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Updated: June 15, 2025
Their curiosity regarding Tchitchikof was soon baffled, by discovering, like Socrates, that all they knew was, that nothing could be known. In vain did mine host essay to pump him: with a show of the most voluble confidence, Tchitchikof contrived always virtually to tell nothing.
'Ah, Nastasie, said Tchitchikof, 'it is the will of God: we must not murmur against Providence! But tell me will you let me have them? 'Let you have what? 'Your dead souls. 'How can I let you have them? 'Nothing easier. Sell them to me: I will give you money for them. 'How! what! Do you want to disinter them? 'Disinter them! what nonsense; no! cried Tchitchikof.
'Who'd buy them, do you think? It's my humour, my whim, to have them. I gain nothing by them how can I? and you gain everything. Cannot you see that? 'Yes but really I don't know what to say. What puzzles me is, that they are dead. 'She hasn't the brains of a bullock, exclaimed Tchitchikof indignantly. 'Listen, matouchka. Pay attention.
It being thus definitely settled that there was nothing to be feared from Tchitchikof, the good folks of Nikolsk naturally took up the next position that, being a stranger, and rich and eccentric, there was something to be gained from him.
Accordingly, all the serf-owners made it their business to drop in upon Tchitchikof in a purely casual manner; and contrived, after more or less higgling, to depart with a larger quantity of the current coin of Russia in their possession than they possessed on first seeking the interview. In a few days, Tchitchikof found himself possessed of 2000 souls, at the moderate cost of 19,500 rubles.
On a certain day very soon after Tchitchikof's abrupt exit from Nikolsk, a solicitor applies at this bank for a loan of 400,000 rubles on the security of 2000 souls. The title-deeds are examined found correct; the money is paid; and in a few days afterwards M. Tchitchikof and the money are both out of the jurisdiction of the czar. The time for repayment arrives.
In vain the postmaster looked among the letters with a lynx eye; not one word of writing ever came to Tchitchikof through the medium of the post.
However it might be, it was soon remarkably clear that Tchitchikof, madman though he was, was not to be done; and the baffled conspirators did not hesitate to say, that, after all, he was no such remarkable friend of his species; that he kept a keen eye on the main chance; and if it were his gratification to do good, he made a little go as far as it could, and was singularly blind to meritorious poverty.
'You hand them over to me by a regular conveyance, and I pay you whatever we agree upon for them. 'And what will you do with them? asked Nastasie in great surprise. 'That is my business, said Tchitchikof. 'But you see they are dead. 'And who, in the name of goodness, said they were living? cried he. 'It's a misfortune for you that they are dead, isn't it?
If Tchitchikof met a serf on the highway, he would offer him a ruble for a stick, a cap, or any other article he wore, intrinsically not worth a handful of corn; and when the bewildered serf hesitated, would manifest the utmost anger and impatience until he had gained possession of the coveted article.
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