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〃Yes； your Excellency。〃
〃And does he go out at all？ Does he see company？ Can he still hold himself upright？〃
〃Yes； but with great difficulty。〃
〃And has he any teeth left？〃
〃No more than two at the most。〃
〃The old jackass！ Don't be angry with me； but I must say that； though your uncle； he is also a jackass。〃
〃Quite so； your Excellency。 And though it grieves ME to have to confess that he is my uncle； what am I to do with him？〃
Yet this was not altogether the truth。 What would have been a far harder thing for Chichikov to have confessed was the fact that he possessed no uncles at all。
〃I beg of you； your Excellency；〃 he went on； 〃to hand me over those； those〃
〃Those dead souls； eh？ Why； in return for the jest I will give you some land as well。 Yes； you can take the whole graveyard if you like。 Ha； ha； ha！ The old man！ Ha； ha； ha！ WHAT a fool he'll look！ Ha； ha； ha！〃
And once more the General's guffaws went ringing through the house。
CHAPTER III
〃If Colonel Koshkarev should turn out to be as mad as the last one it is a bad look…out；〃 said Chichikov to himself on opening his eyes amid fields and open countryeverything else having disappeared save the vault of heaven and a couple of low…lying clouds。
〃Selifan；〃 he went on； 〃did you ask how to get to Colonel Koshkarev's？〃
〃Yes； Paul Ivanovitch。 At least； there was such a clatter around the koliaska that I could not； but Petrushka asked the coachman。〃
〃You fool！ How often have I told you not to rely on Petrushka？ Petrushka is a blockhead； an idiot。 Besides； at the present moment I believe him to be drunk。〃
〃No； you are wrong； barin；〃 put in the person referred to； turning his head with a sidelong glance。 〃After we get down the next hill we shall need but to keep bending round it。 That is all。〃
〃Yes； and I suppose you'll tell me that sivnkha is the only thing that has passed your lips？ Well； the view at least is beautiful。 In fact； when one has seen this place one may say that one has seen one of the beauty spots of Europe。〃 This said； Chichikov added to himself； smoothing his chin： 〃What a difference between the features of a civilised man of the world and those of a common lacquey！〃
Meanwhile the koliaska quickened its pace； and Chichikov once more caught sight of Tientietnikov's aspen…studded meadows。 Undulating gently on elastic springs； the vehicle cautiously descended the steep incline； and then proceeded past water…mills； rumbled over a bridge or two； and jolted easily along the rough…set road which traversed the flats。 Not a molehill； not a mound jarred the spine。 The vehicle was comfort itself。
Swiftly there flew by clumps of osiers； slender elder trees； and silver…leaved poplars； their branches brushing against Selifan and Petrushka； and at intervals depriving the valet of his cap。 Each time that this happened； the sullen…faced servitor fell to cursing both the tree responsible for the occurrence and the landowner responsible for the tree being in existence； yet nothing would induce him thereafter either to tie on the cap or to steady it with his hand； so complete was his assurance that the accident would never be repeated。 Soon to the foregoing trees there became added an occasional birch or spruce fir； while in the dense undergrowth around their roots could be seen the blue iris and the yellow wood…tulip。 Gradually the forest grew darker； as though eventually the obscurity would become complete。 Then through the trunks and the boughs there began to gleam points of light like glittering mirrors； and as the number of trees lessened； these points grew larger； until the travellers debouched upon the shore of a lake four versts or so in circumference； and having on its further margin the grey； scattered log huts of a peasant village。 In the water a great commotion was in progress。 In the first place； some twenty men； immersed to the knee； to the breast； or to the neck； were dragging a large fishing…net inshore； while； in the second place； there was entangled in the same； in addition to some fish； a stout man shaped precisely like a melon or a hogshead。 Greatly excited； he was shouting at the top of his voice： 〃Let Kosma manage it； you lout of a Denis！ Kosma； take the end of the rope from Denis！ Don't bear so hard on it； Thoma Bolshoy＇1＇！ Go where Thoma Menshov＇2＇ is！ Damn it； bring the net to land； will you！〃 From this it became clear that it was not on his own account that the stout man was worrying。 Indeed； he had no need to do so； since his fat would in any case have prevented him from sinking。 Yes； even if he had turned head over heels in an effort to dive； the water would persistently have borne him up； and the same if； say； a couple of men had jumped on his backthe only result would have been that he would have become a trifle deeper submerged； and forced to draw breath by spouting bubbles through his nose。 No； the cause of his agitation was lest the net should break； and the fish escape： wherefore he was urging some additional peasants who were standing on the bank to lay hold of and to pull at； an extra rope or two。
＇1＇ The Elder。
＇2＇ The Younger。
〃That must be the barinColonel Koshkarev；〃 said Selifan。
〃Why？〃 asked Chichikov。
〃Because； if you please； his skin is whiter than the rest； and he has the respectable paunch of a gentleman。〃
Meanwhile good progress was being made with the hauling in of the barin； until； feeling the ground with his feet； he rose to an upright position； and at the same moment caught sight of the koliaska； with Chichikov seated therein； descending the declivity。
〃Have you dined yet？〃 shouted the barin as； still entangled in the net； he approached the shore with a huge fish on his back。 With one hand shading his eyes from the sun； and the other thrown backwards； he looked； in point of pose； like the Medici Venus emerging from her bath。
〃No；〃 replied Chichikov； raising his cap； and executing a series of bows。
〃Then thank God for that；〃 rejoined the gentleman。
〃Why？〃 asked Chichikov with no little curiosity； and still holding his cap over his head。
〃Because of THIS。 Cast off the net； Thoma Menshov； and pick up that sturgeon for the gentleman to see。 Go and help him； Telepen Kuzma。〃
With that the peasants indicated picked up by the head what was a veritable monster of a fish。
〃Isn't it a beautya sturgeon fresh run from the river？〃 exclaimed the stout barin。 〃And now let us be off home。 Coachman； you can take the lower road through the kitchen garden。 Run； you lout of a Thoma Bolshoy； and open the gate for him。 He will guide you to the house； and I myself shall be along presently。〃
Thereupon the barelegged Thoma Bolshoy； clad in nothing but a shirt； ran ahead of the koliaska through the village； every hut of which had hanging in front of it a variety of nets； for the reason that every inhabitant of the place was a fisherman。 Next； he opened a gate into a large vegetable enclosure； and thence the koliaska emerged into a square near a wooden church； with； showing beyond the latter； the roofs of the manorial homestead。
〃A queer fellow； that Koshkarev！〃 said Chichikov to himself。
〃Well； whatever I may be； at least I'm here；〃 said a voice by his side。 Chichikov looked round； and perceived that； in the meanwhile； the barin had dressed himself and overtaken the carriage。 With a pair of yellow trousers he was wearing a grass…green jacket； and his neck was as guiltless of a collar as Cupid's。 Also； as he sat sideways in his drozhki； his bulk was such that he completely filled the vehicle。 Chichikov was about to make some remark or another when the stout gentleman disappeared； and presently his drozhki re…emerged into view at the spot where the fish had been drawn to land； and his voice could be heard reiterating exhortations to his serfs。 Yet when Chichikov reached the verandah of the house he found； to his intense surprise； the stout gentleman waiting to welcome the visitor。 How he had contrived to convey himself thither passed Chichikov's comprehension。 Host and guest embraced three times； according to a bygone custom of Russia。 Evidently the barin was one of the old school。
〃I bring you；〃 said Chichikov； 〃a greeting from his Excellency。〃
〃From whom？〃
〃From your relative General Alexander Dmitrievitch。〃
〃Who is Alexander Dmitrievitch？〃
〃What？ You do not know General Alexander Dmitrievitch Betrishev？〃 exclaimed Chichikov with a touch of surprise。
〃No； I do not；〃 replied the gentleman。
Chichikov's surprise grew to absolute astonishment。
〃How comes that about？〃 he ejaculated。 〃I hope that I have the honour of addressing Colonel Koshkarev？〃
〃Your hopes are vain。 It is to my house； not to his； that you have come； and I am Peter Petrovitch Pietukhyes； Peter Petrovitch Pietukh。〃
Chichikov； dumbfounded； turned to Selifan and Petrushka。
〃What do you mean？〃 he exclaimed。 〃I told you to drive to the house of Colonel Koshkarev； whereas you have brought me to that of Peter Petrovitch Pietukh。〃
〃All the same； your fellows have done quite right；〃 put in the gentleman referred to。 〃Do you〃 （this to Selifan and Petrushka） 〃go to the kitchen； where they will give you a glassful of vodka apiece。 Then put up the horses； and be off to the servants