Мертві душі

           Yes,alreadycouldhetastethepleasurewhichwouldbehiswhenhehadbuiltupacompleteindustrialorganisation,andthespringsoftheindustrialmachinewereinvigorousworkingorder,andeachhadbecomeabletoreinforcetheother.Labourshouldbekeptinactiveoperation,and,evenas,inamill,flourcomesflowingfromgrain,soshouldcash,andyetmorecash,comeflowingfromeveryatomofrefuseandremnant.AndallthewhilehecouldseebeforehimthelandownerwhowasoneoftheleadingmeninRussia,andforwhomhehadconceivedsuchanunboundedrespect.HithertoonlyforrankorforopulencehadChichikovrespectedaman—neverformereintellectualpower;butnowhemadeafirstexceptioninfavourofKostanzhoglo,seeingthathefeltthatnothingundertakenbyhishostcouldpossiblycometonaught.AndanotherprojectwhichwasoccupyingChichikov’smindwastheprojectofpurchasingtheestateofacertainlandownernamedKhlobuev.AlreadyChichikovhadathisdisposaltenthousandroubles,andafurtherfifteenthousandhewouldtryandborrowofKostanzhoglo(seeingthatthelatterhadhimselfsaidthathewaspreparedtohelpanyonewhoreallydesiredtogrowrich);while,asfortheremainder,hewouldeitherraisethesumbymortgagingtheestateorforceKhlobuevtowaitforit—justtotellhimtoresorttothecourtsifsuchmightbehispleasure.

           Longdidourheroponderthescheme;untilatlengththeslumberwhichhad,thesefourhourspast,beenholdingtherestofthehouseholdinitsembracesenfoldedalsoChichikov,andhesankintooblivion.