Мертві душі
Chapter 11
Meanwhile,don’tyoutroubleyourheadaboutwhatdoesn’tconcernyou,butgoandfetchablacksmith,andseethateverythingisputrightwithintwohours.OtherwiseIwilltaketheveryhairoffyourhead,andbeatyoutillyouhaven’tafaceleft.Beoff!Hurry!”
Selifandeparted,andChichikov,hisill-humourvented,threwdownuponthefloorthepoignardwhichhealwaystookwithhimasameansofinstillingrespectintowhomsoeveritmightconcern,andspentthenextquarterofanhourindisputingwithacoupleofblacksmiths—menwho,asusual,wererascalsofthetypewhich,onperceivingthatsomethingiswantedinahurry,atoncemultipliesitstermsforprovidingthesame.Indeed,forallChichikov’sstormingandragingashedubbedthefellowsrobbersandextortionersandthieves,hecouldmakenoimpressionuponthepair,since,truetotheircharacter,theydeclinedtoabatetheirprices,and,evenwhentheyhadbeguntheirwork,spentuponit,nottwohours,butfiveandahalf.Meanwhilehehadthesatisfactionofexperiencingthatdelightfultimewithwhichalltravellersarefamiliar—namely,thetimeduringwhichonesitsinaroomwhere,exceptforalitterofstring,wastepaper,andsoforth,everythingelsehasbeenpacked.Buttoallthingstherecomesanend,andtherearrivedalsothelong-awaitedmomentwhenthebritchkahadreceivedtheluggage,thefaultywheelhadbeenfittedwithanewtyre,thehorseshadbeenre-shod,andthepredatoryblacksmithshaddepartedwiththeirgains.
