Chichikov bought dead souls from the landlords for a penny, but in the merchant's fortresses a different price was indicated, close to that paid for living peasants. On paper, Chichikov's purchases cost almost one hundred thousand rubles. This circumstance quickly became public in the city and became the subject of lively discussions. There was talk that Chichikov was no more, no less than a millionaire. The city fathers argued with each other whether it was convenient to acquire serfs for withdrawal and, in particular, to the Kherson province.
But especially close attention was now paid to Chichikov by the ladies of the provincial society, especially since he showed a truly charming manner and comprehended the great secret of being liked to the subtleties. Gossip about the millionth state of Chichikov fanned him in the eyes of women with even greater attractiveness and mystery. The city merchants were now amazed at how quickly any fabric for ladies' dresses was snapped up in their shops. Once Chichikov was even brought to the hotel a letter from a mysterious correspondent, which began with the words: “No, I must write to you!” There was no signature, but the postscriptum indicated that his own heart should guess the author of the message at the governor's ball tomorrow.
Chichikov - the main character of Gogol's "Dead Souls"
The planned ball promised Chichikov a lot of pleasant things. He prepared himself for it very carefully, looked at himself in the mirror for a long time, making various facial expressions and in the end even patting himself by the chin and saying: “Oh, you, such a muzzle!” As soon as Chichikov appeared at the ball, all the city officials rushed to hug him. Before he had time to get out of the hands of the chairman, he found himself already in the arms of the police chief. The police chief handed him over to the inspector of the medical board, he to the farmer, and this one to the architect ... The ladies surrounded Chichikov with a shining garland. One breathed roses, another smelled of spring and violets, a third smelled of mignonette. Their outfits responded with the most delicate taste. The waists were covered and had the strongest and most pleasing to the eye forms. Each bared her possessions until she felt that they were capable of destroying a person; everything else was hidden away. Looking at the dancing that had begun, Chichikov said to himself, not without pleasure: “There! the province went to write!” (Cm. .)
In a cheerful frame of mind, he easily and deftly exchanged pleasant words with some of the ladies, approached one and the other with a fractional, small step, seeding his legs. The ladies were very pleased and began to find in him not only the ability to be amiable, but also a majestic expression on his face, something Mars and military. Among some of them, minor skirmishes arose for the right to take the place closest to Chichikov.
Soon he found himself face to face with the governor's wife, who, smiling, expressed her desire to introduce him to her daughter. In this daughter, Chichikov suddenly recognized that sixteen-year-old girl whom he had met on the way from Nozdryov to Sobakevich and had liked him so much then. The charm again seized him to the depths of his soul. Chichikov suddenly became confused. His dexterity was suddenly replaced by distraction. He constantly rose on tiptoe to see the governor's wife and daughter, who had already departed from him. The strange change with Chichikov did not hide from the attention of the other ladies and greatly damaged him in their eyes.
At that moment, an unexpected incident dealt Chichikov a terrible and fatal blow. Nozdryov, who had clearly taken a sip of rum, entered the hall from the next room. Heading straight for Chichikov, he burst into his deafening laugh and shouted: "Ah, the Kherson landowner!"
Chichikov was dumbfounded. Nozdryov, coming up, shouted to the whole hall: “What? traded a lot of the dead? Listen, Chichikov! I say out of friendship - I would hang you, by God, hang you! I come here, and they tell me that you bought three million peasants for withdrawal. I, brother, will not leave you now until I find out why you bought dead souls. So the governor is here, and the prosecutor ... Chichikov, even though you are a beast, I am dearer to my own father. Let me print one kiss on your snow-white cheek!
The words about buying dead souls were uttered by Nozdryov at the top of his voice and with a loud laugh that attracted the attention of even those who were in the farthest corners of the room. Everyone froze with some kind of stupid-questioning expression on their faces. Chichikov felt as if he had suddenly stepped into a dirty, stinking puddle with a perfectly polished boot. Noticing strange winking around, he was completely at a loss and soon left the ball.
Chapter one
The action takes place in the provincial town of NN, where collegiate adviser Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov arrives. He is a middle-aged man of medium build and good looks. His servants, the lackey Petrushka and the coachman Selifan, arrived with him. The time of the events described is a few years after the war of 1812.
Chichikov checks into a hotel, dine in a tavern and asks the servant there about the surrounding landowners. He is also interested in whether there was any epidemic in these places, from which many people died. Chichikov's goal is to buy dead peasant souls.
The next day, the official pays visits to important people. At a party at the governor's, he meets the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich, who invite Chichikov to their estates. And at the police chief, Pavel Ivanovich makes acquaintance with another landowner - Nozdryov. The city society is delighted with Chichikov.
Chapter Two
Pavel Ivanovich, accompanied by Petrushka and Selifan, leaves the city to visit Manilov and Sobakevich. The first on his way is the village of Manilovka, the owner of which meets Chichikov with great joy.
Gogol characterizes Manilov as a spineless person - "neither this nor that", and in communication also "sweet". Manilov constantly talks about his unrealizable and unnecessary ideas. He is a bad owner, as is his wife. Nobody cares about the house or the fields here. Servants without a master's eye steal, mess around and get drunk.
After dinner, Chichikov explains to Manilov the reason for his arrival: he wants to buy the peasants, who are still listed as alive, but have already died. The owner does not understand why the guest needs it. But, wanting to do something pleasant, he agrees. To register the bill of sale, they agree to meet in the city. After Chichikov's departure, Manilov remained perplexed for a long time.
Chapter Three
On the way to Sobakevich, the hero gets caught in a downpour and loses his way. The seeker of dead souls is forced to spend the night in the first place that comes across, which turns out to be the estate of the landowner Korobochka.
In the morning, Chichikov inspects the estate and notes the thoroughness and thriftiness in everything. The elderly widow Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka was a slow-witted woman and completely impossible to talk to. Only after long explanations Chichikov manages to buy dead souls from the landowner. True, I had to promise to buy fat and feathers from Korobochka. Nastasya Petrovna doubts for a long time: did she sell too cheap in this deal?
Chapter Four
Chichikov stops at a tavern, where he meets Nozdryov, and then accepts the landowner's invitation to visit his village. Nozdryov, according to Gogol, was a historical man, because he constantly fell into various stories. He is an incorrigible talker, a liar, a gossip, a reveler, a scorcher and a braggart. Nozdrev loves cards and other games of chance. He constantly cheats at the table and is often beaten for it, but remains on friendly terms with everyone.
Chichikov makes his request for dead souls to Nozdryov. The owner does not want to sell the peasants, but offers to play cards for them or exchange them. Having quarreled with Nozdryov, Pavel Ivanovich goes to bed. But in the morning the owner again offers to play for dead souls, now - in checkers. During the game, Nozdryov openly cheats. A scandal breaks out, turning into a fight. Suddenly, the police captain appears with a message about a lawsuit against Nozdryov. His visit saves Chichikov from beatings. Without a moment's delay, Pavel Ivanovich rushes out and orders the coachman to drive at full speed.
Chapter Five
On the way, Chichikov's britzka runs into a carriage in which an elderly lady and a lovely girl are riding. All the way to the estate of Sobakevich, Pavel Ivanovich indulges in dreams of a beautiful stranger.
Sobakevich is a thorough host. Himself large and clumsy as a bear, he surrounds himself with the same strong and durable things. Pavel Ivanovich sets out his case, Sobakevich is desperately bargaining, but in the end the deal is nevertheless concluded. The parties agree to arrange everything in the city. In a conversation with Sobakevich, Chichikov learns about the landowner Plyushkin, whose serfs are "dying like flies." Pavel Ivanovich goes with his proposal to the new owner.
Chapter six
The village of Plyushkin evokes a depressing impression: desolation and devastation reign everywhere. In the courtyard of a completely decrepit manor house, Chichikov meets a strange creature of an incomprehensible gender. Pavel Ivanovich at first takes him for a housekeeper, but it turns out that this is the owner of the house - Plyushkin. Chichikov is shocked by the beggarly appearance of the old man. Having a huge estate, colossal supplies of provisions and various goods, Plyushkin daily walks around the village and collects various little things: ropes, feathers, etc. He puts all this in his room.
Chichikov easily bargained for 120 dead souls and 70 more fugitives from the miser. Having refused the treat, which has long turned into something petrified, the happy Pavel Ivanovich returns to the hotel.
Chapter Seven
The next day, as agreed, the hero meets with Sobakevich and Manilov to finalize the deal. They concluded a bill of sale for the peasants of Plyushkin. The deal began to celebrate, to say a lot of toasts. They did not forget to drink to the future wife of the newly-minted landowner. Chichikov shared his plans to take the purchased peasants to the Kherson province.
Chapter Eight
The rumor about Chichikov's purchases quickly spreads around the city, everyone calls the hero a "millionaire". There is a big stir among the ladies. Pavel Ivanovich even receives an anonymous love letter, as well as an invitation to the governor to the ball.
Chichikov is in a great mood. At the ball, he is surrounded by ladies, among whom Pavel Ivanovich tries to guess the one that sent the letter. It turns out that the young lady who captivated his imagination is the governor's daughter. Chichikov is shocked by an unexpected meeting and neglects other ladies, which causes their displeasure. To complete the trouble, Nozdryov appears and tells how Chichikov traded dead souls with him. And although no one believes Nozdryov for a long time, Pavel Ivanovich begins to worry, he leaves the ball in disarray. At this time, the landowner Korobochka arrives in the city. She is going to find out: how much the dead souls are now.
Chapter Nine
In the morning, rumors are spreading around the city that Chichikov, with the help of Nozdryov, wants to kidnap the governor's daughter. Gossip reaches the governor's wife, and she inflicts a strict interrogation on her daughter. Chichikov was ordered not to be allowed on the threshold. Society is puzzled by the question: so who is Pavel Ivanovich? In order to understand and discuss everything, the city elite gathers at the police chief.
Chapter Ten
Here, officials discuss Chichikov and the oddities associated with him for a long time. The postmaster talks about Captain Kopeikin, suggesting that this is Pavel Ivanovich.
During the War of 1812, Captain Kopeikin lost an arm and a leg. He appealed to St. Petersburg with a request for a pension. While the officials were dragging out the case, Kopeikin ran out of money. In desperation, the captain decided to take over the ministry, but he was caught and expelled from the city. Two months later, a band of robbers led by Kopeikin began to hunt in the forests.
After listening to the story, the society protested: Kopeikin was disabled, while Chichikov's arms and legs were intact. It was decided to send for Nozdryov and question him thoroughly. Nozdryov immediately declares Chichikov a counterfeiter, a kidnapper of the governor's daughter and a spy. These rumors upset the prosecutor so much that he dies.
Now Pavel Ivanovich is not received by the governor. The situation is clarified by Nozdrev, who appeared at Chichikov's hotel. Upon learning that the official is accused of forging banknotes, the failed kidnapping of the governor's daughter, and the death of the prosecutor, Chichikov decides to urgently flee the city.
Chapter Eleven
We learn the story of the main character. Chichikov from poor nobles, his mother died early, and his father was often sick. He took little Pavlush to study in the city. The boy did not shine with his abilities, but he graduated from college with an award for diligent behavior. From an early age, he showed a talent for finding ways to make money.
As soon as Chichikov graduated from college, his father died, leaving Pavel a penny inheritance. The young man zealously took up the service, but without patronage he could only get a seedy place. However, Chichikov came up with a cunning plan and wooed the boss's ugly daughter. As soon as he was appointed to a good place, the groom immediately pretended that he had not promised anything.
Having changed several positions, where he slowly took bribes, Pavel Ivanovich got a job at customs. There he was known as a storm of smugglers. When the authorities, convinced of the loyalty of their employee, gave Chichikov all powers, he conspired with the smugglers. After several scams, Pavel Ivanovich became incredibly rich. However, while drinking, he quarreled with one of his accomplices, who brought him to justice. Chichikov nevertheless managed to escape prison, but almost nothing remained of his huge fortune.
Pavel Ivanovich again began to earn money from lower positions. One day, Chichikov learned that dead peasants, who, according to the revision tale, were still alive, could be placed in the board of trustees. So he had the idea to acquire dead souls.
And now Chichikov's britzka, harnessed by a trio of horses, rushes on.
Volume two
As you know, Gogol burned the second volume of his work. Only a few drafts survived, according to which it was possible to restore some of the chapters.
Chapter one
The author describes the magnificent landscape that opens from the balcony of the landowner Andrei Ivanovich Tentetnikov, a very lazy person. He rubs his eyes for two hours in the morning, sits at tea for the same amount of time and writes a global work on the structure of Russia. But which year did not advance even a page in this essay.
And the young man started quite worthy, showed great promise. But when his teacher died, further education caused disappointment in Tentetnikov. Entering the service under patronage, Andrei Ivanovich at first wanted to benefit the state, but soon became disillusioned with the service. He retired and returned to his estate.
One day, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov appears in his lonely house and lingers there for some time. Having learned about the quarrel between the owner and the neighbor-general, whose daughter was predicted to be Tentetnikov's bride, Chichikov volunteers to settle the matter and goes to the military.
Chapter Two
Pavel Ivanovich gets acquainted with the general and his daughter, manages to reconcile the old man with Tentetnikov and composes a fable about his uncle in order to buy dead souls from the general ...
This is where the text of the chapter ends.
Chapter Three
Chichikov goes to Colonel Koshkarev, but ends up in a completely different estate - to Pyotr Petrovich Petukh. The hospitable host turns out to be a lover of food. Just in time for dinner, his neighbor Platon Mikhailovich Platonov arrives - a hand-written handsome man, languishing in the village from boredom. Chichikov has the idea to take Plato on his wanderings. He agrees, but first requires a short visit to his estate.
The next day, the heroes leave for the village, which belongs to Platonov's son-in-law Konstantin Konstanzhoglo. This is a surprisingly economic man, whose estate is flourishing. Chichikov is so impressed that he asks Constanjoglo to teach him the mind and tell him how to successfully conduct business. The owner of the estate advises Chichikov to go to Koshkarev, and then return and stay with him for a couple of days.
Koshkarev, not without reason, is considered crazy. His village is a ubiquitous construction site. The new state-of-the-art houses are adorned with signs like "Depot for agricultural implements." Every business with Koshkarev goes through the execution of many papers. Even oats cannot be given to horses without a whole bunch of bureaucratic permits.
Realizing that it will not be possible to buy dead souls here because of the terrible mess and bureaucracy, Chichikov returns to Constanjoglo in annoyance. At dinner, the owner shared his experience of housekeeping and tells how a profitable business can be started from any waste. The conversation also turns to the richest farmer Murazov, who started from scratch, and now has a million dollar fortune. Chichikov goes to bed with a firm determination to buy an estate and start a household like Constantjoglo. He hopes to acquire the neighboring Khlobuev estate.
Chapter Four
Chichikov, Platonov and Konstanzhoglo go to Khlobuev to negotiate the sale of the estate. The village and the master's house are in a severe state of disrepair. We agreed for 35 thousand rubles. Then we went to Platonov, where Chichikov met his brother Vasily. It turns out that he is in trouble - the neighbor Lenitsin captured the wasteland. Pavel Ivanovich volunteers to help in this problem and talk with the offender. At Lenitsin's, Chichikov starts his signature conversation about buying dead souls. The owner doubts, but then his wife appears with a one-year-old son. Pavel Ivanovich begins to play with the child, and he "marks" Chichikov's new tailcoat. To hush up the trouble, Lenitsin agrees to a deal.
Chichikov's purchases became the subject of conversation. Rumors, opinions, arguments about whether it is profitable to buy for the withdrawal of peasants began to spread in the city. Opinions were divided. Some believed that in a new place, where there is neither a stake nor a yard, the peasant will not be able to resist, he will run away. Others - that a Russian person is capable of everything and gets used to any climate. Send him even to Kamchatka, but give only warm mittens, he has an ax in his hands, and he went to chop down a new hut. “But, you lost sight of the fact that the owner will not sell a good person.” “Yes, yes, but we must take into account that the peasants are now scoundrels, and, having moved, they can suddenly become excellent subjects.” Some believed that Chichikov needed a good manager in his new position. Others generally feared a riot. Opinions were of all kinds. The postmaster noticed that Chichikov would have a sacred duty, he could become a father to his peasants, even introduce beneficent enlightenment.
Many gave Chichikov completely disinterested advice, even offering an escort to escort the peasants. Pavel Ivanovich thanked for the advice, but resolutely refused the escort, saying that his peasants were meek and there could be no rebellion under any circumstances.
Rumors circulated about Chichikov that he was a millionaire, which further increased his disposition. But incomparably more remarkable was the impression Chichikov made on the ladies. The ladies of the city could be safely set as an example to others. As for how to behave, what tone to choose, to maintain etiquette, to keep fashion in every detail, in this they were ahead of even the ladies of St. Petersburg and Moscow. They were strict in morals. If, however, something happened that is called the other or the third, then it happened in secret. Even the husband, when he found out something, used the prudent proverb: “Who cares that the godfather was sitting with the godfather?” They never said: “I blew my nose,” “I sweated,” “I spat,” but they also said: “I relieved my nose,” “I got by with a handkerchief.” In no case was it possible to say about a plate or a glass “stinks”, but above it it was: “this plate or glass behaves badly”. Until now, the ladies had somehow said little about Chichikov, they only paid tribute to his pleasant manner. But when rumors spread about his millionaire, other qualities were found. Things got to the point that once Pavel Ivanovich received a letter from an unknown person, which began like this: “No, I have to write to you!” The letter contained several wonderful thoughts about life, an offer to leave the city forever, an invitation to the desert. The letter ended with gloomy verses about death. There was no signature. The postscript said that tomorrow at the ball at the governor's, his heart itself should guess who wrote it.
This interested Chichikov very much. All cases were dropped. Preparations for the ball began. It seemed that since the very creation of the world, so much time had not been spent on the toilet. For a whole hour Pavel Ivanovich examined his face in the mirror. He gave it many different expressions: important, sedate, respectful, with a smile, without a smile. He winked to himself, bowed, and made sounds that sounded a bit like French.
His appearance at the ball produced an extraordinary effect. Everything that was, turned to meet him. "Pavel Ivanovich! Oh my God, Pavel Ivanovich! Dear Pavel Ivanovich! Dear Pavel Ivanovich! My soul Pavel Ivanovich! Here he is, our Pavel Ivanovich!” Chichikov felt himself in several embraces at once. Our hero answered everyone and felt an extraordinary lightness. The ladies immediately surrounded him with a shining garland. Chichikov stood in front of them and thought: "Which, however, is the writer of the letter?" But then the dancing began, and everything got up and away ... The ladies so occupied and swirled Pavel Ivanovich that he did not notice how the governor's wife herself appeared in front of him. She held by the arm a young girl of sixteen, a fresh blonde with thin features and a charming oval face. The same blonde whom he met on the way from Nozdryov when their carriages got mixed up in harness.
You don't know my daughter yet? - said the governor's wife, - a college student, just released.
He replied that he had already had the good fortune to meet them by chance, but that he could add nothing more worthwhile. The governor's wife, having said a few words, walked away with her daughter, but Chichikov remained standing. Many hints and questions aspired to him from the ladies' lips. But he showed impoliteness and walked away from the ladies to the side where the governor's wife and daughter were sitting. He suddenly felt like a young man, almost a hussar. Seeing an empty chair near them, he immediately took it. Here, to the greatest regret, it should be noted that sedate people are somehow a little heavy in conversations with ladies, and after a while the blonde began to yawn, listening to Chichikov's stories.
All the ladies did not like this treatment at all. Indignation, in all respects just, was portrayed in many faces. The ladies began to talk about Chichikov in the most unfavorable way in different corners, and the poor college student was completely destroyed.
In the meantime, a most unpleasant surprise was being prepared for our hero. Nozdryov appeared, and Chichikov found it necessary to retire from his enviable place. But the governor who came up stopped him. Nozdryov saw Chichikov.
Ah, the Kherson landowner! he shouted, bursting into laughter. - What? traded a lot of the dead? You don't know, Your Excellency, he trades in dead souls! By God! Listen, Chichikov! I tell you this out of friendship, here we are all your friends here, here is their excellency here - I would hang you!
Chichikov simply did not know what to do.
Would you believe it, Nozdryov continued, he traded the dead with me. I come here, they tell me that I bought peasants for withdrawal! Dead to the conclusion! Listen, Chichikov, you're a brute, by God, a brute, and here is His Excellency here, isn't it, prosecutor?
But everyone was confused. And Nozdryov continued his semi-sober speech:
I won't leave you until I know why you need dead souls. You won't believe, Your Excellency, what kind of friends we are. Here, I'm standing here, and you would say: “Nozdryov! tell me honestly, who is dearer to you, your father or Chichikov? - I'll say: "Chichikov." Allow me, Chichikov, to kiss you.
Once in his room, with some painful emptiness in his heart, he thought: “Damn you all who invented these balls! There are crop failures in the province, high prices ... ”Alarmed by thoughts and insomnia, he diligently treated Nozdryov and all his relatives with the most unkind wishes.
And at this time, when a dark night looked into the windows to him, a carriage similar to a watermelon appeared on the streets of the city. The cart, after making several turns, drove into a dark lane and stopped in front of the archpriest's house. A lady got out of the carriage: it was Korobochka. The old woman, after Chichikov's departure, was very worried if she had sold too cheap. And she came to the city to find out how much dead souls are now. What effect this arrival produced, we will learn later.
Chichikov's purchases become the main topic of conversation in the city. Many sympathized with the guest, because he still had to resettle a lot of peasants on their lands. The rumors grew so much that they began to say that the visitor was "no less than a millionaire." The inhabitants fell in love with Pavel Ivanovich even more, who could not resist the requests of his new friends to live for one more week. The new face aroused no less interest among the ladies.
The ladies of the city dressed with great taste. In morals, they were "strict, full of noble indignation against every vicious and all sorts of temptations, they executed all weaknesses without any mercy." Rumors about the wealth of the guest led to the fact that pretty soon in many living rooms they began to say, "that, of course, Chichikov is not the first handsome man, but that's how a man should be." Ladies' outfits were full of various new additions, there was a hustle in the gostiny yard, even a festivity was formed due to the number of crews that had gathered. Pavel Ivanovich also noticed the ladies' attention, moreover, he somehow found a letter of love content on the table. Soon the guest received an invitation to the governor's ball. Going to this event, Chichikov looked at himself in the mirror for only an hour. The appearance of a guest at the ball made a splash. From one friendly embrace he immediately fell into another. Chichikov tried to find out which of the ladies wrote him a letter, but he was surrounded by such female attention that there was no way to find exactly that one. He deftly exchanged pleasant words with some ladies, minced and shuffled his leg, which brought the fair sex to tenderness.
In the midst of the ball, the governor's wife approached the guest. When Chichikov turned to face her, he was simply dumbfounded. The governor's wife was holding the hand of the very young blonde who once met a guest on the road. She turned out to be the governor's daughter. Chichikov became confused, and even after the ladies left, he remained motionless. Nothing interested him anymore. He even moved away from the most obsessive ladies. This did not please the secular ladies. The guest completely ceased to be interested in them and entertained only the blonde with conversations.
Here Nozdryov appeared from the buffet and went straight to Chichikov. The guest wanted to quietly retire, however, as a misfortune, the governor finally found him and stopped him, asking him to be a judge in some dispute with beautiful ladies. Nozdryov, bursting into laughter, shouted to the whole hall: “Ah, Kherson landowner! What? Did you trade a lot for the dead?” Chichikov didn't know what to do. The prosecutor and the governor were also very confused. Nozdryov continued to shout that he would not leave until he really found out why Chichikov needed dead souls. Everyone knew Nozdryov's reputation as a notorious scoundrel and liar, but many people heard his words, and a stupid, questioning expression appeared on their faces. Many of the ladies exchanged unambiguous winks. Chichikov suddenly felt very uncomfortable and bad. He became preoccupied, although the matter was hushed up. He made stupid mistakes when playing whist, could not have a pleasant conversation at dinner, although Nozdryov had long since been expelled. Pavel Ivanovich felt overwhelmed, as after a long journey. Without waiting for the end of dinner, he went to his place.
At the hotel, Chichikov sat for a long time in a hard chair, scolding balls when, in a period of high cost and hunger, another winds up a thousand rubles on herself, and all because of monkeyishness. Then Pavel Ivanovich remembered with an unkind word Nozdryov and all his relatives. That same night, Korobochka arrived in the city, who, after Chichikov's departure, began to doubt whether she had sold cheap with dead souls. The old woman decided to find out this question personally.
Searched here:
- dead souls chapter 8 summary
- summary of chapter 8 dead souls
- summary of dead souls chapter 8
All the inhabitants of the city only talked about Chichikov's purchases. Most of all they discussed whether it is profitable to buy peasants for withdrawal. Many were convinced that the resettlement of peasants was an unreliable thing - on the new land, where there is nothing, the peasant will not get along, and, most likely, will run away. Others believed that “a Russian person is capable of everything and gets used to any climate. Send him even to Kamchatka, but give only warm mittens, he will clap his hands, an ax in his hands, and went to cut himself a new hut. But after all, it is known that the landowner will not sell a good peasant, which means that these are all the peasants bought by Chichikov - drunkards and thieves, idlers and violent behavior. However, some believed that by moving to a new place, the peasants could change and become good workers. After all, history knows many such cases.
In a word, many were simply terrified by the difficulty of resettling such a huge number of peasants; they were afraid that Chichikov's peasants would start a revolt. But the police chief tried to calm the townspeople, assuring them that there is "the power of the police captain" for any unrest. A lot of advice was given about Chichikov's treatment of the bought peasants: some advised to deal with them strictly and harshly, others, on the contrary, gently and meekly. The postmaster noticed that Chichikov could become a kind of father for the peasants and help them get at least some kind of education. Some even offered Chichikov an escort so that nothing unforeseen would happen when the peasants moved to a new place. But our hero refused the convoy, assuring his well-wishers that the peasants he had bought were peaceful people and were not going to rebel.
However, all the talk that unfolded around the purchase of peasants led to the most favorable consequences for Chichikov. "There were rumors that he was a millionaire." The inhabitants of the city loved Chichikov so much, and now they love him even more sincerely. It should be noted that they were all kind people, got along well with each other and communicated somehow especially ingenuously.
Many were not without education: the chairman of the chamber knew Zhukovsky's "Lyudmila" by heart, which was still uncommon news at that time, and masterfully read many passages, especially: "Bor fell asleep; the valley sleeps" and the word "choo!" so that it really seemed as if the valley was sleeping; for greater resemblance, he even at this time screwed up his eyes. The postmaster went more into philosophy and read very diligently, even at night ... However, he was a wit, flowery in words and loved, as he himself put it, to equip speech. He also rigged his speech quite successfully with winking, squinting one eye, which all gave a very caustic expression to many of his satirical allusions. Others were also more or less enlightened people: some read Karamzin, some Moskovskie Vedomosti, some even read nothing at all. Someone was what is called a tyuryuk, that is, a person who had to be kicked up to something; who was just a bobak, who, as they say, lay on his side for the whole century, which it was even in vain to raise: he would not get up in any case. It is already known about plausibility, they were all reliable people, there was no consumptive among them. All were of the kind to which the wives, in tender conversations taking place in solitude, gave names: egg-pods, chubby, pot-bellied, nigella, kicks, buzz, and so on. But in general they were kind people, full of hospitality, and a person who ate bread with them or spent an evening playing whist was already becoming something close, especially Chichikov with his charming qualities and methods, who really knew the great secret of being liked. They loved him so much that he saw no means of getting out of the city; All he heard was: “Well, a week, stay with us for another week, Pavel Ivanovich!” - in a word, he was worn, as they say, on his hands.
Chichikov made a special impression on the ladies. It must be said that “the ladies of the city of N were what they call presentable ...” “As for how to behave, keep the tone, maintain etiquette ... they were ahead of even the ladies of Moscow and St. Petersburg in this. In morals they were strict, filled with indignation against everything vicious and all sorts of temptations, they executed all weaknesses without any mercy. If between them something happened that is called the other or the third, then it happened in secret. It must also be said that the ladies of the city of N were distinguished, like many ladies in St. Petersburg, by unusual caution and decency in words and expressions. They never said: “I blew my nose”, “I sweated”, “I spat”, but they said: “I relieved my nose”, “I got by with a handkerchief”. In order to ennoble the Russian language even more, almost half of the words were completely thrown out of the conversation, and therefore it was very often necessary to resort to the French language, but there, in French, it’s another matter: such words were allowed there that were much harder than those mentioned.
Since Chichikov began to be called the "millionaire", the attitude of the female half towards him has noticeably changed. The ladies bought up all the goods and began to dress up in the most unthinkable way, so that in the church a private bailiff ordered the people to move a little further away so that the wide toilet of her nobility would not wrinkle. Chichikov himself could not fail to notice the attention being paid. And one day, returning home, he found on his desk a mysterious love letter, which spoke of "secret sympathy between souls." There was no signature at the end of the letter, but it was said that his own heart should guess the writer and that she would attend the governor's ball the next day. Chichikov folded this letter and put it in a box, and after a while they brought him a ticket to the governor's ball.
Going to the ball, he devoted a whole hour to his toilet. “He even made himself a lot of pleasant surprises, winked his eyebrow and lips and did something even with his tongue; in a word, you never know what you do, left alone, feeling that you are good, and besides, being sure that no one looks through the crack. Finally, he lightly patted his chin, saying: “Oh, you are such a face!” and began to dress. He went to the ball in the most pleasant mood, and his appearance in the governor's house produced an "extraordinary effect."
All those present interrupted their business and conversations, and all attention was switched to him. Before Chichikov had time to look around, he immediately found himself in an embrace, and for a long time passed from one embrace to another. “In a word, he spread joy and extraordinary joy.” Elegant and fragrant ladies immediately surrounded him, and he began to think which one of them had written him a letter. But on their faces there was only general pleasure, and nothing that would bring him closer to the solution. He realized that it was impossible to guess the writer of the letter, but his mood did not worsen from this. He continued to talk to the ladies at ease and dance, "stomping on his feet, as the old dandies in high heels, called mouse stallions, usually do." The ladies found his company very pleasant, and in the expression of his face they noticed "something Mars and military." Some even, pretending to his company, quarreled.
Chichikov was so carried away by conversations with the ladies that sweat broke out on his forehead, and he forgot to approach the mistress of the house. And he remembered this only when she herself approached him with the words: “Ah, Pavel Ivanovich, so how are you! ..” She kindly spoke to him, and he turned and was about to answer her, when he suddenly stopped, as "Thunderstruck" - next to the governor's wife stood a young blonde, whose freshness he was fascinated by during a recent incident on the road. Chichikov was at a loss and could not utter a single intelligible word.
Chichikov suddenly became a stranger to everything that happened around him. At this time, from the ladies' fragrant lips, many hints and questions rushed to him, imbued through and through with subtlety and courtesy. “Are we, the poor inhabitants of the earth, allowed to be so bold as to ask you what you dream about?” - "Where are those happy places in which your thought flutters?" - "Is it possible to know the name of the one who plunged you into this sweet valley of thought?" But he answered everything with resolute inattention, and pleasant phrases vanished like water. He was even so discourteous that he soon left them in the other direction, wanting to see where the governor's wife and her daughter had gone. But the ladies didn't seem to want to leave him so soon; each inwardly decided to use all kinds of weapons, so dangerous for our hearts, and to use everything that was best ...
But all this did not produce the intended effect on Chichikov. He did not even look at the circles made by the ladies, but constantly rose on tiptoe to look over their heads, where the entertaining blonde might climb; he squatted down, too, looking between the shoulders and backs, finally found his way and saw her sitting with her mother, over whom some kind of oriental turban with a feather was majestically swaying. It seemed as if he wanted to take them by storm; whether the spring disposition had an effect on him, or someone pushed him from behind, only he resolutely pushed forward, in spite of everything; the farmer received from him such a push that he staggered and barely managed to stay on one leg, otherwise, of course, he would have knocked down a whole row behind him; the postmaster also stepped back and looked at him with astonishment, mingled with rather subtle irony, but he did not look at them; all he saw in the distance was a blond woman putting on a long glove and, no doubt, burning with a desire to start flying across the parquet. And there, aside, four couples were breaking off a mazurka; the heels broke the floor, and the army staff captain worked with his soul and body, and with his hands and feet, unscrewing such pas that no one had ever unscrewed in a dream. Chichikov darted past the mazurka almost on the very heels and straight to the place where the governor's wife was sitting with her daughter. However, he approached them very timidly, did not mince his feet so smartly and smartly, even hesitated a little, and in all his movements there appeared some kind of awkwardness. It is impossible to say for sure whether the feeling of love has really awakened in our hero - it is even doubtful that gentlemen of this kind, that is, not so fat, but not exactly thin, were capable of love; but with all that, there was something so strange here, something of a kind that he himself could not explain to himself: it seemed to him, as he later confessed, that the whole ball, with all its talk and noise, became a few minutes as if somewhere far away; violins and trumpets were cut somewhere beyond the mountains, and everything was shrouded in mist, like a carelessly painted field in a picture. And from this hazy, somehow sketched field, only the subtle features of a fascinating blonde emerged clearly and completely: her oval round face, her thin, thin figure, which a college student has in the first months after graduation, her white, almost simple dress, easily and deftly embraced in all places young, slender members, which were signified in some kind of clean lines. It seemed that she was all like some kind of toy, distinctly carved from ivory; she only turned white and emerged transparent and bright from the muddy and opaque crowd.
It just so happens in the world that sometimes people like Chichikov turn into poets for a few minutes. Noticing an empty chair near the blonde, he hurried to take it and tried to speak. At first, the conversation did not go well, but gradually our hero started talking and even began to enjoy it. Although it should be noted that it is always difficult for people like him to start a conversation with a lady, and usually they say that "Russia is a very spacious state", or make compliments that "smell a terrible book." Therefore, the blonde soon began to yawn, but Chichikov did not notice this and continued to tell funny and amusing, in his opinion, stories that he had already told more than once when visiting friends and relatives who lived in various Russian provinces.
All the ladies considered Chichikov's behavior indecent and offensive. From different parts of the hall, caustic remarks were already heard in his address, but he either did not notice this, or pretended not to notice. And this, as it turned out later, was his mistake - after all, the opinion of ladies, especially influential ones, must be valued.
In the meantime, our hero was in for a very unpleasant surprise. While the blonde was yawning, and he continued to tell his stories, Nozdryov appeared from the last room.
Whether he escaped from the buffet, or from a small green drawing room, where a game stronger than ordinary whist was being played, whether of his own free will, or they pushed him out, as soon as he appeared cheerful, joyful, grabbing the arm of the prosecutor, whom he had probably been dragging for some time , because the poor prosecutor turned his thick eyebrows on all sides, as if inventing a means to get out of this friendly journey at hand. Indeed, it was unbearable. Nozdryov, having sipped his courage in two cups of tea, certainly not without rum, lied mercilessly. Seeing him from a distance, Chichikov even decided to make a donation, that is, to leave his enviable place and leave as quickly as possible: this meeting did not bode well for him. But, unfortunately, at that time the governor turned up, expressing extraordinary joy that he had found Pavel Ivanovich, and stopped him, asking him to be a judge in his dispute with two ladies about whether a woman's love is lasting or not; meanwhile Nozdryov had already seen him and was walking straight towards him.
Ah, Kherson landowner, Kherson landowner! he shouted, coming up and bursting into laughter, from which his fresh, ruddy cheeks, like a spring rose, trembled. - What? traded a lot of the dead? After all, you don’t know, Your Excellency, - he bawled right there, turning to the governor, - he sells dead souls! By God! Listen, Chichikov! because you, - I tell you as a friend, here we are all your friends here, here is his excellency here - I would hang you, by God I hanged you!
Chichikov simply did not know where he was sitting.
Would you believe it, Your Excellency,” continued Nozdryov, “as he said to me: “Sell the dead souls,” I burst out laughing. When I come here, they tell me that I bought three million peasants for a withdrawal: what a conclusion! yes he traded me dead. Listen, Chichikov, you're a brute, by God, a brute, so his Excellency is here, isn't that right, prosecutor?
But the prosecutor, and Chichikov, and the governor himself were so confused that they could not find at all what to answer, and meanwhile Nozdryov, paying no attention in the least, carried on a half-sober speech:
You, brother, you, you... I won't leave you until I find out why you bought dead souls. Listen, Chichikov, you're really ashamed, you, you know yourself, don't have a best friend like me. So His Excellency is here, isn't it, Prosecutor? You do not believe, Your Excellency, how we are attached to each other, that is, if you simply said, here, I am standing here, and you would say: “Nozdryov! tell me honestly, who is dearer to you, your father or Chichikov? - I’ll say: “Chichikov”, by golly ... Allow me, my soul, I will slap you one meringue. Permit me, Your Excellency, to kiss him. Yes, Chichikov, don’t resist, let me print one bezie on your snow-white cheek!
Nozdryov was so repelled with his meringues that he almost fell to the ground: everyone stepped aside from him and did not listen anymore; but still his words about buying dead souls were uttered at the top of his voice and accompanied by such loud laughter that they attracted the attention of even those who were in the farthest corners of the room.
The news announced by Nozdryov seemed so strange to those present that they all froze with a stupidly questioning expression on their faces. Some of the ladies winked angrily and mockingly. Everyone knew that Nozdryov was a liar, and hearing nonsense from him was a common thing. But people are so arranged that, having heard any news, they will certainly rush to pass it on to others, and they, in turn, spread it further. So the news goes around the whole city, and everyone, having discussed it, eventually admits that the matter is not worth attention and it is not worth talking about it.
But this incident upset Chichikov very much, he was embarrassed and felt embarrassed. Trying to dispel gloomy thoughts, he sat down to play whist, but made one mistake after another. The officials made fun of him, explaining them by his love, and he tried to laugh it off. Meanwhile, the merry dinner continued, the men continued to court the ladies and argue, and "everything was kind, even to the point of cloying." But Chichikov could no longer think of anything, and without waiting for the end of supper he left.
In the hotel room, Chichikov did not calm down, but, on the contrary, felt a strange emptiness in his heart. “Damn you all who invented these balls!” - he exclaimed in his hearts and began to talk to himself about the balls: “Well, why were you foolishly happy? In the province crop failures, high cost, so here they are for the balls! Ek thing: discharged into women's rags! It is not seen that another has turned a thousand rubles on herself! They shout: “Ball, ball, gaiety!” - just a rubbish ball, not in the Russian spirit, not in Russian nature; the devil knows what it is: an adult, an adult, suddenly jumps out all in black, plucked, covered like a devil, and let's knead with your feet ... All out of ape! All from monkeys! That a Frenchman is the same child at forty as he was at fifteen, so come on! No, really ... after every ball, it’s as if he committed some kind of sin; and I don’t even want to remember him ... ”Thus Chichikov reasoned about the balls, although the real reason for his frustration was what happened at the ball. He tried to convince himself that all this meant nothing, but a strange thing: he was upset by the bad attitude of those whom he did not respect and often spoke harshly. And it was very annoying, because he knew perfectly well that he himself was the cause of everything that happened. But he was not angry with himself, but rather justified, and very soon switched his anger to Nozdryov, remembering the entire pedigree - many members of this family suffered.
While Chichikov was "zealously treating" Nozdryov and his relatives, an event was taking place at the other end of the city that was supposed to complicate the position of our hero even more. A strange carriage, resembling a fat-cheeked watermelon, rode through the streets of the city, rattling loudly. The carriage doors, painted yellow, closed very poorly, and therefore were tied with ropes. Inside, the carriage was filled with chintz pillows in the form of pouches, bolsters and pillows, sacks of bread, rolls and pretzels, over which pies peeked out. At the back was an unshaven footman.
The horses were not shod, and therefore from time to time fell on their front knees. Having made several turns, the rattletrap turned into an alley and stopped in front of the gates of the archpriest's house. A girl in a quilted jacket and a scarf on her head got out of the carriage. She began pounding hard on the gate with her fists, the dogs barked, the gate opened and "swallowed the clumsy road work." The crew drove into a cramped yard and a lady got out of it - a landowner, collegiate secretary Korobochka. Shortly after Chichikov's departure, she suspected fraud, and after spending three nights in anxiety, she decided to go to the city to find out how much dead souls were selling and whether she had sold cheap. What Korobochka's arrival led to will become clear from a conversation that took place between two ladies. But it will be discussed in the next chapter.
