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Updated: June 6, 2025
In their midst Nozdrev looked like a father lording it over his family circle. Erecting their tails their "stems," as dog fanciers call those members the animals came bounding to greet the party, and fully a score of them laid their paws upon Chichikov's shoulders.
'Tis the right sort of muzzle for that. I must say that I have long been wanting such a puppy. Porphyri, take him away again." Porphyri lifted up the puppy, and bore it downstairs. "Look here, Chichikov," resumed Nozdrev. "You MUST come to my place. It lies only five versts away, and we can go there like the wind, and you can visit Sobakevitch afterwards."
An equally poor opinion of Nozdrev seemed to be cherished also by the steeds, for not only were the bay and the Assessor clearly out of spirits, but even the skewbald was wearing a dejected air.
When supper was over Nozdrev said to Chichikov as he conducted him to a side room where a bed had been made up: "This is where you are to sleep. I cannot very well wish you good-night." Left to himself on Nozdrev's departure, Chichikov felt in a most unenviable frame of mind.
But from the room there was no escape, since in the doorway was posted the couple of well-built serving-men. "Then it is as I say? You refuse to finish the game?" repeated Nozdrev, his face as red as fire. "I would have finished it had you played like a man of honour. But, as it is, I cannot." "You cannot, eh, you villain? You find that you cannot as soon as you find that you are not winning?
"But I have NOT cheated. Consequently you cannot refuse to play, but must continue the game to a finish." "You cannot force me to play," retorted Chichikov coldly as, turning to the chessboard, he swept the pieces into confusion. Nozdrev approached Chichikov with a manner so threatening that the other fell back a couple of paces. "I WILL force you to play," said Nozdrev.
On hearing the words, Chichikov, both because he wished to avoid rendering the servants witnesses of the unedifying scene and because he felt that it would be of no avail to hold Nozdrev any longer, let go of the latter's arms; but at the same moment Porphyri and Pavlushka entered the room a pair of stout rascals with whom it would be unwise to meddle.
Thrash him, you fellows!" And as he spoke Nozdrev grasped the cherrywood shank of his pipe. Chichikov turned as white as a sheet. He tried to say something, but his quivering lips emitted no sound. "Thrash him!" again shouted Nozdrev as he rushed forward in a state of heat and perspiration more proper to a warrior who is attacking an impregnable fortress.
Porphyri deposited the animal upon the floor; whereupon it proceeded to act after the manner of dogs. "THERE'S a puppy for you!" cried Nozdrev, catching hold of it by the back, and lifting it up. The puppy uttered a piteous yelp. "I can see that you haven't done what I told you to do," he continued to Porphyri after an inspection of the animal's belly. "You have quite forgotten to brush him."
"Oh, I should make it fast enough, only I want YOU to benefit by the transaction." Chichikov duly thanked his interlocutor, but continued to decline either the grey horse or the roan mare. "Then buy a few dogs," said Nozdrev. "I can sell you a couple of hides a-quiver, ears well pricked, coats like quills, ribs barrel-shaped, and paws so tucked up as scarcely to graze the ground when they run."
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