Мертві душі

           Ican’thelpthinkingofit,deviltakeme!ButwhatapityYOUwerenotthere!Threeverstsfromthetownthereisquarteredaregimentofdragoons,andyouwouldscarcelybelievewhatalotofofficersithas.Fortyatleastthereare,andtheydoafinelotofknockingaboutthetownanddrinking.Inparticular,Staff-CaptainPotsieluevisaSPLENDIDfellow!Youshouldjustseehismoustache!Why,hecallsgoodclaret‘trash’!‘Bringmesomeoftheusualtrash,’ishiswayoforderingit.AndLieutenantKuvshinnikov,too!Heisasdelightfulastheotherman.Infact,Imaysaythateveryoneofthelotisarake.Ispentmywholetimewiththem,andyoucanimaginethatPonomarev,thewinemerchant,didafinetradeindeed!Allthesame,heisarascal,youknow,andoughtnottobedealtwith,forheputsallsortsofrubbishintohisliquor—Indianwoodandburntcorkandelderberryjuice,thevillain!Nevertheless,gethimtoproduceabottlefromwhathecallshis‘specialcellar,’andyouwillfancyyourselfintheseventhheavenofdelight.Andwhatquantitiesofchampagnewedrank!Comparedwithit,provincialstuffiskvass18.TrytoimaginenotmerelyClicquot,butasortofblendofClicquotandMatradura—Clicquotofdoublestrength.AlsoPonomarevproducedabottleofFrenchstuffwhichhecalls‘Bonbon.’Haditabouquet,askyou?Why,ithadthebouquetofarosegarden,ofanythingelseyoulike.