Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 6, 2025
"Now, Chichikov," went on Nozdrev, "let me show you a truly magnificent brace of dogs. The hardness of their muscles will surprise you, and they have jowls as sharp as needles." So saying, he led the way to a small, but neatly-built, shed surrounded on every side with a fenced-in run. Entering this run, the visitors beheld a number of dogs of all sorts and sizes and colours.
Kuvshinnikov, who happened to be sitting with me, said: 'My boy, you had better go and gather that strawberry. As for the booths at the fair, they numbered, I should say, fifty." At this point he broke off to take the glass of vodka from the landlady, who bowed low in acknowledgement of his doing so. "Put the brute down here," commanded Nozdrev, "and then fasten it up."
Nay, the narrative, as detailed by Nozdrev, even reached the point of his mentioning certain of the postillions by name! Next, the tchinovniks sounded him on the question of Chichikov's possible identity with Napoleon; but before long they had reason to regret the step, for Nozdrev responded with a rambling rigmarole such as bore no resemblance to anything possibly conceivable.
Yet seldom were these articles conveyed home, since, as a rule, the same day saw them lost to some more skilful gambler, in addition to his pipe, his tobacco-pouch, his mouthpiece, his four-horsed turn-out, and his coachman: with the result that, stripped to his very shirt, he would be forced to beg the loan of a vehicle from a friend. Such was Nozdrev.
Just after we had left Pnomarev's place, some prince or another arrived in the town, and sent out for some champagne; but not a bottle was there left, for the officers had drunk every one! Why, I myself got through seventeen bottles at a sitting." "Come, come! You CAN'T have got through seventeen," remarked the flaxen-haired man. "But I did, I give my word of honour," retorted Nozdrev.
He found one in Nozdrev, and you may be sure that the scapegoat in question received a good drubbing from every side, even as an experienced captain or chief of police will give a knavish starosta or postboy a rating not only in the terms become classical, but also in such terms as the said captain or chief of police may invent for himself.
Behind them came Nozdrev's smaller buggy, with its team of lean stage horses and Porphyri and the puppy. But inasmuch as the conversation which the travellers maintained was not of a kind likely to interest the reader, I might do worse than say something concerning Nozdrev himself, seeing that he is destined to play no small role in our story.
Feeling the need of something to do, he ordered tea, and, still marvelling at the strangeness of his position, was about to pour out the beverage when the door opened and Nozdrev made his appearance. "What says the proverb?" he began.
"Is THAT to be part of the bargain? Why, none, of course." "At least allow me two." "No, none. I myself am only a poor player." "I know you and your poor play," said Nozdrev, moving a chessman. "In fact, it is a long time since last I had a chessman in my hand," replied Chichikov, also moving a piece. "Ah! I know you and your poor play," repeated Nozdrev, moving a second chessman.
On this occasion Chichikov made the acquaintance of, among others, a landowner named Nozdrev a dissipated little fellow of thirty who had no sooner exchanged three or four words with his new acquaintance than he began to address him in the second person singular.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking