Chapter 4

           Onreachingthetavern,Chichikovcalledahalt.Hisreasonsforthisweretwofold—namely,thathewantedtorestthehorses,andthathehimselfdesiredsomerefreshment.Inthisconnectiontheauthorfeelsboundtoconfessthattheappetiteandthecapacityofsuchmenaregreatlytobeenvied.Ofthosewell-to-dofolkofSt.PetersburgandMoscowwhospendtheirtimeinconsideringwhattheyshalleatonthemorrow,andincomposingadinnerforthedayfollowing,andwhoneversitdowntoamealwithoutfirstofallinjectingapillandthenswallowingoystersandcrabsandaquantityofothermonsters,whileeternallydepartingforKarlsbadortheCaucasus,theauthorhasbutasmallopinion.Yes,THEYarenotthepersonstoinspireenvy.Rather,itisthefolkofthemiddleclasses—folkwhoatoneposthousecallforbacon,andatanotherforasuckingpig,andatathirdforasteakofsturgeonorabakedpuddingwithonions,andwhocansitdowntotableatanyhour,asthoughtheyhadneverhadamealintheirlives,andcandevourfishofallsorts,andguzzleandchewitwithaviewtoprovokingfurtherappetite—these,Isay,arethefolkwhoenjoyheaven’smostfavouredgift.ToattainsuchacelestialconditionthegreatfolkofwhomIhavespokenwouldsacrificehalftheirserfsandhalftheirmortgagedandnon-mortgagedproperty,withtheforeignanddomesticimprovementsthereon,iftherebytheycouldcompasssuchastomachasispossessedbythefolkofthemiddleclass.But,unfortunately,neithermoneynorrealestate,whetherimprovedornon-improved,canpurchasesuchastomach.