Мертві душі
Chapter 3
Thisportionoftheboxcouldbetakenout,andbelowitwerebothaspaceformanuscriptsandasecretmoney-box—thelattermadetodrawoutfromthesideofthereceptacle.
Chichikovsettoworktocleanapen,andthentowrite.Presentlyhishostessenteredtheroom.
“Whatabeautifulboxyouhavegot,mydearsir!”sheexclaimedasshetookaseatbesidehim.“ProbablyyouboughtitinMoscow?”
“Yes—inMoscow,”repliedChichikovwithoutinterruptinghiswriting.
“Ithoughtso.OneCANgetgoodthingsthere.Threeyearsagomysisterbroughtmeafewpairsofwarmshoesformysons,andtheyweresuchexcellentarticles!Tothisdaymyboyswearthem.Andwhatnicestampedpaperyouhave!”(shehadpeeredintothedispatch-box,where,sureenough,therelayafurtherstoreofthepaperinquestion).“Wouldyoumindlettingmehaveasheetofit?Iamwithoutanyatall,althoughIshallsoonhavetobepresentingapleatothelandcourt,andpossessnotamorselofpapertowriteiton.”
UponthisChichikovexplainedthatthepaperwasnotthesortproperforthepurpose—thatitwasmeantforserf-indenturing,andnotfortheframingofpleas.Nevertheless,toquiether,hegaveherasheetstampedtothevalueofarouble.Next,hehandedherthelettertosign,andrequested,inreturn,alistofherpeasants.Unfortunately,suchalisthadneverbeencompiled,letaloneanycopiesofit,andtheonlywayinwhichsheknewthepeasants’nameswasbyheart.However,hetoldhertodictatethem.Someofthenamesgreatlyastonishedourhero,so,stillmore,didthesurnames.
