Мертві душі

           Next,tothequestionofwhetherornotheconsideredChichikovtobeaspy,herepliedintheaffirmative,andaddedthat,aslongagoashisandChichikov’sjointschooldays,thesaidChichikovhadbeenknownas“TheInformer,”andrepeatedlybeenthrashedbyhiscompanionsonthataccount.Again,tothequestionofwhetherornotChichikovwasaforgerofcurrencynotesthedeponent,asbefore,respondedintheaffirmative,andappendedtheretoananecdoteillustrativeofChichikov’sextraordinarydexterityofhand—namely,ananecdotetothateffectthat,onceuponatime,onlearningthattwomillionroublesworthofcounterfeitnoteswerelyinginChichikov’shouse,theauthoritieshadplacedsealsuponthebuilding,andhadsurroundeditoneverysidewithanarmedguard;whereuponChichikovhad,duringthenight,changedeachofthesesealsforanewone,andalsosoarrangedmattersthat,whenthehousewassearched,theforgednoteswerefoundtobegenuineones!

           Again,tothequestionofwhetherornotChichikovhadschemedtoabducttheGovernor’sdaughter,andalsowhetheritwastruethathe,Nozdrev,hadundertakentoaidandabethimintheact,thewitnessrepliedthat,hadhenotundertakentodoso,theaffairwouldneverhavecomeoff.