Chapter 8

           ItwasnotlongbeforeChichikov’spurchaseshadbecomethetalkofthetown;andvariousweretheopinionsexpressedastowhetherornotitwasexpedienttoprocurepeasantsfortransferment.Indeedsuchwastheinteresttakenbycertaincitizensinthematterthattheyadvisedthepurchasertoprovidehimselfandhisconvoywithanescort,inordertoensuretheirsafearrivalattheappointeddestination;butthoughChichikovthankedthedonorsofthisadviceforthesame,anddeclaredthatheshouldbeveryglad,incaseofneed,toavailhimselfofit,hedeclaredalsothattherewasnorealneedforanescort,seeingthatthepeasantswhomhehadpurchasedwereexceptionallypeace-lovingfolk,andthat,beingthemselvesconsentingpartiestothetransferment,theywouldundoubtedlyproveineverywaytractable.

           Oneparticularlygoodresultofthisadvertisementofhisschemewasthathecametorankasneithermorenorlessthanamillionaire.Consequently,muchastheinhabitantshadlikedourherointhefirstinstance(asseeninChapterI.),theynowlikedhimmorethanever.Asamatteroffact,theywerecitizensofanexceptionallyquiet,good-natured,easy-goingdisposition;andsomeofthemwereevenwell-educated.Forinstance,thePresidentoftheLocalCouncilcouldrecitethewholeofZhukovski’sLUDMILLAbyheart,andgivesuchanimpressiverenderingofthepassage“Thepineforestwasasleepandthevalleyatrest”(aswellasoftheexclamation“Phew!”)thatonefelt,ashedidso,thatthepineforestandthevalleyreallyWEREashedescribedthem.