestories,andveryjustlyso:withtheresultthatherpooryoungdaughter,thoughinnocent,hadtoendureaboutasunpleasantatete-a-teteaseverbefellamaidenofsixteen,while,forhispart,theSwissfootmanreceivedordersneveratanytimetoadmitChichikovtothehouse.

           HavingdonetheirbusinesswiththeGovernor’swife,theladies’partydescendeduponthemalesection,withaviewtoinfluencingittotheirownsidebyassertingthatthedeadsoulswereaninventionusedsolelyforthepurposeofdivertingsuspicionandsuccessfullyaffectingtheabduction.