Мертві душі
Chapter 2
ThehouseyoumeaniscalledManilovkabecauseManilovkaisitsname;butnohouseatalliscalledZAmanilovka.Thehouseyoumeanstandsthere,onthathill,andisastonehouseinwhichagentlemanlives,anditsnameisManilovka;butZAmanilovkadoesnotstandhereabouts,noreverhasstood.”
SothetravellersproceededinsearchofManilovka,and,afterdrivinganadditionaltwoversts,arrivedataspotwhencetherebranchedoffaby-road.Yettwo,three,orfourverstsoftheby-roadhadbeencoveredbeforetheysawtheleastsignofatwo-storiedstonemansion.ThenitwasthatChichikovsuddenlyrecollectedthat,whenafriendhasinvitedonetovisithiscountryhouse,andhassaidthatthedistancetheretoisfifteenversts,thedistanceissuretoturnouttobeatleastthirty.
NotmanypeoplewouldhaveadmiredthesituationofManilov’sabode,foritstoodonanisolatedriseandwasopentoeverywindthatblew.Ontheslopeoftheriselayclosely-mownturf,while,disposedhereandthere,aftertheEnglishfashion,wereflower-bedscontainingclumpsoflilacandyellowacacia.Also,therewereafewinsignificantgroupsofslender-leaved,pointed-tippedbirchtrees,with,undertwoofthelatter,anarbourhavingashabbygreencupola,someblue-paintedwoodensupports,andtheinscription“ThisistheTempleofSolitaryThought.
