Мертві душі

           Meanwhile,Samosvitov’sfeatsinthemilitaryspherewerebeingrivalledbythewondersworkedbyChichikov’slawyerinthecivilianfieldofaction.Asafirststep,thelawyercausedittobeintimatedtothelocalGovernorthatthePublicProsecutorwasengagedindrawingupareporttohis,thelocalGovernor’s,detriment;whereafterthelawyercausedittobeintimatedalsototheChiefofGendarmerythatacertainconfidentialofficialwasengagedindoingthesamebyHIM;whereafter,again,thelawyerconfidedtotheconfidentialofficialinquestionthat,owingtothedocumentaryexertionsofanofficialofastillmoreconfidentialnaturethanthefirst,he(theconfidentialofficialfirst-mentioned)wasinafairwaytofindhimselfinthesameboatasboththelocalGovernorandtheChiefofGendarmery:withtheresultthatthewholetriowerereducedtoaframeofmindinwhichtheywereonlytoogladtoturntohim(Samosvitov)foradvice.Theultimateandfarcicalupshotwasthatreportcamecrowdinguponreport,andthatsuchallegeddoingswerebroughttolightasthesunhadneverbeforebeheld.