Мертвые души
Chapter 10
NosoonerdidIseeyouandhertogetherattheballthanIsaidtomyself:‘Ah,ha!Chichikovisnotherefornothing!’Formyownpart,Ithinkyouhavemadeapoorchoice,forIcanseenothinginheratall.Ontheotherhand,thenieceofafriendofminenamedBikusov—sheISagirl,andnomistake!Aregularwhatyoumightcall‘miracleinmuslin!’”
“Whatonearthareyoutalkingabout?”askedChichikovwithhiseyesdistended.“HOWcouldIcarryofftheGovernor’sdaughter?Whatonearthdoyoumean?”
“Come,come!Whatasecretivefellowyouare!Myonlyobjectinhavingcometoseeyouistolendyouahelpinghandinthematter.Lookhere.Onconditionthatyouwilllendmethreethousandroubles,Iwillstandyouthecostofthewedding,thekoliaska,andtherelaysofhorses.ImusthavethemoneyevenifIdieforit.”
ThroughoutNozdrev’smaunderingsChichikovhadbeenrubbinghiseyestoascertainwhetherornothewasdreaming.Whatwiththechargeofbeingaforger,theaccusationofhavingschemedanabduction,thedeathofthePublicProsecutor(whatevermighthavebeenitscause),andtheadventofanewGovernor-General,hefeltutterlydismayed.
“Thingshavingcometotheirpresentpass,”hereflected,“Ihadbetternotlingerhere—Ihadbetterbeoffatonce.”
GettingridofNozdrevassoonashecould,hesentforSelifan,andorderedhimtobeupatdaybreak,inordertocleanthebritchkaandtohaveeverythingreadyforastartatsixo’clock.Yet,thoughSelifanreplied,“Verywell,PaulIvanovitch,”hehesitatedawhilebythedoor
