Мертвые души
Chapter 1
Everythingseemedsuffusedwithlight,andeverywhere,flittingandflashing,weretobeseenblackcoats—evenasonahotsummer’sdayfliesrevolvearoundasugarloafwhiletheoldhousekeeperiscuttingitintocubesbeforetheopenwindow,andthechildrenofthehousecrowdaroundhertowatchthemovementsofherruggedhandsasthosemembersplythesmokingpestle;andairysquadronsofflies,borneonthebreeze,enterboldly,asthoughfreeofthehouse,and,takingadvantageofthefactthattheglareofthesunshineistroublingtheoldlady’ssight,dispersethemselvesoverbrokenandunbrokenfragmentsalike,eventhoughthelethargyinducedbytheopulenceofsummerandtherichshowerofdaintiestobeencounteredateverystephasinducedthemtoenterlessforthepurposeofeatingthanforthatofshowingthemselvesinpublic,ofparadingupanddownthesugarloaf,ofrubbingboththeirhindquartersandtheirforeagainstoneanother,ofcleaningtheirbodiesunderthewings,ofextendingtheirforelegsovertheirheadsandgroomingthemselves,andofflyingoutofthewindowagaintoreturnwithotherpredatorysquadrons.Indeed,sodazedwasChichikovthatscarcelydidherealisethattheGovernorwastakinghimbythearmandpresentinghimtohis(theGovernor’s)lady.Yetthenewly-arrivedguestkepthisheadsufficientlytocontrivetomurmursomesuchcomplimentasmightfittinglycomefromamiddle-agedindividualofarankneitherexcessivelyhighnorexcessivelylow.
