Мертві душі

           Atthispointthewitnesspulledhimselfup,onrealisingthathehadtoldaliewhichmightgethimintotrouble;buthistonguewasnottobedenied—thedetailstremblingonitstipweretooalluring,andheevenwentontocitethenameofthevillagechurchwherethepairhadarrangedtobemarried,thatofthepriestwhohadperformedtheceremony,theamountofthefeespaidforthesame(seventy-fiveroubles),andstatements(1)thatthepriesthadrefusedtosolemnisetheweddinguntilChichikovhadfrightenedhimbythreateningtoexposethefactthathe(thepriest)hadmarriedMikhail,alocalcorndealer,tohisparamour,and(2)thatChichikovhadorderedbothakoliaskaforthecouple’sconveyanceandrelaysofhorsesfromthepost-housesontheroad.Nay,thenarrative,asdetailedbyNozdrev,evenreachedthepointofhismentioningcertainofthepostillionsbyname!Next,thetchinovnikssoundedhimonthequestionofChichikov’spossibleidentitywithNapoleon;butbeforelongtheyhadreasontoregretthestep,forNozdrevrespondedwitharamblingrigmarolesuchasborenoresemblancetoanythingpossiblyconceivable.Finally,themajorityoftheaudiencelefttheroom,andonlytheChiefofPoliceremainedtolisten(inthehopeofgatheringsomethingmore);butatlastevenhefoundhimselfforcedtodisclaimthespeakerwithagesturewhichsaid:“Thedevilonlyknowswhatthefellowistalkingabout!”andsovoicedthegeneralopinionthatitwasnousetryingtogatherfigsofthistles.