Мертві душі
Chapter 10
Nay,somegoodfolkhadevendeclaredthelettersofNapoleon’snametoconstitutetheApocalypticcipher!
Asalastresort,thetchinovniksdecidedtoquestionNozdrev,sincenotonlyhadthelatterbeenthefirsttomentionthedeadsouls,butalsohewassupposedtostandontermsofintimacywithChichikov.AccordinglytheChiefofPolicedispatchedanotebythehandofacommissionaire.AtthetimeNozdrevwasengagedonsomeveryimportantbusiness—somuchsothathehadnotlefthisroomforfourdays,andwasreceivinghismealsthroughthewindow,andnovisitorsatall.Thebusinessreferredtoconsistedofthemarkingofseveraldozenselectedcardsinsuchawayastopermitofhisrelyinguponthemasuponhisbosomfriend.Naturallyhedidnotlikehavinghisretirementinvaded,andatfirstconsignedthecommissionairetothedevil;butassoonashelearntfromthenotethat,sinceanoviceatcardswastobetheguestoftheChiefofPolicethatevening,acallatthelatter’shousemightprovenotwhollyunprofitableherelented,unlockedthedoorofhisroom,threwonthefirstgarmentsthatcametohand,andsetforth.Toeveryquestionputtohimbythetchinovniksheansweredfirmlyandwithassurance.Chichikov,heaverred,hadindeedpurchaseddeadsouls,andtothetuneofseveralthousandroubles.Infact,he(Nozdrev)hadhimselfsoldhimsome,andstillsawnoreasonwhyheshouldnothavedoneso.
