Мертвые души
Chapter 3
Greatlyexcited,hewasshoutingatthetopofhisvoice:“LetKosmamanageit,youloutofaDenis!Kosma,taketheendoftheropefromDenis!Don’tbearsohardonit,ThomaBolshoy41!GowhereThomaMenshov42is!Damnit,bringthenettoland,willyou!”Fromthisitbecameclearthatitwasnotonhisownaccountthatthestoutmanwasworrying.Indeed,hehadnoneedtodoso,sincehisfatwouldinanycasehavepreventedhimfromsinking.Yes,evenifhehadturnedheadoverheelsinanefforttodive,thewaterwouldpersistentlyhavebornehimup;andthesameif,say,acoupleofmenhadjumpedonhisback—theonlyresultwouldhavebeenthathewouldhavebecomeatrifledeepersubmerged,andforcedtodrawbreathbyspoutingbubblesthroughhisnose.No,thecauseofhisagitationwaslestthenetshouldbreak,andthefishescape:whereforehewasurgingsomeadditionalpeasantswhowerestandingonthebanktolayholdofandtopullat,anextraropeortwo.
“Thatmustbethebarin—ColonelKoshkarev,”saidSelifan.
“Why?”askedChichikov.
“Because,ifyouplease,hisskiniswhiterthantherest,andhehastherespectablepaunchofagentleman.”
Meanwhilegoodprogresswasbeingmadewiththehaulinginofthebarin;until,feelingthegroundwithhisfeet,herosetoanuprightposition,andatthesamemomentcaughtsightofthekoliaska,withChichikovseatedtherein,descendingthedeclivity.
“Haveyoudinedyet?”shoutedthebarinas,stillentangledinthenet,heapproachedtheshorewithahugefishonhisback.
