Мертві душі
Chapter 1
Whiletheattendantshadbeenthussettingthingsstraightthegentlemanhadrepairedtothecommonparlour.Theappearanceofcommonparloursofthekindisknowntoeveryonewhotravels.Alwaystheyhavevarnishedwallswhich,grownblackintheirupperportionswithtobaccosmoke,are,intheirlower,grownshinywiththefrictionofcustomers’backs—moreespeciallywiththatofthebacksofsuchlocaltradesmenas,onmarket-days,makeittheirregularpracticetoresorttothelocalhostelryforaglassoftea.Also,parloursofthiskindinvariablycontainsmuttyceilings,anequallysmuttychandelier,anumberofpendentshadeswhichjumpandrattlewheneverthewaiterscurriesacrosstheshabbyoilclothwithatrayfulofglasses(theglasseslookinglikeaflockofbirdsroostingbytheseashore),andaselectionofoilpaintings.Inshort,therearecertainobjectswhichoneseesineveryinn.Inthepresentcasetheonlyoutstandingfeatureoftheroomwasthefactthatinoneofthepaintingsanymphwasportrayedaspossessingbreastsofasizesuchasthereadercanneverinhislifehavebeheld.Asimilarcaricaturingofnatureistobenotedinthehistoricalpictures(ofunknownorigin,period,andcreation)whichreachus—sometimesthroughtheinstrumentalityofRussianmagnateswhoprofesstobeconnoisseursofart—fromItaly;owingtothesaidmagnateshavingmadesuchpurchasessolelyontheadviceofthecourierswhohaveescortedthem.
