Мертві душі
Chapter 10
Hesank,tousethepoet’sexpression,intothewatersofLethe,andhisdoingsnowlieburiedinoblivion.Butallowme,gentlemen,topiecetogetherthefurtherthreadsofthestory.NottwomonthslaterthereappearedintheforestsofRiazanabandofrobbers:andofthatbandthechieftainwasnoneotherthan—”
“Allowme,”putintheHeadofthePoliceDepartment.“YouhavesaidthatKopeikinhadlostanarmandaleg;whereasChichikov—”
Tosayanythingmorewasunnecessary.ThePostmasterclappedhishandtohisforehead,andpubliclycalledhimselfafool,though,later,hetriedtoexcusehismistakebysayingthatinEnglandthescienceofmechanicshadreachedsuchapitchthatwoodenlegsweremanufacturedwhichwouldenablethewearer,ontouchingaspring,tovanishinstantaneouslyfromsight.
Variousothertheorieswerethenpropounded,amongthematheorythatChichikovwasNapoleon,escapedfromSt.Helenaandtravellingabouttheworldindisguise.Andifitshouldbesupposedthatnosuchnotioncouldpossiblyhavebeenbroached,letthereaderrememberthattheseeventstookplacenotmanyyearsaftertheFrenchhadbeendrivenoutofRussia,andthatvariousprophetshadsincedeclaredthatNapoleonwasAntichrist,andwouldonedayescapefromhisislandprisontoexerciseuniversalswayonearth.
