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251
Meanwhile
the
rain
continued
to
beat
sonorously
down
upon
the
wooden
roof
,
and
could
be
heard
trickling
into
a
water
butt
;
nor
for
a
single
moment
did
the
dogs
cease
to
bark
with
all
the
strength
of
their
lungs
.
One
of
them
,
throwing
up
its
head
,
kept
venting
a
howl
of
such
energy
and
duration
that
the
animal
seemed
to
be
howling
for
a
handsome
wager
;
while
another
,
cutting
in
between
the
yelpings
of
the
first
animal
,
kept
restlessly
reiterating
,
like
a
postman
's
bell
,
the
notes
of
a
very
young
puppy
.
Finally
,
an
old
hound
which
appeared
to
be
gifted
with
a
peculiarly
robust
temperament
kept
supplying
the
part
of
contrabasso
,
so
that
his
growls
resembled
the
rumbling
of
a
bass
singer
when
a
chorus
is
in
full
cry
,
and
the
tenors
are
rising
on
tiptoe
in
their
efforts
to
compass
a
particularly
high
note
,
and
the
whole
body
of
choristers
are
wagging
their
heads
before
approaching
a
climax
,
and
this
contrabasso
alone
is
tucking
his
bearded
chin
into
his
collar
,
and
sinking
almost
to
a
squatting
posture
on
the
floor
,
in
order
to
produce
a
note
which
shall
cause
the
windows
to
shiver
and
their
panes
to
crack
.
Naturally
,
from
a
canine
chorus
of
such
executants
it
might
reasonably
be
inferred
that
the
establishment
was
one
of
the
utmost
respectability
.
To
that
,
however
,
our
damp
,
cold
hero
gave
not
a
thought
,
for
all
his
mind
was
fixed
upon
bed
.
Indeed
,
the
britchka
had
hardly
come
to
a
standstill
before
he
leapt
out
upon
the
doorstep
,
missed
his
footing
,
and
came
within
an
ace
of
falling
.
252
To
meet
him
there
issued
a
female
younger
than
the
first
,
but
very
closely
resembling
her
;
and
on
his
being
conducted
to
the
parlour
,
a
couple
of
glances
showed
him
that
the
room
was
hung
with
old
striped
curtains
,
and
ornamented
with
pictures
of
birds
and
small
,
antique
mirrors
--
the
latter
set
in
dark
frames
which
were
carved
to
resemble
scrolls
of
foliage
.
Behind
each
mirror
was
stuck
either
a
letter
or
an
old
pack
of
cards
or
a
stocking
,
while
on
the
wall
hung
a
clock
with
a
flowered
dial
.
More
,
however
,
Chichikov
could
not
discern
,
for
his
eyelids
were
as
heavy
as
though
smeared
with
treacle
.
Presently
the
lady
of
the
house
herself
entered
--
an
elderly
woman
in
a
sort
of
nightcap
(
hastily
put
on
)
and
a
flannel
neck
wrap
.
She
belonged
to
that
class
of
lady
landowners
who
are
for
ever
lamenting
failures
of
the
harvest
and
their
losses
thereby
;
to
the
class
who
,
drooping
their
heads
despondently
,
are
all
the
while
stuffing
money
into
striped
purses
,
which
they
keep
hoarded
in
the
drawers
of
cupboards
.
Into
one
purse
they
will
stuff
rouble
pieces
,
into
another
half
roubles
,
and
into
a
third
tchetvertachki
13
,
although
from
their
mien
you
would
suppose
that
the
cupboard
contained
only
linen
and
nightshirts
and
skeins
of
wool
and
the
piece
of
shabby
material
which
is
destined
--
should
the
old
gown
become
scorched
during
the
baking
of
holiday
cakes
and
other
dainties
,
or
should
it
fall
into
pieces
of
itself
--
to
become
converted
into
a
new
dress
.
253
But
the
gown
never
does
get
burnt
or
wear
out
,
for
the
reason
that
the
lady
is
too
careful
;
wherefore
the
piece
of
shabby
material
reposes
in
its
unmade-up
condition
until
the
priest
advises
that
it
be
given
to
the
niece
of
some
widowed
sister
,
together
with
a
quantity
of
other
such
rubbish
.
Отключить рекламу
254
Chichikov
apologised
for
having
disturbed
the
household
with
his
unexpected
arrival
.
255
"
Not
at
all
,
not
at
all
,
"
replied
the
lady
.
"
But
in
what
dreadful
weather
God
has
brought
you
hither
!
What
wind
and
what
rain
!
You
could
not
help
losing
your
way
.
Pray
excuse
us
for
being
unable
to
make
better
preparations
for
you
at
this
time
of
night
.
"
256
Suddenly
there
broke
in
upon
the
hostess
'
words
the
sound
of
a
strange
hissing
,
a
sound
so
loud
that
the
guest
started
in
alarm
,
and
the
more
so
seeing
that
it
increased
until
the
room
seemed
filled
with
adders
.
On
glancing
upwards
,
however
,
he
recovered
his
composure
,
for
he
perceived
the
sound
to
be
emanating
from
the
clock
,
which
appeared
to
be
in
a
mind
to
strike
.
To
the
hissing
sound
there
succeeded
a
wheezing
one
,
until
,
putting
forth
its
best
efforts
,
the
thing
struck
two
with
as
much
clatter
as
though
some
one
had
been
hitting
an
iron
pot
with
a
cudgel
.
That
done
,
the
pendulum
returned
to
its
right-left
,
right-left
oscillation
.
257
Chichikov
thanked
his
hostess
kindly
,
and
said
that
he
needed
nothing
,
and
she
must
not
put
herself
about
:
only
for
rest
was
he
longing
--
though
also
he
should
like
to
know
whither
he
had
arrived
,
and
whether
the
distance
to
the
country
house
of
land-owner
Sobakevitch
was
anything
very
great
.
Отключить рекламу
258
To
this
the
lady
replied
that
she
had
never
so
much
as
heard
the
name
,
since
no
gentleman
of
the
name
resided
in
the
locality
.
259
"
But
at
least
you
are
acquainted
with
landowner
Manilov
?
"
continued
Chichikov
.
260
"
No
.
Who
is
he
?
"