Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 8, 2025
"Ought one, when leaving your gates, to turn to the right or to the left?" "I should be sorry to tell you the way to the house of such a cur," said Sobakevitch. "A man had far better go to hell than to Plushkin's." "Quite so," responded Chichikov. "My only reason for asking you is that it interests me to become acquainted with any and every sort of locality." There the meal ended.
For instance, to the majority of Madame Korobotchka's serfs there were appended nicknames and other additions; Plushkin's list was distinguished by a conciseness of exposition which had led to certain of the items being represented merely by Christian name, patronymic, and a couple of dots; and Sobakevitch's list was remarkable for its amplitude and circumstantiality, in that not a single peasant had such of his peculiar characteristics omitted as that the deceased had been "excellent at joinery," or "sober and ready to pay attention to his work."
But the hope is short-lived, and the hands disappear. Even so did Plushkin's face, after its momentary manifestation of feeling, become meaner and more insensible than ever. "There used to be a sheet of clean writing paper lying on the table," he went on. "But where it is now I cannot think. That comes of my servants being such rascals."
Indeed, had any one, on a slushy winter's morning, glanced from a window into the said courtyard, he would have seen Plushkin's servitors performing saltatory feats worthy of the most vigorous of stage-dancers. "Look at that boy's face!" said Plushkin to Chichikov as he pointed to Proshka. "It is stupid enough, yet, lay anything aside, and in a trice he will have stolen it.
Did you fare hardly at Plushkin's, or was it that your natural inclinations led you to prefer roaming the wilds and plundering travellers? Are you, by this time, in gaol, or have you taken service with other masters for the tillage of their lands? In my mind's eye I seem to see a Captain of Rural Police challenging you for being without a passport; whereupon you stake your all upon a single throw.
Even before reaching Plushkin's village he had had a presentiment that he would do successful business there, but not business of such pre-eminent profitableness as had actually resulted.
Indeed, might it not be that Chichikov was neither more nor less than an emissary of the said Governor-General, sent to conduct a secret inquiry? "What if the souls purchased by Chichikov should REALLY be dead ones?" a terrible thought considering that he, the President, had permitted their transferment to be registered, and had himself acted as Plushkin's representative!
Accordingly, on reaching the further end of the village, he hailed the first peasant whom he saw a man who was in the act of hoisting a ponderous beam on to his shoulder before setting off with it, ant-like, to his hut. "Hi!" shouted Chichikov. "How can I reach landowner Plushkin's place without first going past the mansion here?" The peasant seemed nonplussed by the question.
And, sure enough, the sheet of paper was lying before Plushkin's very eyes. For a moment or two he chewed silently. Then he went on: "Well, and what are you making such a noise about? If one says a single word to you, you answer back with ten. Go and fetch me a candle to seal a letter with. And mind you bring a TALLOW candle, for it will not cost so much as the other sort.
That is not a good sign. Sooner or later I shall have to pay for it." And he relapsed into melancholy. "Just listen to the fellow!" was Chichikov's and the President's joint inward comment. "What on earth has HE to complain of?" "I have a letter for you, Ivan Grigorievitch," went on Chichikov aloud as he produced from his pocket Plushkin's epistle. "From whom?" inquired the President.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking