Мертві душі
Chapter 3
“Whyhaveyoubeenloiteringabout?Isupposelastnight’sfumeshavenotyetleftyourbrain?”
TothisSelifanreturnednoreply.
“Good-bye,madam,”addedthespeaker.“Butwhereisthegirlwhomyoupromisedme?”
“Here,Pelagea!”calledthehostesstoawenchofaboutelevenwhowasdressedinhome-dyedgarmentsandcouldboastofapairofbarefeetwhich,fromadistance,mightalmosthavebeenmistakenforboots,soencrustedweretheywithfreshmire.“Here,Pelagea!Comeandshowthisgentlemantheway.”
Selifanhelpedthegirltoascendtothebox-seat.Placingonefootuponthestepbywhichthegentrymounted,shecoveredthesaidstepwithmud,andthen,ascendinghigher,attainedthedesiredpositionbesidethecoachman.Chichikovfollowedinherwake(causingthebritchkatoheeloverwithhisweightashedidso),andthensettledhimselfbackintohisplacewithan“Allright!Good-bye,madam!”asthehorsesmovedawayatatrot.
Selifanlookedgloomyashedrove,butalsoveryattentivetohisbusiness.Thiswasinvariablyhiscustomwhenhehadcommittedthefaultofgettingdrunk.Also,thehorseslookedunusuallywell-groomed.Inparticular,thecollarononeofthemhadbeenneatlymended,althoughhithertoitsstateofdilapidationhadbeensuchasperenniallytoallowthestuffingtoprotrudethroughtheleather.Thesilencepreservedwaswell-nighcomplete.
