Chichikov spent more than a week in the city, driving around for parties and dinners. Finally, he decided to visit Manilov and Sobakevich, to whom he gave the floor. “Maybe another, more significant reason prompted him to do this, a more serious matter, closer to his heart ...” He ordered the coachman Selifan to put the horses in a well-known britzka early in the morning, and Petrushka to stay at home, look after the room and the suitcase. Here it makes sense to say a few words about these two serfs.

Petrushka wore a somewhat wide brown frock coat from a master's shoulder and had, in accordance with the custom of people of his rank, a large nose and lips. His character was more silent than talkative; he “even had a noble impulse to enlightenment, that is, to read books, the content of which was not difficult; he read everything with equal attention. He usually slept without undressing, “and always carried with him some special air ...” - when he placed his bed “in a previously uninhabited room” and transferred his overcoat and belongings there, it immediately seemed that there were already ten people have lived for years. Chichikov, a scrupulous man, sometimes frowned in the morning and said displeasedly: “You, brother, the devil knows you, are you sweating or something. You should have gone to the bath." Petrushka did not answer this, and hurried to go about his business. Selifan the coachman was a completely different person...

But we need to return to the main character. So, having given the necessary orders from the evening, Chichikov woke up early in the morning, washed himself, dried himself from head to toe with a wet sponge, which he usually did only on Sundays, shaved carefully, put on a tailcoat, and then an overcoat, went down the stairs and sat in the britzka.

With a thunder, the britzka drove out from under the gate of the hotel into the street. The passing priest took off his hat, several boys in soiled shirts held out their hands, saying: “Master, give it to the orphan!” The coachman, noticing that one of them was a big fan of standing on the heel, whipped him with a whip, and the britzka went to jump over the stones. Not without joy, a striped barrier was seen in the distance, letting know that the pavement, like any other torment, would soon end; and hitting the truck with his head several more times, Chichikov finally rushed across the soft earth ... There were villages stretched along a string, similar in structure to old stacked firewood, covered with gray roofs with carved wooden decorations under them in the form of hanging embroidered towels. Several peasants, as usual, yawned, sitting on benches in front of the gates in their sheepskin coats. Babas with fat faces and bandaged breasts looked out of the upper windows; a calf peeped out from below, or a pig stuck out its blind muzzle. In a word, the species are known. Having traveled the fifteenth verst, he remembered that, according to Manilov, his village should be here, but even the sixteenth verst flew by, and the village was still not visible ...

Let's go look for Manilovka. Having traveled two versts, they met a turn onto a country road, but already two, and three, and four versts, it seems, had been made, and the stone house on two floors was still not visible. Here Chichikov remembered that if a friend invites him to his village fifteen miles away, it means that there are sure thirty.

"The village of Manilovka could lure a few with its location." The master's house, open to all winds, stood alone on a hill; "the slope of the mountain was dressed in trimmed turf." Plants were scattered here and there on the mountain, and a gazebo with a flat green dome, blue wooden columns and the inscription: "Temple of Solitary Reflection" was visible. Below was an overgrown pond. In the lowland, partly and along the very slope, gray log huts were dark, which Chichikov, for some unknown reason, immediately began to count and counted more than two hundred. Everything was bare all around, only a pine forest darkened to the side.

Approaching the courtyard, Chichikov noticed the owner himself on the porch, who was standing in a green chalon frock coat, with his hand to his forehead in the form of an umbrella over his eyes, in order to get a better look at the approaching carriage. As the britzka drew nearer to the porch, his eyes grew merrier and his smile widened more and more.

Pavel Ivanovich! he cried at last, when Chichikov got out of the britzka. - Violently you did remember us!

Both friends kissed very warmly, and Manilov took his guest into the room ...

God alone could not say what the character of Manilov was. There is a kind of people known by the name: people are so-so, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan nor in the village of Selifan, according to the proverb. Perhaps Manilov should join them. In his eyes he was a prominent person; his features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have been conveyed too much sugar; in his manners and turns there was something ingratiating himself with favors and acquaintances.

He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes. In the first minute of a conversation with him, you cannot but say: “What a pleasant and a kind person!" In the next minute you will not say anything, and in the third you will say: “The devil knows what it is!” - and move away if you don’t move away, you will feel mortal boredom. You will not expect any lively or even arrogant word from him, which you can hear from almost anyone if you touch on the subject that bullies him. Everyone has his own enthusiasm: one has turned his enthusiasm to greyhounds; to another it seems that he is a strong lover of music and surprisingly feels all the deep places in it; the third is a master of famously dine; the fourth to play a role at least one inch higher than the one assigned to him; the fifth, with a more limited desire, sleeps and dreams about how to go on a walk with the adjutant wing, showing off to his friends, acquaintances and even strangers; the sixth is already gifted with such a hand that feels a supernatural desire to break the corner of some diamond ace or deuce, while the hand of the seventh climbs somewhere to put things in order, to get closer to the personality of the stationmaster or coachmen - in a word, everyone has his own, but Manilov had nothing.

At home he spoke very little and for the most part thought and thought, but what he thought about, too, only God knew. The economy went by itself, he never even went to the fields. Sometimes, looking from the porch at the yard and the pond, he talked about how nice it would be if all of a sudden to lead an underground passage from the house or build a stone bridge across the pond, on which there would be benches on both sides, and so that people would sit in them. merchants and sold various small goods needed by the peasants. But it all ended in conversation.

In Manilov's office lay some kind of book, bookmarked on the fourteenth page, which he had been constantly reading for two years. Something was always missing in his house: all the chairs were upholstered in fine silk, and there was not enough fabric for two chairs. Some rooms had no furniture at all. In the evening, a very smart candlestick was served on the table, and next to it was placed some kind of simply copper invalid, lame and covered in fat.

The wife was a match for her husband. Although eight years of their marriage had passed, each of them tried to please each other with an apple or candy, while saying: “Open your mouth, darling, I’ll put this piece for you.” "And the mouth opened in this case very gracefully." Sometimes, for no reason at all, they imprinted each other with a long kiss, during which it was possible to smoke a pipe. For his birthday, the wife always prepared a gift for her husband, for example, a beaded case for a toothpick. In short, they were happy. Of course, it should be noted that there were many other activities in the house, besides long kisses and surprises ... In the kitchen, they cooked stupidly and to no avail, the pantry was empty, the housekeeper stole, the servants drank ... “But these are all low objects, and Manilova was brought up well, in a boarding school, where they teach the three foundations of virtue: French, piano and knitting purses and other surprises.

Meanwhile, Chichikov and Manilov got stuck at the door, trying without fail to let the companion through first. Finally, both squeezed sideways. Manilov introduced his wife, and Chichikov noted to himself that she was "not bad-looking and dressed to match."

Manilova said, even burping a little, that he made them very happy with his arrival and that her husband did not go a day without thinking about him.

Yes, - said Manilov, - she used to keep asking me: “But why isn’t your friend coming?” - "Wait, darling, he will come." But you finally honored us with your visit. Really, it was such a pleasure ... May day ... name day of the heart ...

Chichikov, hearing that it had already come to the name day of the heart, was even somewhat embarrassed and replied modestly that he had neither a big name, nor even a noticeable rank.

You have everything,” Manilov interrupted with the same pleasant smile, “you have everything, even more.

How do you feel about our city? Manilova said. - Did you have a good time there?

A very good city, a beautiful city, - answered Chichikov, - and he spent a very pleasant time: the society is most courteous.

An empty conversation ensued, during which officials familiar to those present were discussed: the governor, the vice-governor, the police chief and his wife, the chairman of the chamber, and so on. And they all turned out to be the most worthy people". Then Chichikov and Manilov talked about how pleasant it is to live in the countryside and enjoy nature in the company of well-educated people, and it is not known how the “mutual outpouring of feelings” would have ended, but a servant entered the room and reported that “the meal is ready.”

There were already two boys in the dining room, Manilov's sons. The teacher was with them. The hostess sat down to her soup bowl; the guest was seated between the host and the hostess, the servant tied napkins around the children's necks.

What nice little children, - said Chichikov, looking at them, - and what year?

The eldest is eighth, and the youngest has only just passed six yesterday,” said Manilova.

Themistoclus! - said Manilov, turning to the elder, who was trying to free his chin, which was tied up in a napkin by the footman.

Chichikov raised a few eyebrows when he heard such a partly Greek name, to which, for some unknown reason, Manilov gave the ending in "yus", but he tried at the same time to bring his face back to its usual position.

Themistoclus, tell me which one best city in France?

Here the teacher turned all his attention to Themistoclus and seemed to want to jump into his eyes, but at last he completely calmed down and nodded his head when Themistoclus said: "Paris."

What is our best city? asked Manilov again.

The teacher turned his attention back.

Petersburg, answered Themistoclus.

And what else?

Moscow, answered Themistoclus.

Clever, sweetie! Chichikov said to this. “Tell me, but…” he continued, turning immediately to the Manilovs with a certain look of amazement, “in such years and already such information! I must tell you that this child will have great abilities.

Oh, you don’t know him yet,” answered Manilov, he has an extremely large amount of wit. Here is the smaller one, Alkid, that one is not so fast, but this one now, if he meets something, a bug, a goat, his eyes suddenly start to run; run after her and immediately pay attention. I'll read it on the diplomatic side. Themistoclus,” he continued, turning to him again, “do you want to be a messenger?

I want it, - answered Themistoclus, chewing bread and shaking his head right and left.

At this time, the footman who was standing behind wiped the envoy's nose, and he did it very well, otherwise a pretty extraneous drop would have sunk into the soup. The conversation began around the table about the pleasures of a quiet life, interrupted by the remarks of the hostess about the city theater and about the actors.

After dinner, Manilov intended to escort the guest into the living room, when suddenly "the guest announced with a very significant air that he intended to talk with him about one very necessary matter."

In that case, let me ask you to my office, ”Manilov said and led him into a small room with a window overlooking a blue forest. “Here is my corner,” said Manilov.

Pleasant little room," said Chichikov, glancing over it with his eyes.

The room was certainly not without pleasantness: the walls were painted with some kind of blue paint, like gray, four chairs, one armchair, a table on which lay a book with a bookmark, which we have already had occasion to mention, a few scribbled papers, but more everything was tobacco. It was in different forms: in caps and in a tobacco box, and, finally, it was simply poured in a heap on the table. On both windows there were also mounds of ash knocked out of a pipe, arranged, not without diligence, in very beautiful rows. It was noticeable that this sometimes gave the owner a pastime.

Allow me to ask you to sit in these chairs, - said Manilov. - Here you will be calmer.

Let me sit on a chair.

Allow me not to allow this, ”said Manilov with a smile. - This chair I have already assigned for the guest: for the sake of it or not for the sake of it, but they must sit down.

Chichikov sat down.

Let me treat you with a pipe.

No, I don’t smoke,” Chichikov answered affectionately and, as it were, with an air of regret ...

But first, allow me one request...” he uttered in a voice in which some strange or almost strange expression was heard, and after that he looked back for some unknown reason. - How long ago did you deign to submit a revision tale ( the nominal list of serfs, submitted by the landowners during the audit, the census of peasants - approx. ed.)?

Yes, a long time ago; Or rather, I don't remember.

How many peasants have died since that time?

But I can't know; about this, I think, you need to ask the clerk. Hey man! call the clerk, he should be here today.

The teller came...

Listen, dear! how many peasants have died in our country since the revision was filed?

Yes, how much? Many have died since then,” said the clerk, and at the same time he hiccupped, covering his mouth slightly with his hand, like a shield.

Yes, I confess, I myself thought so, - Manilov picked up, - exactly, very many died! - Here he turned to Chichikov and added: - Exactly, very many.

How about a number, for example? Chichikov asked.

Yes, how many? - picked up Manilov.

How to say number? After all, it is not known how many died, no one counted them.

Yes, exactly, - said Manilov, turning to Chichikov, - I also assumed a high mortality; it is not known how many died.

You, please, re-read them, - said Chichikov, - and make a detailed register of everyone by name.

Yes, all by name, - said Manilov.

The clerk said: "I'm listening!" - and left.

For what reasons do you need it? Manilov asked the clerk as he left.

This question seemed to embarrass the guest, his face showed some kind of tense expression, from which he even blushed, - the tension to express something, not quite submissive to words. And in fact, Manilov finally heard such strange and unusual things that human ears had never heard before.

For what reason, you ask? The reasons are as follows: I would like to buy the peasants ... - said Chichikov, stammered and did not finish his speech.

But let me ask you, - said Manilov, - how do you want to buy the peasants: with land or just for withdrawal, that is, without land?

No, I'm not exactly peasants, - said Chichikov, - I want to have dead ...

How? excuse me... I'm a little hard of hearing, I heard a strange word...

I suppose to acquire the dead, which, however, would be listed as alive according to the revision, - said Chichikov.

Manilov immediately dropped the chibouk with his pipe on the floor, and as he opened his mouth, he remained with his mouth open for several minutes. The two friends, who were talking about the pleasures of a friendly life, remained motionless, gazing at each other, like those portraits that in the old days were hung one against the other on both sides of the mirror. Finally Manilov picked up the pipe with the chibouk and looked down into his face, trying to see if there was any kind of smile on his lips, if he was joking; but nothing of the kind was visible, on the contrary, the face even seemed more sedate than usual; then he wondered if the guest had somehow accidentally lost his mind, and looked intently at him with fear; but the visitor's eyes were perfectly clear, there was no wild, restless fire in them, which runs in the eyes of a crazy person, everything was decent and in order. No matter how Manilov thought out how to be and what to do, he could not think of anything else but to let out the remaining smoke from his mouth in a very thin stream.

So, I would like to know if you can give me those who are not really alive, but alive in relation to the legal form, to transfer, to cede, or as you please better?

But Manilov was so embarrassed and confused that he only looked at him.

It seems to me that you are at a loss? .. - Chichikov remarked.

I? .. no, I'm not that, - said Manilov, - but I can't comprehend ... excuse me ... I, of course, could not receive such a brilliant education, which, so to speak, is visible in your every movement; I don’t have a high art of expressing myself... Maybe here... in this explanation you have just expressed... something else is hidden... Maybe you deigned to express yourself like that for the beauty of the style?

No, - Chichikov picked up, - no, I mean the subject as it is, that is, those souls who, for sure, have already died.

Manilov was completely at a loss. He felt that he needed to do something, to propose a question, and what question - the devil knows. He finally ended by exhaling smoke again, only not through his mouth, but through his nasal nostrils.

So, if there are no obstacles, then with God it would be possible to start making a fortress, - said Chichikov.

How about a bill of sale for dead souls?

Ah, no! Chichikov said. - We will write that they are alive, as it really stands in revision tale. I am used to not deviating from civil laws in anything, although I suffered for this in the service, but excuse me: duty is a sacred thing for me, the law - I am dumb before the law.

Manilov liked the last words, but he still did not penetrate into the meaning of the matter itself, and instead of answering, he began to suck his chibouk so hard that he finally began to wheeze like a bassoon. It seemed as if he wanted to extract from him an opinion on such an unheard-of circumstance; but the chubuk wheezed and nothing more.

Maybe you have any doubts?

ABOUT! sorry, nothing. I'm not talking about having some, that is, critical prejudice against you. But allow me to report whether this enterprise or, to put it even more, so to speak, negotiation, will not this negotiation be inconsistent with civil decrees and further types of Russia?

Chichikov nevertheless managed to convince Manilov that there would be no violation of the civil law, that such an enterprise would in no way be inconsistent with civil decrees and further types of Russia. The treasury will even receive benefits in the form of legal fees. When Chichikov spoke about the price, Manilov was surprised:

How about the price? said Manilov again and stopped. “Do you really think that I would take money for souls that, in some way, ended their existence?” If you have received such, so to speak, a fantastic desire, then for my part I pass them on to you without interest and take over the bill of sale.

Chichikov was overflowing with thanks, touching Manilov. After that, the guest got ready to leave, and, despite all the persuasion of the hosts to stay for a little longer, he hastened to take his leave. Manilov stood for a long time on the porch, following the retreating britzka with his eyes. And when he returned to the room, he indulged in thoughts about how good it would be to have such a friend as Chichikov, to live next door to him, to spend time in pleasant conversations. He also dreamed that the sovereign, having learned about their friendship, would grant them generals. But Chichikov's strange request interrupted his dreams. No matter how much he thought, he could not understand her, and all the time he sat and smoked his pipe.

N. V. Gogol is known to readers for his original works, where a non-trivial plot always stands out. The famous "Dead Souls" were especially fond of the public. The main events of the poem are the organization and implementation of the most interesting scam of the protagonist. To convey the versatility and innovation of the book, the Wise Litrecon made brief retelling by chapters, where each part of the work will appear in abbreviation. If you think that he missed something, signal it in the comments.

The poem, like the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time", begins with the author's appeal to his reader. N.V. Gogol explains the main "task" that he set for Chichikov, for the work as a whole -

Show the shortcomings and vices of a Russian person, and not his dignity and virtue.

He assures that best characters will be in other parts. The author also requires interaction from readers - he declares that he will be grateful to someone who expresses his opinion about the work, will be able to point out unfortunate moments in the text. One lifetime is not enough to know at least a hundredth part of what is happening in Russia. But for the sake of "the truth of the matter", and not for the sake of a red word, he planned to write this book, so he will need the help of every person, even an uneducated one. So he hopes to get to know Rus' better in order to write other parts.

In the end, he thanks all the critics and journalists for their feedback.

Chapter One: Chichikov's Arrival

The action takes place in the provincial town of NN. Chichikov arrives at a mediocre and banal hotel. Together with him are the coachman Selifan and the footman Petrushka, the retinue of a nobleman. N.V. Gogol Special attention devotes to the portrait of the hero. Chichikov "is not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin." His suitcase was tattered, indicating that he traveled frequently. For 2 rubles a day, he got a room with cockroaches and weathered furnishings typical of the province.

First of all, he asked the tavern servant about the income of the hotel, about all the high-ranking officials of the city, about the landowners. His manner of blowing his nose loudly subdued the interlocutor. Unlike ordinary visitors, he did not ask empty, meaningless questions. It was especially surprising to hear about his interest in pestilence and epidemics in this region. All information, judging by the tone and participation in the voice, was extremely important for Chichikov. Then he walked around the city, during the walk he tore off the poster and carefully read it, folding it into a wooden chest where all sorts of things were stored.

In the first chapter, the character immediately begins to make visits. He visited all the officials, he showed special respect for everyone: he praised the governor of his city and “velvet roads”, the vice-governor was mistakenly addressed as “Your Excellency”. Skillful flattery helps him win invitations to dinners, breakfasts, and other events.

At the evening at the governor's, he carefully examined all the people and actively got acquainted. He divided the guests into thick and thin: the former succeed in life, the latter are always on the premises of the former. Some are solid and resourceful, others spend everything, but do not earn. Chichikov talks about himself without unnecessary details, "vaguely." He listens more than he talks. It is known from his stories that he “suffered for the truth”, therefore he did not rise to a high post and retired. The enemies hated him so much that they even attempted on his life. Now he has retired and is looking for a place to settle in order to live his life in peace. Chichikov introduced himself as a landowner and collegiate adviser.

The hero shows helpfulness: it is appropriate to make compliments to officials and landowners, subtly asks for all the necessary information. It is here that the society of the city is revealed. Some ladies blindly follow the French fashion, others, due to lack of funds, dressed “in what God sent to the provincial city. The fat gentlemen played whist until night (our hero was also in this company), the thin gentlemen followed the ladies. At the governor's, Chichikov met Manilov and Sobakevich. Subsequently, he will pay a visit to these landowners. After the whist, the hero showed his ability to argue: he did it so kindly that everyone liked to listen to him.

The next day, the hero comes to the chief of police, where he meets the familiar and suspicious master Nozdrev, whose acquaintances are closely watching his game. Then he makes a visit to the chairman of the chamber, the vice-governor, the farmer and the prosecutor, showing all the virtues of a secular person: he knows how to talk about everything, knowing absolutely nothing.

As a result, all the inhabitants of the city highly appreciated the guest. Even Sobakevich, who rarely praised anyone, called the interlocutor pleasant.

Chapter 2: Manilow

The author describes the servants of the protagonist. Petrushka wore a frock coat from the master's shoulder, had large features. He was silent, read a lot and indiscriminately, not understanding what he read. He slept without undressing, and had a unique smell that he carried with him everywhere. The coachman was his opposite, but the author interrupts himself and argues that sometimes for a Russian a hated acquaintance with a higher rank is more precious than friendship.

In this chapter, Chichikov makes his first visit to the "sugar-eyed" landowner Manilov. On the way he sees the same thing as everywhere else: dilapidated villages, thin forest, cattle. But it is no coincidence that he mistakenly searches for the "village of Zamanilovka." Both the place and the owner himself resemble something lifeless, viscous. The stone two-story house is open to all winds, the park is not well maintained in the English manner. The modest pavilion bears the proud name of the Temple of Solitary Reflection. Near the house there are 200 gray huts. Even the weather that day was to match the estate and the landowner - neither this nor that, neither gloomy nor bright.

Manilov, a blue-eyed, middle-aged blond with pleasant features, is "neither this nor that". The author complains that it is difficult to describe this small character. It is good to talk with him for the first 5 minutes, and then boredom takes death from his flattery and sweetness. He is not burdened by anything, he does not care about anything, he does not even have real interests. But he always fantasized about something. For example, he wanted to lead an underground passage through the house, build a stone bridge over the river, and put merchant shops on it.

Something was always missing in his house (for several years he could not fit two armchairs with the necessary material, for 8 years the necessary room had been standing without furniture), the hero had not been engaged in his household for a long time, and the whole house stood on the shoulders of the clerk. The servants stole and drank, the barn was empty. No one followed them, because the wife was a match for her husband: an idle and "sugar" woman without interests and will. In her boarding school, she learned three things: French, needlework, and playing the piano. She was pretty and tastefully dressed.

Manilov may seem nice person at first glance, but then his excessive "sugarness" appears (for example, he and Chichikov argued for several minutes who would be the first to pass through the door). At the table, he discussed all the inhabitants of the city, and pretentiously praised everyone. The character tried to appear literate and educated (but he has had a dusty book with a bookmark on the same page 14 on his desk for two years already), complained about the lack of equally delicate and intelligent neighbors. Then he praised the guest, described the spiritual pleasure from the conversation with him. He introduced his sons: he gave the children names formed from two languages ​​at once (Themistoclus and Alklid). Wanting to be pleasant, the visitor praised the boys' ordinary answers to stupid questions.

At the end of dinner, Chichikov goes to the owner's pleasant bluish office. He asked about the peasants, and Manilov called a yellow-faced, pompous clerk of about 40 years old. He undertook to compile a list of the dead peasants. The guest tells about his intention - he wants to buy dead souls from the landowner. At first, Manilov was frightened, asked about the legality of the enterprise, but then he kindly agreed to the deal, since the interlocutor said a lot of smart words, which completely confused the landowner. After that, Chichikov was moved and even shed a tear, complaining about the unjust persecution in the service and thanking the owner of the house. Then Pavel Ivanovich said goodbye, having learned the way to Sobakevich.

Until dinner, Manilov dreamed of a cordial friendship with Chichikov, dreamed of their luxurious trips and acquaintance with the sovereign, but could not understand why the guest needed the dead souls that he gave him without taking money?

Chapter 3: Box

The hero, together with his coachman Selifan, goes to Sobakevich. At this time, the hero thinks about his adventure, and the coachman talks to the horses and reproaches the especially lazy horse. However, the coachman, reproaching the bay horse for a “dishonest life”, misses the right turn, and even a thunderstorm begins. The tipsy coachman overturned the britzka at the turn: the owner fell into the mud. So they accidentally end up with the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. The maid accepted them reluctantly, with distrust, but the status of a nobleman solved all problems: the gates opened. The hostess - an old woman in a hastily dressed cap - complained that there was nothing to treat the guest: it was night in the yard. Pavel Ivanovich understood from her answers that he was lost in the wilderness. After giving the laundry to the laundry, he went to bed.

Before readers is the image of a stingy hostess, always putting something off "for a rainy day." Such people cry for poverty and crop failures, while they themselves save a decent amount. Their economy is established, nothing is wasted, even the old hoods go to distant heirs in good condition.

In the morning he saw a well-established economy (a lot of cattle, a large garden, the contentment of the peasants who lived in strong and renovated huts, she had 80 souls in total) and the modest decoration of the house (paintings with birds, old clocks). Chichikov decided not to be modest, as in dealing with Manilov. Paying attention to this, the author talks about the richness of the shades of the Russian language: the boss speaks to his subordinates like Prometheus, but those who are higher in rank fawn like a partridge. Our man, unlike a foreigner, speaks with his environment in different ways: with those who have 200 souls, one tone, and with those who have a hundred more, another.

It was not easy for Chichikov to make a deal with her. The interlocutor even suggested that the buyer wants to dig the peasants out of the ground. The guest was finally convinced that the landowner was "a strong-headed and club-headed woman." She was afraid to sell too cheap, because she had never dealt with such a product. To all the arguments of the interlocutor, she replied that when the merchants came in large numbers, she would check the prices, but for now it was too early to sell. In conversation, she complained about poverty, crop failure, actively bargained, not understanding why the guest needed such a product. As a result, Chichikov lost his temper, broke a chair and mentioned devils. By chance, he also mentioned that he supposedly manages government contracts, and came to find a good supplier of various products. Then the old woman began to curry favor with the official, she really wanted a large order. He promised to buy also hemp, flour, lard, but later. Having agreed to sell the dead peasants to Chichikov, the landowner worried for a long time whether she had taken too little for them.

The serf girl escorted the britzka to high road: Chichikov went to Sobakevich.

Chapter 4: Nozdryov

Chichikov and Selifan stop for a bite to eat. The author describes the unusually spacious stomach of a gentleman of an average hand, who eats everything and in large quantities. No amount of money can buy it.

The writer describes the tavern: pine walls, carved decorations, a frosty samovar, a fat hostess. She told the traveler everything she knew about herself and her family, but most importantly, about the local nobles. She gave them an interesting description:

Manilov will be grander than Sobakevich: he orders the chicken to be boiled at once, and asks for veal too; if there is mutton's liver, then he will ask for mutton's liver, and will just try everything, but Sobakevich will ask one thing, and then he will eat everything, even asking for a surcharge for the same price.

Travelers meet Nozdrev in the tavern. N.V. Gogol immediately describes the portrait of the hero, without even naming him.

This is a character "of medium height, a very well-built fellow with full ruddy cheeks, with snow-white teeth and jet-black sideburns."

He was healthy and fresh, a man in full bloom. Nozdryov arrived at the tavern on the "philistine" - he lost his wagon, watch, chain - everything that was with him, at the fair, where he drank for several days in a row with officers and his son-in-law. He jokes, tells some stories all the time and constantly exaggerates and lies (his son-in-law reproaches him for this). He treats Chichikov like a brother, although he knows him very little. The interlocutor, after persuasion, goes to the estate of the landowner.

The author describes the lively and restless character of Nozdrev: he is a prominent and daring scorcher, at 35 he behaved like 18. He often cheated at cards, was fond of women (he is a widower, a pretty nanny takes care of the children). He was often beaten for cheating and other dirty tricks that he did to people for no reason. Calling everyone friends, he suddenly upset an engagement or a deal, and then he also reproached the one who stopped all acquaintance with him. Often he pulled down all the cards he had. He especially liked to lie and compose fables. The author says that this character in Rus' is eternal.

First of all, Nozdryov shows the guest the stable. N.V. It is no coincidence that Gogol draws attention to this scene - it emphasizes the similarity between the landowner and the horse. Then they look at the kennel and the mill. The landlord especially loves his dogs.

They went to an office where neither books nor papers were beaten. Only weapons hung there: daggers, guns, sabers. In addition, there were many smoking pipes. Then there was lunch, but tasteless: the chef mixed the ingredients in one heap, not caring about the compatibility and degree of readiness of the dishes. But the owner himself was indifferent to the table: he leaned on alcohol. Several wines were served. He actively poured one of them to the guests, but not to himself. Chichikov also poured it out. As a result, the drunk son-in-law went to his wife, and our heroes were left alone.

Chichikov is trying to make a deal with Nozdryov, hoping to buy dead peasants from him as well. However, such a proposal greatly puzzled the landowner. He refused to sell peasants to him until Chichikov told him his idea in full. The hero lies that he wants to get married, and the bride's parents want the groom to have more than 300 souls. A perceptive interlocutor catches him in a lie and says that Pavel Ivanovich is a big swindler. The owner scolded him, they quarreled. Chichikov spent the night with terrible thoughts: the joker and liar Nozdryov could ruin his business.

In the morning it turned out that Nozdryov himself wants to get as much profit as possible: he offers his friend to buy a horse, a mare from him, or to play for money. They end up playing chess. In this scene, the image of the landowner is fully revealed. Chichikov notices that Nozdryov is deceiving him, so he tries to leave his estate as quickly as possible. Here the owner became furious and ordered the servants to beat the guest. Pavel Ivanovich was already preparing for a fight, with the advent of the police captain, it became known that Nozdrev was on trial for beating the landowner Maksimov. Then the guest ran away and went to Sobakevich.

Chapter 5: Sobakevich

They left Nozdryov: everyone, even the horses that did not receive oats, were unhappy. Chichikov and Selifan continue their journey. Through the fault of the servant, they are embroiled in a new trouble - their wagon is mated with someone else's. While the coachmen are correcting an unpleasant situation, Chichikov admires a young girl with golden hair, who is sitting in a wagon with her mother. "Glorious grandmother," says main character. But even Chichikov's thoughts about the girl "with a prudently chilled character" are connected with money. In his opinion, if she were rich (200 thousand dowry), she would be the happiness of a “decent person”. He also thought that while the girl is perfect, because anything can be made out of her. But the aunts and gossips a year after the boarding school will fill her head with all sorts of "women", and all immediacy will turn into the stiffness and puffiness of a secular young lady in search of a profitable groom. She will lie all her life and say only what is supposed to be, and no more than she should. But the girl had already left, and our hero went about his business.

In this chapter, Chichikov makes a visit to the landowner Sobakevich. His estate was prosperous, strong, large, like the hero. There was no beauty, but there was practicality and reliability. Everything was "stubborn, without shaking, in some kind of strong and clumsy order." The landowner himself reminded Chichikov in his appearance of a bear, "he was even called Mikhailo Semyonovich." Even his suit was the color of bear hair. His complexion shone with red-hot copper. Facial features were large, sharp, without small details. The legs are huge, the gait is clubfoot. He himself was silent, gloomy, clumsy.

The whole room was a reflection of the owner of the estate. The bellied walnut dressing table resembled a bear, as did the rest of the furniture. Portraits of “healthy and strong people” hung on the walls, even pets (a strong and fat thrush in a cage) looked like Sobakevich. His wife was tall, her head resembled a cucumber, and her author compared it to a palm tree.

At dinner, the heroes had time to discuss all the officials, each of whom was scolded by the landowner either as a fool or as a robber. The whole city, in his opinion, was a den of Christ-sellers and swindlers, one prosecutor was nothing, although “yes, he is a pig,” concluded the owner of the house. They ate hearty and dense: lamb side, stuffed turkey, cheesecakes. After that, the guest felt an unprecedented heaviness.

After the hostess leaves, Chichikov floridly tells him about his "subject": Sobakevich was not embarrassed by such an offer, he bargained with the hero for a long time, trying to get as much benefit as possible. He even praised the quality of the souls as if it mattered. His souls were excellent workers: Mikheev made excellent spring carriages, Stepan Cork had extraordinary strength, Milushkin made stoves, and Telyatnikov made high-quality boots. Sorokoplekhin even brought 500 rubles in dues.

After fierce bargaining and disputes, the deal was completed, but Chichikov had never been so difficult: Sobakevich was a real fist who squeezed his benefit out of everything he saw. Suddenly, the silent man became a great orator when it came to money. He was smart, and even hinted to the petitioner that his interest was not entirely legitimate. As a result, the landowner forces him to leave a deposit of 25 rubles and writes a receipt.

At dinner, Chichikov learned about Plyushkin, and that his souls were dying in batches because of his greed. He decided to go there.

The author talks about the strength and accuracy of the Russian word: it reflects the essence so accurately that you cannot distort it with any effort. The word will croak and reveal the essence to the world, as if the person with whom he was awarded would not try to ruin him.

Chapter 6: Plushkin

On the way to another landowner - Plyushkin - Chichikov sadly recalls his youth. He notes that now he looks at the world with a "chilled" look. Previously, everything was interesting to him, but now nothing attracts his attention, everything is tired.

Gradually he approaches his destination. Everything in the estate reflects the essence of the owner: an old abandoned garden, dilapidated and rotten buildings, a terrible road. People walked in rags, the roofs of the houses resembled a sieve, from the wall - the ribs of the deceased. There was no glass even on some of the windows of the old and ugly manor house, huge and unkempt. There was mold, rust, dirt everywhere.

The area was definitely dead: there were no people anywhere. Having met the housekeeper, who rudely scolded the peasant, the guest went into the house. There he met only a pile of rubbish that had not been removed for a hundred years. Even expensive things deteriorated under a layer of dust. The stupid pile of pictures did not please, but confused the eyes. Along with the sole of the boot and the broken shovel were exquisite and beautiful things.

From the middle of the ceiling hung a chandelier in a linen bag, the dust made it look like a silk cocoon in which a worm sits.

The housekeeper came to the guest, but she turned out to be a gentleman, it was just not easy to recognize him under rags. This is an old man with a protruding chin, nimble eyes, reminiscent of mice. Plyushkin was distinguished by rare greed: he picked up all the rubbish he found from the road and saved it in the room. Even from the peasants, he managed to steal buckets or something else. At the same time, there was so much rotting and superfluous goodness in his barns that it would have been enough for two such estates until the end of time.

The reader will learn the life story of this hero. We are shown the reason why Plyushkin launched his business in such a way. The landowner was a hospitable and excellent businessman, an intelligent and well-mannered conversationalist, all the neighbors were his welcome guests, and the family was a full bowl. But suddenly he was completely alone when he lost his beloved wife. A mental disorder forced him to quarrel with his children: two daughters and a son. The eldest daughter Alexandra ran away with an officer and got married, and her father cursed her. Because of this, over time, he became meaner, sloppier, more suspicious. The son also deceived expectations: instead of service, he chose military affairs, and the old man did not even give him money for uniforms. The youngest daughter soon died. And so Plyushkin became a miser and a keeper of useless wealth. Somehow the son lost at cards, and his father finally cursed him. The daughter forgave when she brought her grandchildren, but did not give a single gift.

Plyushkin did not welcome the guest, justifying himself that there was no hay, no food, and in general only losses. The 70-year-old man, however, was very happy with Chichikov's proposal. He, of course, suspected that the visitor was stupid to do such things, but he could not resist the benefit. He had 120 dead peasants.

He called Proshka, and it turned out that all the peasants had the same boots, which everyone who came to the master put on and took off in the hallway. Even in the cold, they walked barefoot to the house. The owner ordered to serve Easter cake, which was brought by his daughter. He had already become a cracker and spoiled on top, but the landowner believed that he would be suitable for tea. He even ordered mold crumbs not to be thrown away, but to be given to the hens. The owner also offered a liquor, from which he fished out the dirt with his own hands. But Chichikov refused, and the owner liked it very much.

However, his eyes "have not gone out yet." Remembering his school friend, to whom he wanted to entrust a trip to the city on the Chichikov case, his face lit up with sincere feeling. But after that it faded and became vulgar again. He constantly accused the servants of theft and extravagance, although no one stole anything.

As a result, Plyushkin also sold runaway peasants to the guest, desperately bargaining with him. After Chichikov made his deal with the landowner, he continued on his way. And the owner of the house thought that it would be good to leave such a good man watch.

Chichikov returned to the city in a good mood because of a good deal.

Chapter 7: Deal

The author in a lyrical digression compares the two writers. One describes only sublime and heroic characters, writes what people like to read. Everyone loves him, everyone respects him, glory and honor are at his feet, and they equate him almost with God. But unfortunate is the other who writes what is really there. The characters of his heroes are mundane, boring, miserable, like everyday life. The public does not recognize him, and he is like a bachelor who has neither a home nor a family. He refers himself to the second category and invites us to see what his hero does.

He woke up and began to decorate the peasants, imagining the story of their whole life. It turned out that most of the peasants, judging by the notes of Sobakevich, did not die a natural death, but at work. He made up stories about Plyushkin's peasants: where did they run away to? What happened to them? Someone is in prison, and someone went to barge haulers, in a word, an unenviable fate.

In this part of the poem, our hero goes to the civil ward. At the entrance, Chichikov meets the soft-spoken Manilov, who accompanies him into the room. It's dirty and unkempt in there.

Themis just what it is, in a negligee and a bathrobe received guests

The hero quickly wanted to complete his work, but curious officials deliberately detained him. Chichikov is sent to one, then to another. Everyone wants to get a reward, and our hero understands all the hints. In the chairman's office, he meets Sobakevich. He willingly harms and says that all the sold peasants are alive. Chichikov also composes to justify the purchase. All the details of his deals are carefully discussed, the hero himself is forced to stay one more day - to celebrate.

After the “official part”, the heroes go to the police chief (who takes bribes from merchants with excellent delicacies), where they drink for the new Kherson landowner, and even try to marry him. The hero got so drunk that upon arrival home he ordered to count the new peasants and line them up. The servants also got drunk.

Chapter 8: Governor's Ball

Chichikov became famous throughout the province, his purchases "became the subject of conversation." Both officials and ladies talk about him. Everyone is discussing whether he will be able to settle in Kherson, whether his peasants will work in good conscience, and so on.

Here the author describes the ladies of the city, but it is difficult for him: timidity interferes. They are presentable, courteous and experts in etiquette, but sometimes they quarrel over trifles, and then their husbands also mischief each other. Outwardly, they are richly dressed, have a chic exit. Their morality is valued, for scandals they scourge delinquent persons without pity. But quiet romances and intrigues get away with it. They spoke in a mixture of French and Russian, half of the words were completely thrown out of speech in order to ennoble it. These ladies were so carried away by the guest that on the eve of the evening they bought up all the expensive fabrics. The hero is even sent an unsigned love letter. At the ball, he was in the spotlight - everyone was interested in him, they took him for a millionaire. Everywhere he was called, praised, hugged, felt. Everyone wanted to be his friend. The ladies froze in anxious expectation, whom he would prefer. The hall was stuffy with perfume and crowded with dresses. He himself could not figure out who wrote to him. All the ladies surrounded him, attacked him with conversations and hints, he completely lost his head, but suddenly the governor's wife called out to him, and he saw her blond daughter. Soon he became interested in this sixteen-year-old girl, whom he met once, leaving Nozdryov. He even felt the awkwardness of youth, timidity, when he began to follow her. Fantasy hit him in the head, and he already wanted to marry the girl.

Noticing this, the ladies stopped paying attention to him. Moreover, indignation spread throughout the hall, and the women were offended and opposed to Chichikov and his passion. Sharp remarks and gossip instantly destroyed the girl's reputation. However, everyone around still believed that he bought the living peasants, that he was the owner of a large estate. The drunken Nozdryov accidentally reveals the secret of Chichikov. At the ball, he asks the hero about the dead peasants. Society is in disarray, and an upset Chichikov soon leaves the secular party. So far, the gossip and the liar have not been believed, but rumors have spread throughout the city.

At the end of the chapter, Chichikov stigmatizes the balls, saying that they were invented for women to pull on themselves a thousand rubles of dues or bribes from their husbands. And all in order to throw dust in the eyes of the rest of the women. Roughly, he reprimanded the society dandies, who only talk in vain. Then he attacked Nozdryov with his drunken frankness.

But at that very time, while our hero was awake and thinking, Korobochka arrived in the city, fearing that she had cheapened the sale of souls, and wanting to find out how much this product is now in the city.

Chapter 9: The collapse of the scam

In the morning, one noble person rushed at all times to her friend - she was carrying news. Two ladies - Anna Grigorievna and Sofia Ivanovna - gossip about the mysterious millionaire Chichikov. Each of them expresses their opinion, mentioning in the dialogue the story that Korobochka told. The landowner complained that Chichikov deceived her, treated her rudely, almost broke the gate. By force of arms, he demanded that his will be done. Moreover, she talked about the fact that he was buying dead souls (describing the conversations of gossips, the author shows their vanity and stupidity: they are only interested in outfits and rumors, and they distort and exaggerate every story. Each wanted to stigmatize everyone for what they fell in love with Chichikov, who turned out to be a scoundrel).

Soon the whole city began to discuss Chichikov again, but not as a millionaire, but as a real criminal. There were even rumors about his intentions to kidnap the provincial daughter. The girl was immediately branded an immoral and ugly mannered doll. The people were divided into two parties: the ladies were talking about the kidnapping and that Nozdryov was involved. The men believed that he was either a swindler or an official sent for a secret check. An investigation began: but neither Chichikov's servants, nor Sobakevich and Manilov reported anything interesting.

As a result, the hero was not allowed into any house, he was no longer invited to dinners, to balls. The whole company gathered at the chief of police to resolve the issue with Chichikov. The matter was complicated by the fact that a new governor-general was appointed in the region, and that, judging by the papers sent, a counterfeiter and a fugitive robber were hiding in their city. Maybe Pavel Ivanovich is not the one he claims to be?

Chapter 10: Consequence

Having gathered at the “benefactor of the city”, the residents try to guess what Chichikov is. Everyone was afraid that this was an auditor, and the prospect of checking made the gentlemen lose weight. Everyone reproached each other for being dishonest and for making life easier for them. As a result, a version arose that Chichikov was Captain Kopeikin.

This chapter presents the story of Captain Kopeikin. This is a story about a poor honest military man who became a victim of injustice. He returned from the battles disabled, and Captain Kopeikin did not have enough money either for housing or for food. He decided to seek help from the authorities. After many unsuccessful attempts to talk to the general, he went directly to him in the waiting room. Kopeikin was promised to rectify the situation, but when the tsar arrives. He refused to leave, he was taken out by force. After that, no one saw him, but a gang of robbers appeared in the forests under his leadership. But here's the bad luck: the hero has neither an arm nor a leg, but Chichikov is whole.

Then they thought that the guest looked like Napoleon, each thought to himself that this might be true. In those days, people believed that Bonaparte was the embodiment of an overseas monster, the real Antichrist. But this version did not take root. Then we went to Nozdryov. The author is surprised that everyone knows that he is a liar, but at the first opportunity they went to him. He compares the officials of the city with a man who avoided and was afraid of doctors all his life, but was willingly treated by a healer who heals with spitting and screaming.

Nozdryov himself did not leave the house for 4 days and chose seclusion in order to choose a good card, which he would continue to rely on in games. He planned to sit like this for 2 weeks, but agreed to an invitation in anticipation of a good party.

The landowner confused fellow citizens even more. He made up a fiction that Chichikov studied with him at the same school, that he was a counterfeiter, that he really needed to steal the governor's daughter. He admitted that he helped him, and even gave the exact details of a non-existent adventure out of a simple desire to attract everyone's attention. Convinced that he was lying, the inhabitants of the city became even more confused. The prosecutor even died from the strain.

All this time, Chichikov was sick with flux and suffered from a sore throat. As soon as he recovered, he, surprised that no one visited him, went to his friends, but he was either not received, or received so strangely that he began to fear for their mental health.

Nozdryov came to him and told him that everyone in the city considered him a counterfeiter, and only the landowner himself defended his friend. Then he reproached him for the idea of ​​kidnapping the governor's daughter, offered to help him for lending him 3,000 rubles. Chichikov got frightened, sent the guest out, and decided to leave the next morning.

Chapter 11: Chichikov's Flight

Chichikov was delayed and left only in the evening, as the horses had to be shod. On the way, he came across the prosecutor's funeral. Having missed the procession, he left the city.

The author talks about Rus': although it cannot boast of bright attire, beautiful cities, contentment and wealth, it has a special beauty of empty and huge fields, colorless and wild forests. Then he lovingly describes the road, which more than once helped him to forget his worries. The beauty of her night, her loneliness and the endless string of changing landscapes pleases the eye. Then he spoke about his hero. Ladies will not like Chichikov, the author is sure. He is fat and not at all perfect, and the public does not forgive the hero for this. But he promises to depict such impeccably beautiful Slavs, man and woman, that they will arouse pride in the reader for the people, but that will be later. In the meantime, it is necessary to describe the scoundrel, the writer concluded. He describes to us the childhood of his hero.

Chichikov was from a poor noble family. I was born like no other.

At the beginning, life looked at him somehow sourly and uncomfortably, through some kind of cloudy, snow-covered window: no friend, no comrade in childhood!

Mother died early. A sick and strict father brought up reluctantly, tore at the ears. Sending the child to school, he ordered him to obey his superiors, to try to please future bosses in everything, to be careful with money and not to make friends. A penny is man's only friend.

Chichikov is already in academic years he knew how to find ways to get money: he didn’t treat him, but he was treated, and he hid delicacies and sold them. He also sold pies, performed with a trained mouse, and made wax figurines. He had no abilities in the sciences, but he pleased his teachers so much that he studied well. He graduated from school brilliantly, because his mentor valued not intelligence, but good manners. But then he repented of his attitude towards Pavel: when the teacher became impoverished and found himself in poverty, former students collected money for him. And only Pavel gave very little, barely allowing himself to be persuaded.

After school, he manages to get into the Treasury. His father, having gone to another world, left him quite a bit of money. To move up the career ladder, Chichikov often deceived other people. By cunning, the hero tried to achieve his goals. For example, with flattery and antics, he achieved the patronage of the boss, and then forgot the way to his house and the desire to marry his ugly daughter. Nevertheless, he was caught for taking bribes in a new place, but he did not give up and ended up in customs. There he started a new scam related to smuggling, but an accomplice wrote a denunciation against him without sharing a woman with him. Having lost almost all the loot, he again did not lose heart. The hero went to serve, and in a new place he got the idea to put non-existent peasants in the board of trustees, where they would give 200 rubles for each. According to the audit, they were all considered alive, and after that he already expected to leave with the money. There Pavel Ivanovich ended up in the city.

The author says that his hero is not even a scoundrel, but an "acquirer", and his shortcoming is rooted in this. However, the reason for the unattractiveness of Chichikov is that the author showed him like that. If the reader had personally met him, he would have formed a different opinion, and Pavel Ivanovich would have seemed a remarkable person. The writer is now afraid that critics will be unfair to him, he is especially afraid of patriots who usually live thinking only about their own benefit, but raise a cry when they hear that something is not right around. The author reproached the reader that he would begin to look for signs of Chichikov in others, but not in himself, that he would only laugh at the book, but would not change anything in himself.

The last lines are devoted to fast driving: the daring Russian loves it. The author compares the troika made by our master with Rus, lovingly describes its movement. That is what other countries are letting go.

Chapter first

"A rather beautiful spring small britzka, in which bachelors ride, drove through the gates of the hotel in the provincial city of NN." In the britzka sat a gentleman of pleasant appearance, not too fat, but not too thin, not handsome, but not bad-looking, one cannot say that he was old, but he was not too young either. The carriage drove up to the hotel. It was a very long two-story building, with the bottom floor unplastered and the top one painted in eternal yellow. Downstairs there were benches, in one of the windows there was a sbitennik with a samovar made of red copper. The guest was greeted and led to show him "peace", usual for hotels of this kind, "where for two rubles a day, travelers get ... a room with cockroaches peeking out from everywhere like prunes ..." Following the master, his servants appear - the coachman Selifan , a short man in a sheepskin coat, and the footman Petrushka, a fellow about thirty, with somewhat large lips and nose.

During dinner, the guest asks the tavern servant various questions, starting with who previously owned this tavern, and whether the new owner is a big swindler, ending with details of a different kind. He asked the servant in detail about who was the chairman of the chamber in the city, who was the prosecutor, did not miss a single person of any importance, and was also interested in the local landowners. The attention of the visitor did not escape the questions concerning the state of affairs in the region: were there any diseases, epidemics and other disasters. After dinner, at the request of the tavern servant, the gentleman wrote his name and rank on a piece of paper to notify the police: "Collegiate Councilor Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov." Pavel Ivanovich himself went to inspect the county town and was satisfied, since it was in no way inferior to other provincial towns. The same establishments as everywhere else, the same shops, the same park with thin trees, which were still poorly accepted, but about which the local newspaper wrote that "our city was adorned with a garden of branchy trees." Chichikov asked the guard in detail about the best way to get to the cathedral, to the offices, to the governor. Then he returned to his hotel room and, after having supper, went to bed.

The next day, Pavel Ivanovich went to pay visits to city officials: the governor, vice-governor, chairman of the chamber, police chief and other authorities. He paid a visit even to the inspector of the medical board and the city architect. I thought for a long time who else would pay my respects, but there were no more significant persons in the city. And everywhere Chichikov behaved very skillfully, he was able to flatter everyone very subtly, which resulted in an invitation from each official to a shorter acquaintance at home. The collegiate adviser avoided talking much about himself and was content with general phrases.

Chapter Two

After spending more than a week in the city, Pavel Ivanovich finally decided to pay visits to Manilov and Sobakevich. As soon as Chichikov left the city, accompanied by Selifan and Petrushka, the usual picture appeared: bumps, bad roads, burnt pine trunks, village houses covered with gray roofs, yawning peasants, women with fat faces, and so on.

Manilov, inviting Chichikov to his place, informed him that his village was fifteen versts from the city, but that a sixteenth verst had already passed, and there was no village. Pavel Ivanovich was a quick-witted man, and he remembered that if you are invited to a house fifteen miles away, it means that you will have to travel all thirty.

But here is the village of Manilovka. Few guests could she lure to her. The master's house stood to the south, open to all winds; the hill on which he stood was covered with turf. Two or three flowerbeds with acacia, five or six thin birches, a wooden arbor and a pond completed this picture. Chichikov began to count and counted more than two hundred peasant huts. On the porch of the manor house, its owner had long been standing and, putting his hand to his eyes, tried to make out the man driving up in the carriage. As the chaise approached, Manilov's face changed: his eyes became more cheerful, and his smile became wider. He was very glad to see Chichikov and took him to him.

What kind of person was Manilov? It is difficult to characterize it. He was, as they say, neither one nor the other - neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan. Manilov was a pleasant man, but too much sugar was added to this pleasantness. When the conversation with him was just beginning, at first the interlocutor thought: "What a pleasant and kind person!", but after a minute I wanted to say: "The devil knows what it is!" Manilov did not take care of the house, he also did not take care of the household, he never even went to the fields. For the most part, he thought, pondered. About what? - no one knows. When the clerk came to him with proposals for housekeeping, saying that it would be necessary to do this and that, Manilov usually answered: "Yes, not bad." If a peasant came to the master and asked to leave in order to earn quitrent, then Manilov immediately let him go. It never even occurred to him that the peasant was going to drink. Sometimes he came up with different projects, for example, he dreamed of building a stone bridge across the pond, on which there would be shops, merchants would sit in the shops and sell various goods. He had beautiful furniture in the house, but two armchairs were not upholstered in silk, and the owner had been telling guests for two years that they were not finished. There was no furniture in one room at all. On the table next to the dandy one stood a lame and greasy candlestick, but no one noticed this. Manilov was very pleased with his wife, because she was "to match" him. In the course of a fairly long life together, the spouses both did nothing but imprint long kisses on each other. Many questions could arise from a sane guest: why is the pantry empty and so much and stupidly cooked in the kitchen? Why does the housekeeper steal and the servants are always drunk and unclean? Why is the mourner sleeping or frankly lounging? But these are all questions of a low quality, and the mistress of the house is well brought up and will never stoop to them. At dinner, Manilov and the guest spoke compliments to each other, as well as various pleasant things about city officials. Manilov's children, Alkid and Themistoclus, demonstrated their knowledge of geography.

After dinner, a conversation took place directly about the case. Pavel Ivanovich informs Manilov that he wants to buy souls from him, which, according to the latest revision tale, are listed as alive, but in fact have long since died. Manilov is at a loss, but Chichikov manages to persuade him into a deal. Since the owner is a person who tries to be pleasant, he takes upon himself the execution of the purchase fortress. To register the bill of sale, Chichikov and Manilov agree to meet in the city, and Pavel Ivanovich finally leaves this house. Manilov sits down in an armchair and, smoking his pipe, ponders the events of today, rejoices that fate has brought him together with such a pleasant person. But Chichikov's strange request to sell him dead souls interrupted his previous dreams. Thoughts about this request did not boil in his head, and therefore he sat on the porch for a long time and smoked a pipe until dinner.

Chapter Three

Chichikov, meanwhile, was driving along the high road, hoping that Selifan would soon bring him to Sobakevich's estate. Selifan was drunk and, therefore, did not follow the road. The first drops dripped from the sky, and soon a real long torrential rain charged. Chichikov's chaise had completely lost its way, it was getting dark, and it was no longer clear what to do, when a dog barking was heard. Soon Selifan was already knocking on the gate of the house of a certain landowner, who let them spend the night.

From the inside, the rooms of the landowner's house were pasted over with old wallpaper, pictures with some birds and huge mirrors hung on the walls. For each such mirror, either an old deck of cards, or a stocking, or a letter was stuffed. The hostess turned out to be an elderly woman, one of those landowning mothers who are constantly crying about crop failures and lack of money, while they themselves are gradually putting aside money in bundles and bags.

Chichikov stays overnight. Waking up, he looks out the window at the landowner's household and the village in which he found himself. The window overlooks the chicken coop and the fence. Behind the fence are spacious beds with vegetables. All plantings in the garden are thought out, in some places several apple trees grow to protect against birds, stuffed animals with outstretched arms are poked from them, on one of these scarecrows was the cap of the hostess herself. Appearance peasant houses showed "the contentment of their inhabitants." The boarding on the roofs was new everywhere, nowhere was the rickety gate to be seen, and here and there Chichikov saw a new spare cart parked.

Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka (that was the name of the landowner) invited him to have breakfast. With her, Chichikov behaved much more freely in conversation. He stated his request regarding the purchase of dead souls, but he soon regretted it, since his request aroused the bewilderment of the hostess. Then Korobochka began to offer, in addition to dead souls, hemp, flax, and so on, down to bird feathers. Finally, an agreement was reached, but the old woman was always afraid that she had sold too cheap. For her, dead souls turned out to be the same commodity as everything produced on the farm. Then Chichikov was fed with pies, donuts and shanezhki, and a promise was taken from him to buy pork fat and bird feathers in the fall. Pavel Ivanovich hurried to leave this house - Nastasya Petrovna was very difficult in conversation. The landowner gave him a girl to accompany him, and she showed him how to get out onto the high road. Having released the girl, Chichikov decided to stop by a tavern that stood in the way.

Chapter Four

Just like the hotel, it was an ordinary tavern for all county roads. The traveler was served a traditional pig with horseradish, and, as usual, the guest asked the hostess about everything in the world - from how long she had been running the tavern to questions about the condition of the landowners living nearby. During a conversation with the hostess, the sound of the wheels of the approaching carriage was heard. Two men came out of it: blond, tall, and, shorter than him, dark-haired. At first, a blond-haired man appeared in the tavern, followed by him, taking off his cap, his companion. He was a fellow of medium height, very not badly built, with full ruddy cheeks, teeth as white as snow, whiskers as black as pitch, and all fresh as blood and milk. Chichikov recognized in him his new acquaintance Nozdryov.

The type of this person is probably known to everyone. People of this kind are known at school as good comrades, but at the same time they are often beaten. Their face is clean, open, you will not have time to get to know each other, after a while they say “you” to you. Friendship will be made, it would seem, forever, but it happens that after a while they fight with a new friend at a feast. They are always talkers, revelers, scorchers and, for all that, desperate liars.

By the age of thirty, life had not changed Nozdryov at all, he remained the same as he was at eighteen and at twenty. Marriage did not affect him in any way, especially since the wife soon went to the other world, leaving her husband two children who he did not need at all. Nozdryov had a passion for the card game, but, being dishonest and dishonest in the game, he often brought his partners to assault, leaving two sideburns with one, liquid. However, after a while he met with people who beat him, as if nothing had happened. And his friends, oddly enough, also behaved as if nothing had happened. Nozdryov was a historical man; he was everywhere and always got into history. It was impossible for anything to get along with him on a short footing, and even more so to open his soul - he would shit into it, and compose such a fable about a person who trusted him that it would be difficult to prove the opposite. After some time, he took the same person at a friendly meeting by the buttonhole and said: "After all, you are such a scoundrel, you will never come to me." Another passion of Nozdryov was the exchange - anything became its subject, from a horse to the smallest things. Nozdryov invites Chichikov to his village, and he agrees. While waiting for dinner, Nozdryov, accompanied by his son-in-law, arranges a tour of the village for his guest, while boasting to everyone right and left. His extraordinary stallion, for which he allegedly paid ten thousand, is not worth even a thousand, the field that completes his possessions turns out to be a swamp, and for some reason the inscription "Master Savely Sibiryakov" is on the Turkish dagger, which the guests are looking at while waiting for dinner. Lunch leaves much to be desired - something was not cooked, but something was burnt. The cook, apparently, was guided by inspiration and put the first thing that came to hand. There was nothing to say about wine - from the mountain ash it smelled of fuselage, and Madeira turned out to be diluted with rum.

After dinner, Chichikov nevertheless decided to present to Nozdryov a request for the purchase of dead souls. It ended with Chichikov and Nozdryov completely quarreling, after which the guest went to bed. He slept horribly, waking up and meeting the owner the next morning was just as unpleasant. Chichikov was already scolding himself for having trusted Nozdryov. Now Pavel Ivanovich was offered to play checkers for dead souls: in case of winning, Chichikov would have got the souls for free. The game of checkers was accompanied by Nozdrev's cheating and almost ended in a fight. Fate saved Chichikov from such a turn of events - a police captain came to Nozdrev to inform the brawler that he was on trial until the end of the investigation, because he insulted the landowner Maksimov while drunk. Chichikov, without waiting for the end of the conversation, ran out onto the porch and ordered Selifan to drive the horses at full speed.

Chapter Five

Thinking about everything that had happened, Chichikov rode in his carriage along the road. A collision with another carriage jolted him a little - in it sat a lovely young girl with an elderly woman accompanying her. After they parted, Chichikov thought for a long time about the stranger he met. At last the village of Sobakevich appeared. The traveler's thoughts turned to their constant subject.

The village was quite large, it was surrounded by two forests: pine and birch. In the middle one could see the master's house: wooden, with a mezzanine, a red roof and gray, one might even say wild, walls. It was evident that during its construction the taste of the architect was constantly struggling with the taste of the owner. The architect wanted beauty and symmetry, and the owner wanted convenience. On one side, the windows were boarded up, and instead of them, one window was checked, apparently needed for a closet. The pediment did not fall in the middle of the house, since the owner ordered to remove one column, of which there were not four, but three. In everything one could feel the efforts of the owner about the strength of his buildings. Very strong logs were used for stables, sheds and kitchens, peasant huts were also cut down firmly, firmly and very carefully. Even the well was lined with very strong oak. Driving up to the porch, Chichikov noticed faces looking out the window. The footman went out to meet him.

When looking at Sobakevich, it immediately suggested: a bear! perfect bear! And indeed, his appearance was similar to that of a bear. A big, strong man, he always stepped at random, because of which he constantly stepped on someone's feet. Even his tailcoat was bear-colored. To top it off, the owner's name was Mikhail Semenovich. He almost did not turn his neck, he held his head down rather than up, and rarely looked at his interlocutor, and if he managed to do this, then his eyes fell on the corner of the stove or at the door. Since Sobakevich himself was a healthy and strong man, he wanted to be surrounded by the same strong objects. His furniture was heavy and pot-bellied, and portraits of strong, healthy men hung on the walls. Even the thrush in the cage looked very much like Sobakevich. In a word, it seemed that every object in the house said: "And I also look like Sobakevich."

Before dinner, Chichikov tried to strike up a conversation by talking flatteringly about the local officials. Sobakevich answered that "these are all swindlers. The whole city is like that: a swindler sits on a swindler and drives a swindler." By chance, Chichikov learns about Sobakevich's neighbor - a certain Plyushkin, who has eight hundred peasants who are dying like flies.

After a hearty and plentiful dinner, Sobakevich and Chichikov rest. Chichikov decides to state his request for the purchase of dead souls. Sobakevich is not surprised at anything and attentively listens to his guest, who began the conversation from afar, gradually leading to the subject of the conversation. Sobakevich understands that Chichikov needs dead souls for something, so the bargaining begins with a fabulous price - one hundred rubles apiece. Mikhailo Semenovich talks about the virtues of the dead peasants as if the peasants were alive. Chichikov is at a loss: what kind of conversation can there be about the merits of dead peasants? In the end, they agreed on two rubles and a half for one soul. Sobakevich receives a deposit, he and Chichikov agree to meet in the city to make a deal, and Pavel Ivanovich leaves. Having reached the end of the village, Chichikov called a peasant and asked how to get to Plyushkin, who feeds people poorly (it was impossible to ask otherwise, because the peasant did not know the name of the neighboring master). "Ah, patched, patched!" cried the peasant, and pointed the way.

Chapter six

Chichikov grinned all the way, recalling Plyushkin's characterization, and soon he himself did not notice how he drove into a vast village, with many huts and streets. The push made by the log pavement brought him back to reality. These logs looked like piano keys - they either went up or went down. A rider who did not protect himself or, like Chichikov, did not pay attention to this feature of the pavement, risked either a bump on his forehead or a bruise, and even worse, biting off the tip of his own tongue. The traveler noticed on all the buildings the imprint of some special dilapidation: the logs were old, many roofs pierced through like a sieve, while others generally remained only with a ridge at the top and logs that looked like ribs. The windows were either without glass at all, or plugged up with a rag or zipun; in other huts, if there were balconies under the roofs, they had long since turned black. Huge stacks of bread stretched between the huts, neglected, the color of old brick, in places overgrown with shrubs and other rubbish. Behind these treasures and huts, two churches were visible, also neglected and dilapidated. In one place the huts ended, and some kind of wasteland fenced with a dilapidated fence began. On it, the manor house looked like a decrepit invalid. This house was long, in places two stories, in places one; peeling, having seen a lot of bad weather. All the windows were either shuttered tightly or completely boarded up, and only two of them were open. But they, too, were weak-sighted: a blue triangle made from sugar paper was glued to one of the windows. This picture was enlivened only by a wild and magnificent garden in its desolation. When Chichikov drove up to the master's house, he saw that the picture was even sadder up close. The wooden gates and the fence were already covered with green mold. By the nature of the buildings, it was clear that once the economy was carried out here extensively and thoughtfully, but now everything around was empty, and nothing revived the picture of general desolation. The whole movement consisted of a peasant who arrived on a cart. Pavel Ivanovich noticed some figure in a completely incomprehensible attire, which immediately began to argue with the peasant. Chichikov tried for a long time to determine what gender this figure was - a man or a woman. This creature was dressed in something similar to a woman's hood, on the head - a cap worn by yard women. Chichikov was embarrassed only by the hoarse voice, which could not belong to a woman. The creature scolded the arriving man last words; He had a bunch of keys on his belt. By these two signs, Chichikov decided that the housekeeper was in front of him, and decided to examine her more closely. The figure, in turn, very closely examined the visitor. It was evident that the arrival of a guest here is a curiosity. The man examined Chichikov attentively, then his gaze shifted to Petrushka and Selifan, and even the horse was not left unattended.

It turned out that this creature, either a woman or a man, is the local gentleman. Chichikov was dumbfounded. The face of Chichikov's interlocutor was similar to the faces of many old men, and only small eyes were constantly running in the hope of finding something, but the outfit was out of the ordinary: the dressing gown was completely greasy, cotton paper crawled out of it in tatters. Around the neck of the landowner was tied something between a stocking and an underbelly. If Pavel Ivanovich met him somewhere near the church, he would certainly give him alms. But after all, it was not a beggar standing in front of Chichikov, but a gentleman who had a thousand souls, and hardly anyone else would have had such huge stocks of provisions, so much goodness, utensils that had never been used, as Plyushkin had. All this would be enough for two estates, even such huge ones as this. All this seemed to Plyushkin not enough - every day he walked the streets of his village, collecting various little things, from a nail to a feather, and putting them in a pile in his room.

But there was a time when the estate flourished! Plyushkin had a nice family: a wife, two daughters, a son. The son had a French teacher, the daughters had a governess. The house was famous for its hospitality, and friends came to the owner with pleasure to dine, listen to clever speeches and learn how to manage the household. But the good mistress died, and part of the keys, respectively, and worries passed to the head of the family. He became more restless, more suspicious and meaner, like all widowers. He could not rely on his eldest daughter Alexandra Stepanovna, and for good reason: she soon married secretly with the staff captain and ran away with him, knowing that her father did not like officers. Her father cursed her, but did not pursue her. Madame, who went after her daughters, was fired because she was not sinless in the abduction of the eldest, the French teacher was also released. The son was determined to serve in the regiment, not having received a penny from his father for uniforms. The youngest daughter died, and Plyushkin's lonely life gave nourishment to stinginess. Plyushkin became more and more intractable in relations with the bidders who bargained and bargained with him, and even abandoned this business. Hay and bread rotted in barns, it was scary to touch the matter - it turned into dust, flour in the cellars had long ago become stone. But the tribute remained the same! And everything brought in became "rotten and a hole," and Plyushkin himself gradually turned into a "hole in humanity." Once the eldest daughter came with her grandchildren, hoping to get something, but he did not give her a penny. The son had already lost at cards for a long time, he asked his father for money, but he also refused him. More and more Plyushkin turned to his jars, carnations and feathers, forgetting how much good he had in the pantries, but remembering that he had a decanter with unfinished liquor in his closet, and he had to make a mark on it so that no one would secretly pour the liquor. drank.

For some time Chichikov did not know what reason to come up with for his arrival. Then he said that he had heard a lot about Plyushkin's ability to manage the estate in austerity, so he decided to call on him, get to know him better and pay his respects. The landowner said in response to questions from Pavel Ivanovich that he had one hundred and twenty dead souls. In response to Chichikov's offer to buy them, Plyushkin thought that the guest was obviously stupid, but he could not hide his joy and even ordered the samovar to be put on. Chichikov received a list of one hundred and twenty dead souls and agreed to make a bill of sale. Plyushkin complained about the presence of seventy runaways, which Chichikov also bought at thirty-two kopecks a head. He hid the money he received in one of the many drawers. From the fly-free liqueur and the gingerbread that Alexandra Stepanovna once brought, Chichikov refused and hurried to the hotel. There he fell asleep with the sleep of a happy man who knew neither hemorrhoids nor fleas.

Chapter Seven

The next day Chichikov woke up in an excellent mood, prepared all the lists of peasants for making a bill of sale, and went to the chamber, where Manilov and Sobakevich were already waiting for him. All were arranged Required documents, and the chairman of the chamber signed the bill of sale for Plyushkin, whom he asked in a letter to be his chargé d'affaires. To the questions of the chairman and officials of the chamber, what next the newly-minted landowner was going to do with the purchased peasants, Chichikov replied that they were determined to be sent to the Kherson province. The purchase had to be noted, and in the next room, the guests were already waiting for a decently laid table with wines and snacks, from which a huge sturgeon stood out. Sobakevich immediately joined this work of culinary art and left nothing of it. Toasts followed one after another, one of them was for the future wife of the newly-minted Kherson landowner. This toast tore a pleasant smile from Pavel Ivanovich's lips. For a long time the guests paid compliments to the pleasant person in all respects and persuaded him to stay in the city for at least two weeks. The result of a plentiful feast was that Chichikov arrived at the hotel in a completely exhausted state, being in his thoughts already a Kherson landowner. Everyone went to bed: both Selifan and Petrushka, raising their snores of unprecedented density, and Chichikov, who answered them from the room with a thin nasal whistle.

Chapter Eight

Chichikov's purchases became the number one subject of all conversations taking place in the city. Everyone talked about the fact that it was rather difficult to take such a number of peasants overnight to the lands in Kherson, and gave their advice on preventing possible riots. To this, Chichikov replied that the peasants he had bought were of a calm disposition, and an escort would not be needed to escort them to new lands. All these conversations, however, benefited Pavel Ivanovich, since it was believed that he was a millionaire, and the inhabitants of the city, who had fallen in love with Chichikov even before all these rumors, after rumors of millions, fell in love with him even more. The ladies were especially zealous. Merchants were surprised to find that some of the fabrics they brought to the city and were not sold due to the high price were sold like hot cakes. An anonymous letter with a declaration of love and amorous poems arrived at the hotel to Chichikov. But the most remarkable of all the mail that came these days to Pavel Ivanovich's room was an invitation to the governor's ball. For a long time the newly-minted landowner got ready, took a long time to attend to his toilet, and even made a ballet entrecha, which made the chest of drawers tremble, and a brush fell from it.

The appearance of Chichikov at the ball made an extraordinary sensation. Chichikov went from hug to hug, kept up one conversation after another, constantly bowed and in the end completely charmed everyone. He was surrounded by ladies dressed up and perfumed, and Chichikov tried to guess among them the writer of the letter. He was so swirling that he forgot to fulfill the most important duty of courtesy - to approach the hostess of the ball and pay his respects. A little later, in confusion, he approached the governor's wife, and was stunned. She was standing not alone, but with a young, pretty blonde, who was riding in the same carriage that Chichikov's carriage had collided with on the road. The governor introduced Pavel Ivanovich to her daughter, who had just graduated from the institute. Everything that was happening somewhere moved away and lost interest for Chichikov. He was even so disrespectful towards the ladies' society that he retired from everyone and went to see where the governor's wife had gone with her daughter. The provincial ladies did not forgive this. One of them immediately touched the blonde with her dress, and disposed of the scarf in such a way that he waved it right in the face. At the same time, a very caustic remark was heard against Chichikov, and satirical poems written by someone in mockery of the provincial society were even attributed to him. And then fate prepared an unpleasant surprise for Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov: Nozdrev appeared at the ball. He went hand in hand with the prosecutor, who did not know how to get rid of his companion.

"Ah! Kherson landowner! How many dead did he sell?" shouted Nozdryov, going towards Chichikov. And he told everyone how he traded with him, Nozdryov, dead souls. Chichikov did not know where to go. Everyone was confused, and Nozdryov continued his half-drunk speech, after which he climbed up to Chichikov with kisses. This number did not work for him, he was so pushed away that he flew to the ground, everyone retreated from him and did not listen anymore, but the words about buying dead souls were uttered loudly and accompanied by such loud laughter that they attracted everyone's attention. This incident upset Pavel Ivanovich so much that during the course of the ball he no longer felt so confident, made a number of mistakes in a card game, and was unable to maintain a conversation where at other times he felt like a fish in water. Without waiting for the end of dinner, Chichikov returned to the hotel room. Meanwhile, at the other end of the city, an event was being prepared that threatened to aggravate the hero's troubles. Collegiate secretary Korobochka arrived in the city in her carriage.

Chapter Nine

The next morning, two ladies - just pleasant and pleasant in every way - were discussing the latest news. The lady, who was simply pleasant, told the news: Chichikov, armed from head to toe, came to the landowner Korobochka and ordered the souls that had already died to be sold to him. The hostess, a lady pleasant in all respects, said that her husband had heard about this from Nozdryov. So there is something in this news. And both ladies began to speculate what this purchase of dead souls could mean. As a result, they came to the conclusion that Chichikov wants to kidnap the governor's daughter, and the accomplice of this is none other than Nozdrev. While both ladies were working out such a successful explanation of events, the prosecutor entered the drawing room, to whom everything was immediately told. Leaving the prosecutor completely bewildered, the two ladies set out to riot the city, each in their own direction. For a short time, the city was in a state of turmoil. At another time, under other circumstances, this story might not have been noticed by anyone, but the city had not been fueled for gossip for a long time. And here it is! .. Two parties were formed - women's and men's. The women's party dealt exclusively with the kidnapping of the governor's daughter, and the men's - dead souls. Things got to the point that all the gossip was delivered to the governor's own ears. She, as the first lady in the city and as a mother, interrogated the blonde with passion, and she sobbed and could not understand what she was being accused of. The porter was strictly ordered not to let Chichikov on the threshold. And then, as a sin, several dark stories surfaced, in which Chichikov fit in perfectly. What is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov? No one could answer this question for sure: neither the city officials, nor the landowners with whom he traded souls, nor the servants Selifan and Petrushka. In order to talk about this subject, everyone decided to meet with the police chief.

Chapter Ten

Having gathered at the police chief, the officials discussed for a long time who Chichikov was, but did not come to a consensus. One said that he was a maker of counterfeit banknotes, and then he himself added "or maybe not a maker." The second suggested that Chichikov was most likely an official of the Governor-General's office, and immediately added "but, by the way, the devil knows, you can't read it on your forehead." The suggestion that he was a robber in disguise was swept aside. And suddenly it dawned on the postmaster: "This, gentlemen! is none other than Captain Kopeikin!" And, since no one knew who Captain Kopeikin was, the postmaster began to tell The Tale of Captain Kopeikin.

“After the campaign of the twelfth year,” the postmaster began to tell, “a certain captain Kopeikin was sent with the wounded. Either near Krasny, or near Leipzig, his arm and leg were torn off, and he turned into a hopeless invalid. And then there were still no orders about the wounded ", and disabled capital was brought in much later. Therefore, Kopeikin had to work somehow in order to feed himself, and, unfortunately, his left hand was left. Kopeikin decided to go to St. Petersburg, to ask for royal mercy. Blood, they say ", spilled, remained disabled ... And here he is in St. Petersburg. Kopeikin tried to rent an apartment, but it turned out to be unusually expensive. In the end, he stopped at a tavern for a ruble a day. Kopeikin sees that there is nothing to live on. He asked where the commission was, where he should apply, and went to the reception. He waited a long time, four hours. At this time, the people in the waiting room were packed like beans on a plate. And more and more generals, officials of the fourth or fifth class.

Finally, the nobleman entered. The turn came to Captain Kopeikin. The nobleman asks: "Why are you here? What is your business?" Kopeikin plucked up his courage and replied: “So, they say, and so, your excellency, shed blood, lost his arms and legs, I can’t work, I dare to ask for royal mercy.” The minister, seeing such a situation, replies: "Well, visit one of these days." Kopeikin left the audience in complete delight, he decided that in a few days everything would be decided, and he would be assigned a pension.

Three or four days later, he again comes to the minister. He again recognized him, but now stated that the fate of Kopeikin had not been resolved, since it was necessary to wait for the arrival of the sovereign in the capital. And the captain's money had already run out a long time ago. He decided to take the minister's office by storm. This made the minister extremely angry. He called the courier, and Kopeikin was expelled from the capital at public expense. Where exactly they brought the captain, the story is silent about this, but only about two months later a gang of robbers appeared in the Ryazan forests, and their chieftain was none other than ... "The police chief, in response to this story, objected that Kopeikin had not legs, no arms, but Chichikov has everything in place.Others also rejected this version, but came to the conclusion that Chichikov is very similar to Napoleon.

After some more gossip, the officials decided to invite Nozdryov. For some reason, they thought that since Nozdryov was the first to announce this story with dead souls, they might know something for sure. Nozdryov, upon arriving, immediately wrote down Mr. Chichikov as spies, fake paper makers and kidnappers of the governor's daughter at the same time.

All these rumors and rumors had such an effect on the prosecutor that he died when he got home. Chichikov did not know any of this, sitting in the room with a cold and flux, and was very surprised why no one was going to see him, because a few days ago there were always someone's droshky under the window of his room. Feeling better, he decided to pay visits to officials. Then it turned out that he was ordered not to receive him at the governor's, and the rest of the officials avoided meetings and conversations with him. Chichikov received an explanation of what was happening in the evening at the hotel, when Nozdryov came to visit him. Here Chichikov found out that he was a counterfeit banknote maker and a failed kidnapper of the governor's daughter. And also he is the cause of the death of the prosecutor and the arrival of a new governor-general. Being very frightened, Chichikov sent Nozdryov out as soon as possible, ordered Selifan and Petrushka to pack their things and get ready to leave at dawn tomorrow.

Chapter Eleven

It was not possible to leave quickly. Selifan came and said that the horses had to be shod. Finally, everything was ready, the britzka left the city. On the way they met a funeral procession, and Chichikov decided that it was fortunate.

And now a few words about Pavel Ivanovich himself. As a child, life looked at him sourly and unpleasantly. Chichikov's parents were noblemen. Pavel Ivanovich's mother died early, and his father was ill all the time. He forced little Pavlusha to study and often punished him. When the boy grew up, his father took him to the city, which struck the boy with its magnificence. Pavlusha was handed over to a relative in order to stay with her and go to the classes of the city school. On the second day, the father left, leaving his son with an instruction instead of money: “Learn, Pavlusha, don’t be a fool and don’t hang out, but most of all please your teachers and bosses. do not treat anyone, but make sure that they treat you. And most of all, take care of a penny. And he added to his instructions half a ruble of copper.

Pavlusha remembered these tips well. From his father's money, he not only did not take a penny, but, on the contrary, a year later he already made an increment to this half. The boy showed no abilities and inclinations in his studies, he was distinguished most of all by diligence and neatness, and discovered in himself a practical mind. Not only did he never treat his comrades, but he made it so that he sold their treat to them. Once Pavlusha made a bullfinch out of wax and then sold it very profitably. Then he trained a mouse for two months, which he also sold at a profit. Teacher Pavlusha valued his students not for knowledge, but for exemplary behavior. Chichikov was a model of such. As a result, he graduated from college, having received a certificate and a book with golden letters as a reward for exemplary diligence and trustworthy behavior.

When the school was finished, Chichikov's father died. Pavlusha inherited four frock coats, two jerseys and a small amount of money. Chichikov sold the dilapidated house for a thousand rubles, transferred the only family of serfs to the city. At this time, the teacher, a lover of silence and good behavior, was expelled from the gymnasium, he began to drink. All former students helped him in any way they could. Only Chichikov excused himself by lack of money, giving him a nickel of silver, which his comrades immediately threw away. The teacher wept for a long time when he heard about it.

After school, Chichikov enthusiastically took up the service, because he wanted to live richly, have a beautiful house, carriages. But even in the outback, protection is needed, so he got a run-down place, with a salary of thirty or forty rubles a year. But Chichikov worked day and night, and at the same time, against the backdrop of the sloppy officials of the chamber, he always looked impeccable. His boss was an elderly clerk, an impregnable man, with a complete absence of any emotion on his face. Trying to get close from different sides, Chichikov finally discovered the weak point of his boss - he had a mature daughter with an ugly, pockmarked face. At first he stood opposite her in church, then he was called for tea, and soon he was already considered a groom in the boss's house. A vacant position soon appeared in the ward, and Chichikov decided to fill it. As soon as this happened, Chichikov secretly sent the chest with his belongings from the house of the alleged father-in-law, ran away himself and stopped calling the former father-in-law. At the same time, he did not stop smiling affectionately at the former boss at the meeting and inviting him to visit, and each time he only turned his head and said that he had been skillfully cheated.

It was the most difficult threshold for Pavel Ivanovich, which he successfully overcame. At the next grain place, he successfully launched a fight against bribes, while in fact he himself turned out to be a big bribe-taker. The next thing Chichikov did was to participate in the commission for the construction of some state-owned very capital building, in which Pavel Ivanovich was one of the most active members. For six years, the construction of the building did not move beyond the foundation: either the soil interfered, or the climate. At that time, in other parts of the city, each member of the commission got a beautiful building of civil architecture - probably, the soil was better there. Chichikov began to allow himself excesses in the form of matter on a frock coat, which no one had, thin Dutch shirts, and a pair of excellent trotters, not to mention other trifles. Soon fate changed for Pavel Ivanovich. In place of the former chief, a new one was sent, a military man, a terrible persecutor of all kinds of untruth and abuse. Chichikov's career in this city ended, and the houses of civil architecture were transferred to the treasury. Pavel Ivanovich moved to another city in order to start all over again. In a short time he was forced to change two or three low positions in an environment unacceptable to him. Having already begun to round off at some time, Chichikov even lost weight, but overcame all the troubles and decided on customs. His old dream came true, and he took up his new service with extraordinary zeal. According to the words of his superiors, he was a devil, not a man: he looked for contraband in those places where no one would have thought to climb into, and where only customs officials are allowed to climb. It was a thunderstorm and despair for everyone. His honesty and incorruptibility were almost unnatural. Such official zeal could not go unnoticed by the authorities, and soon Chichikov was promoted, and then he presented to the authorities a project on how to catch all the smugglers. This project was accepted, and Pavel Ivanovich received unlimited power in this area. At that time, "a strong society of smugglers was formed," which wanted to bribe Chichikov, but he replied to those sent: "It's not time yet."

As soon as Chichikov received unlimited power in his hands, he immediately let this society know: "It's time." And at the time of Chichikov's service at the customs, there was a story about a witty journey of Spanish rams across the border, when, under double sheepskin coats, they carried millions of Brabant lace. They say that Chichikov's fortune, after three or four such campaigns, amounted to about five hundred thousand, and his accomplices - about four hundred thousand rubles. However, Chichikov, in a drunken conversation, quarreled with another official who also participated in these frauds. As a result of the quarrel, all secret relations with the smugglers became clear. Officials were taken to court, property was confiscated. As a result, out of five hundred thousand, Chichikov was left with a thousand tens, which he partially had to spend in order to get out of the criminal court. Again, he began life from the bottom of the career. Being a chargé d'affaires, having previously earned the full favor of the owners, he was somehow engaged in pledging several hundred peasants to the council of trustees. And then he was told that, despite the fact that half of the peasants died out, according to the revision tale, they are listed as alive! .. Therefore, he has nothing to worry about, and the money will be, regardless of whether these peasants are alive or given to God soul. And then it dawned on Chichikov. That's where the field for action! Yes, if he buys dead peasants, who, according to the revision tale, are still considered alive, if he buys at least a thousand of them, and the board of trustees will give two hundred rubles for each - here you have two hundred thousand capital! .. True, you cannot buy them without land, therefore it should be announced that the peasants are bought for withdrawal, for example, to the Kherson province.

And so he began to fulfill his plan. He looked into those places of the state that suffered most from accidents, crop failures and deaths, in a word, those in which it was possible to buy the people Chichikov needed.

“So, our hero is all there ... Who is he in terms of moral qualities? A scoundrel? Why is a scoundrel? Now we don’t have scoundrels, there are well-meaning, pleasant people ... It’s most fair to call him: the owner, the acquirer ... And which of you, not publicly, but in silence, alone, will deepen this heavy inquiry into your own soul: “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me too?” Yes, no matter how it is!

Meanwhile, Chichikov's chaise rushes on. "Eh, troika! bird troika, who invented you? .. Isn't it you, Rus, that a lively, non-overtaking troika is rushing? .. Rus, where are you rushing to? Give an answer. Does not give an answer. A bell is filled with a wonderful ringing; and the air torn to pieces by the wind becomes; everything that is on the earth flies past and, squinting, step aside and give it way other peoples and states.

Russia, 17th century. worldview, customs and mores, as well as religious beliefs in the state are conservative and unchanged. They seem to be frozen like a fly in amber. And they could have remained this fly for another half a thousand years, if ... If an active and active, inquisitive and restless, interested in everything in the world and not afraid of work young man had not come to the helm. Whom we, the descendants, call "Peter I". And abroad they call our sovereign none other than "Great". About "or". It seems to me that in the characterization of such a large-scale cultural and historical personality for all of Russia, there should not be any “or”. Contradictions are good in unambiguous things. Stupid or smart, tall or short, black or white. "Reformer or tyrant" is a fundamentally wrong definition. Reforming something, as well as restoring and repairing, you cannot do without “victims”. To tidy up the walls in the old kitchen, they wash off the old whitewash, peel off the dirty wallpaper. At the end of the repair, everything is fine, bright, clean and new. But do they think so of the remnants of old wallpaper, taken out in the trash? Perhaps the above comparison is rude in relation to the global changes that Peter I made in Russian society, but it is quite eloquent. And then, why: "tyrant"? Did he, like the Bolshevik "reformers" of the 20th century, burn, shoot, cut, "nationalize" and execute "enemies of the people"? His "barbering" is nothing compared to genuine tyranny and authoritarianism. All the reforms carried out by the young, maximalist-minded emperor with such vigor and a thirst for improvement were aimed at “advancing” (as they say now) the country entrusted to him. Raise it to a new level, "bring it to light", bring it closer to the benefits and achievements of civilization, which he himself had seen enough of from his youth in Europe. For the most part, the people and the "bearded merchants" grumbled because of external changes, not so important, fundamental. Change of caftan, shortening of beards, introduction of foreign dishes into the diet and holidays into the calendar. That which split the "amber" and released the fly from the "crowdedness, but not resentment" into the fresh air. Serious reforms affecting career advancement, some equalization of the rights of all worthy, smart and skillful people, could not bring anything but real benefits for the cultural and intellectual life of the state. If earlier "every cricket" not only knew, but also sat, as if glued, on his "pole", now thousands of people were given the opportunity to find a use for themselves. Not only hereditary carpenters, in the 7th generation, could carpentry. But the peasants, if their will, desire, and also their abilities are real. The same applies to trade, jewelry, shipbuilding, engineering ... anyone, for whatever you take. Is it really worth arguing about the beneficial influence on the development of all the above crafts of Peter's reforms? Marriages that could combine people of different classes. Is this not useful? This question is, however, more controversial. In conclusion, I would like to say that Peter I, in my opinion, is neither a tyrant nor a despot. He tried to be fair. And, for the most part, he succeeded.

Russia, 17th century. Worldview, customs and mores, as well as religious beliefs in the state are conservative and unchanged. They seem to be frozen like a fly in amber. And they could have remained this fly for another five thousand years, if ... If an active and active, inquisitive and restless, interested in everything in the world and not afraid of work young man had not come to the helm. Whom we, the descendants, call "Peter I". And abroad they call our sovereign none other than "Great".

About "or".

It seems to me that in the characterization of such a large-scale cultural and historical personality for all of Russia, there should not be any “or”. Contradictions are good in unambiguous things. Stupid or smart, tall or short, black or white. "Reformer or tyrant" is a fundamentally wrong definition. Reforming something, as well as restoring and repairing, you cannot do without “victims”. To tidy up the walls in the old kitchen, they wash off the old whitewash, peel off the dirty wallpaper. At the end of the repair, everything is fine, bright, clean and new. But do they think so of the remnants of old wallpaper, taken out in the trash?

Perhaps the above comparison is rude in relation to the global changes that Peter I made in Russian society, but it is quite eloquent. And then, why: "tyrant"? Did he, like the Bolshevik "reformers" of the 20th century, burn, shoot, cut, "nationalize" and execute "enemies of the people"? His "barbering" is nothing compared to genuine tyranny and authoritarianism.

All the reforms carried out by the young, maximalist-minded emperor with such vigor and a thirst for improvement were aimed at “advancing” (as they say now) the country entrusted to him. Raise it to a new level, "bring it to light", bring it closer to the benefits and achievements of civilization, which he himself had seen enough of from his youth in Europe.

For the most part, the people and the "bearded merchants" grumbled because of external changes, not so important, fundamental. Change of caftan, shortening of beards, introduction of foreign dishes into the diet and holidays into the calendar. That which split the "amber" and released the fly from the "crowdedness, but not resentment" into the fresh air.

Serious reforms affecting career advancement, some equalization of the rights of all worthy, smart and skillful people, could not bring anything but real benefits for the cultural and intellectual life of the state.

If earlier "every cricket" not only knew, but also sat, as if glued, on his "pole", now thousands of people were given the opportunity to find a use for themselves. Not only hereditary carpenters, in the 7th generation, could carpentry. But the peasants, if their will, desire, and also their abilities are real. The same applies to trade, jewelry, shipbuilding, engineering ... anyone, for whatever you take. Is it really worth arguing about the beneficial influence on the development of all the above crafts of Peter's reforms?

Marriages that could combine people of different classes. Is this not useful? This question is, however, more controversial.

In conclusion, I would like to say that Peter I, in my opinion, is neither a tyrant nor a despot. He tried to be fair. And, for the most part, he succeeded.

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