"Indeed?" exclaimed Chichikov as he reflected: "So he also lends money!"In the end Chichikov's dispatch-box was brought from the koliaska, and Khlobuev received thence ten thousand roubles, together with a promise that the remaining five thousand should be forthcoming on the morrow;though the promise was given only after Chichikov had first proposed that THREE thousand should be brought on the day named, and the rest be left over for two or three days longer, if not for a still more protracted period. The truth was that Paul Ivanovitch hated parting with money. No matter how urgent a situation might have been, he would still have preferred to pay a sum to-morrow rather than to-day. In other words, he acted as we all do, for we all like keeping a petitioner waiting. "Let him rub his back in the hall for a while," we say. "Surely he can bide his time a little?" Yet of the fact that every hour may be precious to the poor wretch, and that his business may suffer from the delay, we take no account. "Good sir," we say, "pray come again to-morrow. To-day I have no time to spare you.""Where do you intend henceforth to live?" inquired Platon. "Have you any other property to which you can retire?""No," replied Khlobuev. "I shall remove to the town, where I possess a small villa. That would have been necessary, in any case, for the children's sake. You see, they must have instruction in God's word, and also lessons in music and dancing; and not for love or money can these things be procured in the country.
"Nothing to eat, yet dancing lessons for his children!" reflected Chichikov.
"An extraordinary man!" was Platon's unspoken comment.
"However, we must contrive to wet our bargain somehow," continued Khlobuev. "Hi, Kirushka! Bring that bottle of champagne.""Nothing to eat, yet champagne to drink!" reflected Chichikov. As for Platon, he did not know WHAT to think.
In Khlobuev's eyes it was de rigueur that he should provide a guest with champagne; but, though he had sent to the town for some, he had been met with a blank refusal to forward even a bottle of kvass on credit. Only the discovery of a French dealer who had recently transferred his business from St. Petersburg, and opened a connection on a system of general credit, saved the situation by placing Khlobuev under the obligation of patronising him.
The company drank three glassfuls apiece, and so grew more cheerful.
In particular did Khlobuev expand, and wax full of civility and friendliness, and scatter witticisms and anecdotes to right and left.
What knowledge of men and the world did his utterances display! How well and accurately could he divine things! With what appositeness did he sketch the neighbouring landowners! How clearly he exposed their faults and failings! How thoroughly he knew the story of certain ruined gentry--the story of how, why, and through what cause they had fallen upon evil days! With what comic originality could he describe their little habits and customs!
In short, his guests found themselves charmed with his discourse, and felt inclined to vote him a man of first-rate intellect.
"What most surprises me," said Chichikov, "is how, in view of your ability, you come to be so destitute of means or resources.""But I have plenty of both," said Khlobuev, and with that went on to deliver himself of a perfect avalanche of projects. Yet those projects proved to be so uncouth, so clumsy, so little the outcome of a knowledge of men and things, that his hearers could only shrug their shoulders and mentally exclaim: "Good Lord! What a difference between worldly wisdom and the capacity to use it!" In every case the projects in question were based upon the imperative necessity of at once procuring from somewhere two hundred--or at least one hundred--thousand roubles. That done (so Khlobuev averred), everything would fall into its proper place, the holes in his pockets would become stopped, his income would be quadrupled, and he would find himself in a position to liquidate his debts in full. Nevertheless he ended by saying: "What would you advise me to do? I fear that the philanthropist who would lend me two hundred thousand roubles or even a hundred thousand, does not exist. It is not God's will that he should.""Good gracious!" inwardly ejaculated Chichikov. "To suppose that God would send such a fool two hundred thousand roubles!""However," went on Khlobuev, "I possess an aunt worth three millions--a pious old woman who gives freely to churches and monasteries, but finds a difficulty in helping her neighbour. At the same time, she is a lady of the old school, and worth having a peep at. Her canaries alone number four hundred, and, in addition, there is an army of pug-dogs, hangers-on, and servants. Even the youngest of the servants is sixty, but she calls them all 'young fellows,' and if a guest happens to offend her during dinner, she orders them to leave him out when handing out the dishes. THERE'S a woman for you!"Platon laughed.
