Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov arrives in the provincial town of NN. He begins to actively get acquainted with all the first persons of the city - the governor, vice-governor, prosecutor, chairman of the chamber, etc. Soon, he is invited to the governor's reception, where he also gets acquainted with the landowners. After about a week of acquaintances and receptions, he visits the village of the landowner Manilov. In a conversation, he says that he is interested in the "dead souls" of the peasants, who appear according to the census as still alive. Manilov is surprised, but to please his new friend, he gives them to him for free. Chichikov goes to the next landowner Sobakevich, but loses his way and stops by the landowner Korobochka. He makes her the same offer, Box in doubt, but still decides to sell him his dead souls. Then he meets Nozdryov, who refuses to sell them to him, behaves cheekily, and almost even beats Chichikov for refusing to play checkers with him. Finally, he gets to Sobakevich, who agrees to sell his "dead souls", and also talks about the stingy neighbor - Plyushkin, whose peasants are dying like flies. Chichikov, of course, visits Plyushkin and negotiates with him to sell a large number of souls. The next day, he draws up all the purchased souls, except for the Korobochkins. In the city, everyone thinks that he is a millionaire, because they think that he buys living people. Girls begin to pay attention to him, and he falls in love with the governor's daughter. Nozdryov begins to tell everyone that Chichikov is a swindler, but they do not believe him, but then Korobochka arrives and asks everyone in the city how much dead souls are. Now more people believe that he is a fraud, and even trying to kidnap the governor's daughter. Then the prosecutor suddenly dies, and the inhabitants again think that Chichikov is involved. He quickly leaves, and we find out that he is really a swindler who was going to pawn "dead souls" in the bank, and after receiving the money, hide.
Summary (detailed by chapter)
ChapterI
A gentleman arrived at the hotel in the provincial city of NN in a beautiful britzka. Neither handsome, but not bad, neither fat, nor thin, nor old, but no longer young. His name was Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Nobody noticed his arrival. He had two servants with him - the coachman Selifan and the footman Petrushka. Selifan was short stature yes, in a sheepskin coat, and Petrushka was young, looked about thirty, had a stern face at first glance. As soon as the master moved into the chambers, he immediately went to dinner. They served cabbage soup with puff pastries, sausage with cabbage, and pickles.
While everything was being brought, the guest forced the servant to tell everything about the tavern, its owner, how much income they receive. Then he found out who was the governor in the city, who was the chairman, what were the names of noble landowners, how many servants they had, how far from the city their estates were located, and all that nonsense. After resting in his room, he went to explore the city. He seemed to like everything. And stone houses covered with yellow paint, and signs on them. Many of them bore the name of a tailor named Arshavsky. On the gambling houses was written "And here is the institution."
The next day the guest paid visits. I wanted to express my respect to the governor, vice-governor, prosecutor, chairman of the chamber, head of state-owned factories and other city dignitaries. In conversations, he knew how to flatter everyone, and he himself occupied a rather modest position. He said almost nothing about himself, except superficially. He said that he had seen and experienced a lot in his lifetime, had suffered in the service, had enemies, everything was like everyone else. Now he wants, finally, to choose a place to live, and, having arrived in the city, he wanted first of all to testify his respect to the “first” of its inhabitants.
By evening, he was already invited to the governor's reception. There he joined the men, who, like him, were somewhat plump. Then he met the courteous landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. Both invited him to see their estates. Manilov was a man with surprisingly sweet eyes, which he squinted every time. He immediately said that Chichikov simply had to come to his village, which was only fifteen miles from the city outpost. Sobakevich was more reserved and had a clumsy look. He only said dryly that he, too, was inviting a guest to his place.
The next day Chichikov was at the police chief's dinner. In the evening they played whist. There he met the broken landowner Nozdrev, who, after a couple of phrases, switched to "you". And so for several days in a row. The guest almost did not visit the hotel, but only came to spend the night. He knew how to please everyone in the city, and the officials were pleased with his arrival.
ChapterII
After about a week of traveling for dinners and evenings, Chichikov decided to visit his new acquaintances, the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. It was decided to start with Manilov. The purpose of the visit was not just to see the village of the landowner, but also to propose one "serious" business. He took the coachman Selifan with him, and Petrushka was ordered to stay in the room, guarding the suitcases. A few words about these two servants. They were ordinary serfs. Petrusha wore somewhat wide robes, which he got from his master's shoulder. He had large lips and a nose. By nature, he was silent, loved to read and rarely went to the bathhouse, which is why he was recognizable by the ambergris. The coachman Selifan was the opposite of a footman.
On the way to Manilov, Chichikov did not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the surrounding houses and forests. The Manilov estate stood on a hillock, it was bare all around, only a pine forest could be seen in the distance. A little lower there was a pond and many log huts. The hero counted them about two hundred. The owner greeted him warmly. There was something strange about Manilow. Despite the fact that his eyes were sweet as sugar, after a couple of minutes of conversation with him there was nothing more to talk about. Deathly boredom emanated from him. There are people who love to eat heartily, or are fond of music, greyhounds, this one was not fond of anything. He had been reading one book for two years.
His wife was not far behind him. She was fond of playing the piano, French and knitting every little thing. So, for example, for her husband's birthday, she prepared a beaded case for a toothpick. Their sons were also called strangely: Themistoclus and Alkid. After dinner, the guest said that he wanted to talk to Manilov about a very important matter. Heb went to the office. There Chichikov asked the owner how many dead peasants he had since the last revision. He did not know, but sent the clerk to clarify. Chichikov admitted that he was buying the "dead souls" of peasants, who are listed as alive in the census. Manilov at first thought that the guest was joking, but he was absolutely serious. They agreed that Manilov would give him what he needed even without money, if it did not violate the law in any way. After all, he will not take money for souls that are no longer there. And I don't want to lose a new friend.
ChapterIII
In the cart, Chichikov was already counting his profit. Selifan, meanwhile, took care of the horses. There was thunder, then another, and then it began to rain like buckets. Selifan pulled something against the rain and sped off the horses. He was a little drunk, so he couldn't remember how many turns they made on the road. In addition, they did not know exactly how to get to the village of Sobakevich. As a result, the britzka left the road and drove through the open field. Luckily, they heard the barking of dogs and rolled up to a small house. The hostess herself opened the gate for them, welcomed them cordially, and left them to spend the night.
It was an elderly woman in a cap. To all questions about the surrounding landowners, in particular about Sobakevich, she answered that she did not know who it was. She listed some other names, but Chichikov did not know them. In the morning, the guest assessed the peasant houses with a glance and concluded that everything was in abundance. The hostess's name was Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna. He decided to talk to her about buying up "dead souls." She said that the deal seems to be profitable, but doubtful, she needs to think, ask the price.
Chichikov then got angry and compared her to a mongrel. He said that he was already thinking about buying household products from her, but now he won’t. Although he lied, but the phrase had an effect. Nastasya Petrovna agreed to sign a power of attorney to make a bill of sale. He brought his documents and stamped paper. The deed is done, he and Selifan got ready to go. The box gave them a girl as a conductor, and on that they parted. At the tavern, Chichikov rewarded the girl with a copper penny.
ChapterIV
Chichikov dined at the tavern, the horses rested. We were going to go further in search of Sobakevich's estate. By the way, the neighboring landowners whispered to him that the old woman knew both Manilov and Sobakevich very well. Then two people drove up to the tavern. In one of them Chichikov recognized Nozdryov, a broken landowner whom he had recently met. He immediately rushed to hug him, introduced him to his son-in-law and invited him to his place.
It turned out that he was driving from the fair, where he not only played to the nines, but also drank an unmeasured amount of champagne. But then I met my son-in-law. He took it from there. Nozdryov was from that category of people who make a fuss around themselves. He easily got acquainted with people, switched to "you", immediately sat down to drink with them and play cards. He played cards dishonestly, so he was often beaten. Nozdryov's wife died, leaving two children, whom the reveler did not care about. Wherever Nozdryov visited, there were adventures. Either the gendarmes took him in public, or not unreasonably pushed out by their own friends. And he was from the breed of those who could spoil their neighbor for no reason.
The son-in-law, at the behest of Nozdryov, also went with them. For two hours they examined the village of the landowner, and then went to the estate. At dinner, the host strove to get the guest drunk, but Chichikov managed to pour the drink into a vat of soup. Then he insisted on playing cards, but the guest refused this too. Chichikov spoke to him about his "business", that is, the redemption of the souls of dead peasants, because of which Nozdryov called him a real swindler and ordered not to feed his horses. Chichikov already regretted his arrival, but there was nothing left to do but spend the night here.
In the morning the owner again offered to play cards, this time for "souls". Chichikov refused, but agreed to play checkers. Nozdryov, as always, cheated, so the game had to be interrupted. Because the guest refused to bring the game to the end, Nozdryov called his guys and ordered to beat him. But Chichikov was lucky this time too. A carriage rolled up to the estate, someone in a semi-military frock coat got out of it. It was a police captain who had come to inform the owner that he was on trial for beating the landowner Maksimov. Chichikov did not listen to the end, but sat down in his britzka and ordered Selifan to drive out of here.
ChapterV
Chichikov looked back at the village of Nozdryov all the way and was afraid. Along the way, they met a carriage with two ladies: one is elderly, and the other is young and unusually beautiful. This did not escape Chichikov's eyes, and all the way he thought about the young stranger. However, these thoughts left him as soon as he noticed the village of Sobakevich. The village was quite large, but a little awkward, like the owner himself. In the middle stood a huge house with a mezzanine in the style of military settlements.
Sobakevich received him, as he was supposed to, and led him into the living room, decorated with portraits of generals. When Chichikov tried, as usual, to flatter and start a pleasant conversation, it turned out that Sobakevich could not stand all these chairmen, police chiefs, governors and other swindlers. He considers them fools and Christ-sellers. Of all, he liked the prosecutor the most, and he, according to him, was a pig.
Sobakevich's wife invited him to the table. The table was laid abundantly. As it turned out, the owner loved to eat with all his heart, which distinguished him from the neighboring landowner Plyushkin. When Chichikov asked who this Plyushkin was and where he lived, Sobakevich recommended not to know him. After all, he has eight hundred souls, and eats worse than a shepherd. And yes, people are dropping like flies. Chichikov spoke to the owner about "dead souls." We bargained for a long time, but we came to a consensus. We decided tomorrow in the city to settle matters with the bill of sale, but to keep the deal a secret. Chichikov went to Plyushkin by detours so that Sobakevich would not see him.
ChapterVI
Swaying in his britzka, he reached a log pavement, behind which stretched dilapidated and dilapidated houses. Finally, the master's house appeared, a long and decrepit castle that looked like an invalid. It was evident that the house had endured more than one bad weather, the plaster was crumbling in places, only two of all the windows were open, and the rest were boarded up with shutters. And only the old garden behind the house somehow refreshed this picture.
Soon someone showed up. From the outlines, Chichikov thought it was a housekeeper, since the silhouette had a woman's bonnet and cap, as well as keys in a belt. In the end, it turned out that it was Plyushkin himself. Chichikov could not understand how the landowner of such a large village had turned into such a thing. He was terribly old, dressed in everything dirty and decrepit. If Chichikov had met this man somewhere on the street, he would have thought that he was a beggar. In fact, Plyushkin was incredibly wealthy, and with age he turned into a terrible miser.
When they entered the house, the guest was stunned by the surroundings. There was an incredible mess, chairs piled on top of each other, around the cobwebs and a lot of small pieces of paper, a broken arm of the chair, some kind of liquid in a glass with three flies. In a word, the situation was appalling. Plyushkin had almost a thousand souls at his disposal, and he walked around the village, picked up all sorts of rubbish and dragged it home. But once he was just an economical owner.
The landowner's wife has died. The eldest daughter jumped out to marry a cavalryman and left. Since then Plyushkin cursed her. He himself began to take care of the household. The son went into the army, and the youngest daughter died. When his son lost at cards, the landowner cursed him too, and did not give him a penny. He drove the governess and the French teacher away. The eldest daughter somehow tried to establish relations with her father and at least get something from him, but nothing came of it. The merchants who came for the goods also could not agree with him.
Chichikov was even afraid to offer him anything and did not know which way to approach him. Although the owner invited him to sit down, he said that he would not feed him. Then the conversation turned to the high mortality of peasants. This is what Chichikov needed. Then he told about his "case". Together with the fugitives, about two hundred souls were gathered. The old man agreed to give a power of attorney for the bill of sale. With grief in half, a clean piece of paper was found and the deal was finalized. Chichikov refused tea and went to town in good spirits.
ChapterVII
Chichikov, having slept, realized that he had neither more nor less, but already four hundred souls, so it was time to act. He prepared a list of people who were once alive, thought, walked, felt, and then went to the civil chamber. On the way I met Manilov. He embraced him, then handed him a rolled-up paper, and together they went to the office of the chairman, Ivan Antonovich. Despite a good acquaintance, Chichikov nevertheless “shove” him something. Sobakevich was also here.
Chichikov provided a letter from Plyushkin and added that there should be another attorney from the landowner Korobochka. The chairman promised to do everything. Chichikov asked him to put an end to everything as soon as possible, because he wanted to leave the next day. Ivan Antonovich quickly managed, wrote everything down and brought it in where it should be, and he also ordered to take half the duty from Chichikov. After, he offered to drink for the deal. Soon everyone was sitting at the table, a little tipsy, trying to persuade the guest not to leave at all, to stay in the city and get married. After the feast, Selifan and Petrushka put the host to bed, and they themselves went to the tavern.
ChapterVIII
Rumors quickly spread in the city about Chichikov's profit. For some, this raised doubts, since the owner would not sell good peasants, which means either drunkards or thieves. Some thought about the difficulties of moving so many peasants, they were afraid of a rebellion. But for Chichikov, everything worked out in the best way. They began to say that he was a millionaire. The inhabitants of the city liked him anyway, and now they completely fell in love with the guest, so much so that they did not want to let him go.
The ladies idolized him. He liked the local women. They knew how to behave in society and were quite presentable. There was no vulgarity in the conversation. So, for example, instead of “I blew my nose,” they said “I relieved my nose.” Liberties on the part of men were not allowed, and if they met with anyone, it was only secretly. In a word, they could give odds to any metropolitan young lady. Everything was decided at the reception of the governor. There Chichikov saw a blond girl whom he had previously met in a carriage. It turned out that it was the governor's daughter. And immediately all the ladies disappeared.
He stopped looking at anyone and thought only of her. In turn, offended ladies with might and main began to say unflattering things about the guest. The situation was aggravated by the sudden appearance of Nozdryov, who publicly announced that Chichikov was a swindler and that he was hunting for "dead souls." But since everyone knew the absurdity and deceitful nature of Nozdryov, they did not believe him. Chichikov, feeling uncomfortable, left early. While he was tormented by insomnia, another trouble was being prepared for him. Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka arrived in the city and was already interested in how much “dead souls” are now, so as not to sell too cheap.
ChapterIX
The next morning, one "beautiful" lady ran to another lady of the same kind to tell how Chichikov bought "dead souls" from her friend Korobochka. They also have thoughts about Nozdryov. The ladies think that Chichikov started all this to get the governor's daughter, and Nozdryov is his accomplice. The ladies immediately spread the version to other friends and the city begins to discuss this topic. True, men have a different opinion. They believe that Chichikov was still interested in "dead souls."
City officials even begin to believe that Chichikov was sent for some kind of check. And there were sins behind them, so they got scared. During this period, a new governor-general had just been appointed in the province, so this was quite possible. Here, as if on purpose, the governor received two strange papers. One said that a well-known counterfeiter was wanted, who changed names, and the other - about an escaped robber.
Then everyone wondered who this Chichikov really was. After all, none of them knew for sure. They interviewed the landlords, from whom he bought the souls of the peasants, there was little sense. They tried to learn something from Selifan and Petrushka, also to no avail. Meanwhile, the governor's daughter inherited from her mother. She strictly ordered not to communicate with a dubious guest.
ChapterX
The situation in the city became so tense that many officials began to lose weight from the experience. Everyone decided to meet with the police chief to confer. It was believed that Chichikov was Captain Kopeikin in disguise, who had his leg and arm torn off during the campaign of 1812. When he returned from the front, his father refused to support him. Then Kopeikin decided to turn to the sovereign, went to St. Petersburg.
Due to the absence of the sovereign, the general promises to receive him, but asks to come in a few days. A few days pass, but it is not accepted again. One nobleman assures that this requires the permission of the king. Soon Kopeikin runs out of money, he is poor and starving. Then he again turns to the general, who rudely sees him off and sends him out of St. Petersburg. After some time, a gang of robbers begins to operate in the Ryazan forest. Rumor has it that this is the work of Kopeikin.
After conferring, the officials decide that Chichikov cannot be Kopeikin, because his legs and arms are intact. Nozdryov appears and tells his version. He says that he studied with Chichikov, who was already a counterfeiter then. He also says that he sold him a lot of "dead souls" and that Chichikov really intended to take away the governor's daughter, and he helped him in this. As a result, he lies so much that he himself realizes that he overdid it.
At this time, in the city, from experiences, for no reason, the prosecutor dies. Everyone blames Chichikov, but he does not know anything about this, as he suffers from flux. He is genuinely surprised that no one visits him. Nozdryov comes to him and tells everything about the fact that in the city he is considered a swindler who tried to kidnap the daughter of the governor. And also talks about the death of the prosecutor. After he leaves, Chichikov orders to pack things.
ChapterXI
The next day, Chichikov is going on the road, but for a long time he cannot leave. Now the horses are not shod, then he overslept, then the chaise was not laid. As a result, they leave, but on the way they encounter a funeral procession. They are burying the prosecutor. All the officials go to the procession, and everyone thinks about how to improve relations with the new governor-general. This is followed by a lyrical digression about Russia, its roads and buildings.
The author introduces us to the origin of Chichikov. It turns out that his parents were nobles, but he does not look much like them. From childhood, he was sent to an old relative, where he lived and studied. At parting, his father gave him parting words to always please the authorities and hang out only with the rich. At school, the hero studied mediocre, had no special talents, but was a practical fellow.
When his father died, he mortgaged his father's house and entered the service. There he tried to please the authorities in everything and even looked after the boss's ugly daughter, promised to marry. But as he received a promotion, he did not marry. Further, he changed more than one service and did not stay anywhere for a long time because of his machinations. At one time, he even participated in the capture of smugglers, with whom he himself entered into an agreement.
The idea of buying "dead souls" visited him once again, when everything had to be started all over again. According to his plan, "dead souls" had to be mortgaged to the bank, and after receiving an impressive loan, to hide. Further, the author complains about the properties of the hero's nature, while he himself partly justifies him. In the finale, the chaise rushed so quickly along the road. And what Russian does not like to drive fast? The author compares the flying troika with the rushing Russia.
Nothing, however, happened as Chichikov expected. First, he woke up later. It also turned out that the horses needed to be forged, and the britzka needed repairs. The blacksmiths brought by Selifan, realizing that the work was needed in a hurry, broke exactly six times. No matter how excited Chichikov was, calling them swindlers and robbers, they did not give in, and they even fussed with work for five and a half hours. Finally the britzka was laid down and left the gates of the hotel. When turning onto one of the streets, the carriage had to stop in order to skip the funeral procession, the prosecutor was buried. Pavel Ivanovich hid in a corner and drew the curtains. Officials followed the coffin. Absorbed in their thoughts, they did not notice Chichikov's carriage. When the road cleared, he ordered to go faster and meanwhile thought: “It’s good that the funeral met, they say, fortunately ...” Meanwhile, the city was left behind and miles, stationmasters, wells, carts, gray villages, much more and the horizon without end...
Rus! I see you, from my wonderful, beautiful far away ... poor, scattered and uncomfortable in you ... your low cities stick out inconspicuously among the plains; nothing will seduce or charm the eye. But what incomprehensible force attracts you? Why is your melancholy song heard and resounding incessantly in the minds? What's in it, in this song? What calls, and sobs, and grabs the heart? What will this vast expanse read? Is there not a hero to be here, when there is a place where to turn around and walk for him? And menacingly embraces me mighty space... Wow! what a sparkling, wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth! Rus!..
Hold on, hold on, fool! Chichikov shouted to Selifan.
Here I am for you ... - shouted the courier galloping towards. And, like a ghost, the oncoming trio disappeared into the dust.
God! How good you are sometimes, distant, distant road! How many times, like a perishing and drowning man, have I clutched at you, and every time you generously endured me and saved me!
But let us return to Chichikov. It is very doubtful that the hero chosen by us will be liked by the readers. Probably, it was necessary to take a virtuous person as a hero, but he has already been turned into a horse and there is no writer who would not ride him. No, it's time to finally hide the scoundrel!
The origin of our hero is dark and modest. Life at the beginning looked at him somehow sourly and uncomfortably. A small stove with small windows that never opened, a father, a sick man, eternal sitting at the table with a pen in his hands over copybooks, eternal teachings: "do not lie, obey your elders and carry virtue in your heart." But everything changes in life. And one day they went with his father to the city. Here he had to live with a relative and go to the classes of the city school. The next day, the father left, leaving his son half a tin of copper for consumption and instruction: “Look, Pavlusha, study, don’t be a fool and don’t hang out, but most of all please teachers and bosses. If you please your boss, then, although you won’t succeed in science and God didn’t give you talent, you will go all out and get ahead of everyone. Don't hang out with your comrades, they won't teach you good things; and if it comes to that, then hang out with those who are richer, so that on occasion they can be useful to you. Do not treat or treat anyone, but behave better in such a way that you are treated, and most of all, take care and save a penny: this thing is more reliable than anything in the world. A comrade or friend will cheat you and in trouble will be the first to betray you, but a penny will not betray you, no matter what trouble you are in. You will do everything and break everything in the world with a penny.
At the school, he did not have any special abilities, he distinguished himself more by diligence and neatness. But on the other hand, he turned out to have a great mind on the practical side. He behaved in such a way that his comrades treated him, and he not only never, but even sometimes, hiding the treat, then sold it to them. Of the fifty left by his father, he not only did not spend a penny, but also increased his capital. Having molded a bullfinch from wax, painted it and sold it very profitably. In class, he sold to those who were richer, edibles bought on the market, and the price depended on the appetite of the buyer. He worked hard for two months, training the mouse, and achieved that she stood up on her hind legs, lay down and got up on command, and sold her very profitably, too. When five rubles had accumulated, he sewed them into a bag and began to save in another. In relation to the authorities, he behaved even smarter. During the entire lesson, he never moved an eye or an eyebrow. As soon as the bell rang, he was always the first to give the teacher a hat, the first to leave the classroom and tried to catch him three times on the way, bowing incessantly. Throughout his studies, he was in the best account and received an excellent certificate. At this time, his father died, who, it turned out, was versed only in the advice to save a penny, but he himself did not save up. Chichikov decided to stay in the city and take up the service. At this time, his teacher was expelled from the school for stupidity or for other guilt. The poor teacher began to drink and fell into poverty. Then the former students, whom he mercilessly punished for their rebelliousness and arrogant behavior, collected money for him; only Pavlusha excused himself by lack of possessions and gave him a nickel. "Oh, you lived!" - said the comrades and threw him his penny. The teacher cried when he received the money, and when he learned about Chichikov, he said: “Oh, Pavlusha! .. He cheated, he cheated a lot ...”
Despite an excellent certificate, he got an insignificant place in the service, and he fell under the command of an elderly official, who was distinguished by stone insensitivity and impregnability. It seemed that there was no human strength to attract his favor. Pavel Ivanovich mended his quills, swept him off his desk, brought in a new rag for the inkwell, each time a minute before he went home he put his hat beside him, cleaned his back if he got dirty against the wall, but everything was left without attention. Finally, Chichikov sniffed out about his mature daughter, with a face on which they seemed to be threshing peas. He found out which church she went to, began to go there and stand opposite. The old official staggered and invited him for tea. Then Chichikov moved to his house, helped with the housework, treated his daughter like a bride, called the official daddy and kissed his hand, everyone decided that there would be a wedding soon. Thanks to patronage, Chichikov received a position equal to "daddy's". Immediately after the promotion, Pavel Ivanovich moved to another apartment, the official stopped calling daddy, kissing his hand, and the wedding somehow hushed up. The only thing left for the official to do when meeting with Chichikov was to say under his breath: “He cheated, damn son!”
Having crossed this difficult threshold, Pavel Ivanovich soon got himself what is called a grain place. The case was staged with Russian ingenuity. No bribes. As soon as the petitioner put his hand in his pocket to get out a letter signed by Prince Khovansky, Pavel Ivanovich, holding it, said: “No, no, this is our duty, we must do this without any retribution, tomorrow everything will be ready and brought to to your house." The petitioner waits a day, another, a third - no one brings him anything. He is in the office - the case did not begin. They apologize to him and say: tomorrow everything will be done for sure. But things are not moving either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. The petitioner makes inquiries: it turns out that we must give the clerks, and a considerable amount. The petitioner is surprised: why are there so many clerks? They answer him: the clerks will get what they are supposed to, and everything else will go to the authorities. So all the bosses are now the most honest and noble people, only the clerks are swindlers. Chichikov joined the commission for the construction of some state-owned building. The commission worked for ten years, but the building never rose above the foundation. But in different parts of the city, members of the commission found themselves in a beautiful house.
But suddenly a new boss was sent. The next day he demanded reports. Chichikov lost his place, I'm home. I had to move to another city and start all over again. As soon as he managed to enter the service in the customs, he quickly got used to it and achieved remarkable success, which greatly disturbed the smugglers. His honesty and incorruptibility were irresistible, almost unnatural. Having received a promotion, Chichikov ensured that he was instructed to catch all the smugglers. Pavel Ivanovich now had the opportunity to dictate his conditions to the smugglers, and in one year made a fortune that he could not have received in twenty years. God knows how rich Chichikov would have become if he had not quarreled with the official who had been initiated into the matter so that it would go on unhindered. He sent a denunciation, and the secret relationship with the smugglers became apparent. The scammer, although he himself disappeared, nevertheless greatly annoyed his comrade. Both officials were taken to court, everything was confiscated. Chichikov with difficulty evaded the criminal court, but only ten thousand remained of his savings, so, about a rainy day.
Pavel Ivanovich had to start all over again. And he became an intercessor for other people's affairs. It was then that he learned that the bank issues a loan secured by peasants listed in the audit tale. And the idea came into his head to buy those peasants who died, but are still alive, at least a thousand, and to mortgage them at two hundred rubles per capita - you get a solid capital. Crossing himself, according to Russian custom, he began to fulfill his idea. We already know how the first purchases were made. So, here is our hero all over his face, what he is! who is he? so a scoundrel? It is most fair to call him: the owner, the acquirer. And which of you, in moments of solitary conversations with yourself, did not ask yourself the difficult question: “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me?”
But our hero has already woken up and can hear what we are talking about.
How are you eating? he said to Selifan. - Come on, touch it!
Selifan waved his whip. The horses stirred and carried, like fluff, a light britzka. Chichikov only smiled, slightly flying up on a leather cushion, for he liked fast driving.
And what Russian does not like to drive fast? Is it his soul, seeking to spin, take a walk, sometimes say: “Damn it all!” - Is it possible for his soul not to love her? .. It seems that an unknown force has taken you on a wing to itself, and you yourself fly, and everything flies ... Oh, troika! bird troika, who invented you? to know that you could only be born among a lively people, in that land that does not like to joke, but spread out halfway around the world, and go and count miles until it fills your eyes.
Isn't it true that you too, Russia, that a brisk, unbeaten troika are rushing about?.. Where are you rushing to? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. A bell is filled with a wonderful ringing; the air torn to pieces rumbles and becomes the wind; everything that is on the earth flies past, and, looking askance, they stand aside and give it the way other peoples and states.
Question Summary 11 chapters of the 1st volume dead souls. given by the author brushwood the best answer is that in the morning Chichikov cannot leave the city (he overslept, the chaise was not laid, the horses were not shod). He leaves only in the evening, on the way he meets a funeral procession (the funeral of the prosecutor), all the officials follow the coffin, and everyone thinks about the new governor-general and their future relationship with him. The carriage leaves the city. A lyrical digression about Russia follows. "Rus! Rus! I see you, I see you from my wonderful beautiful far away: poor, scattered and uncomfortable in you; the daring divas of nature, crowned with the daring divas of art, will not amuse, will not frighten the eyes ... Everything in you is open, deserted and even; like dots, like badges, your low cities stick out inconspicuously among the plains, nothing will seduce and charm the eye. But what incomprehensible, secret force attracts you? Why is your melancholy song, rushing along your entire length and width, from sea to sea, heard and heard incessantly in your ears? What's in it, in this song? What calls, and sobs, and grabs the heart? What sounds painfully kiss and strive to the soul, and curl around my heart? Rus! what do you want from me? what incomprehensible connection lurks between us?... What does this vast expanse prophesy? Is it not here, in you, that an infinite thought is born when you are Lama without end? Is it not possible for a hero to be here when there is a place where he can turn around and pass through? and menacingly embraces me a mighty space, with terrible power reflected in my depths; my eyes lit up with an unnatural power: wow! what a sparkling, wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth! Russia!..” The author's reasoning about the hero of a literary work (this is not a virtuous person) and about the origin of Chichikov follows. Chichikov's parents were nobles, the son does not look like them, "life looked at him ... sourly and uncomfortably." Father took Pavlusha to the city to an old relative to enter the school. The parting words of his father boiled down to the fact that the boy should please the teachers and the authorities, hang out only with rich comrades, he himself would not share with anyone, but behave in such a way that he was treated, and most of all save a penny. Chichikov never had special abilities, but the boy had a “practical mind”, saved his own money, sold treats offered to him, showed a trained mouse for money, fawned over teachers and as a result received a certificate with gold letters. Toward the end of the school, Chichikov's father dies, the son sells the dilapidated house and enters the service. He betrays a teacher expelled from school, whom all his former comrades helped and who counted on the support of his beloved student Chichikov. Chichikov serves, pleasing his boss in everything, takes care of his ugly daughter, hints that he is not averse to getting married, seeks promotion and does not marry. He is on the commission for the construction of a state-owned building, for which a lot of money has been allocated, but the building is being built "no higher than the foundation" (strict economy and Chichikov's abstinence ended). The new boss, a military man, hated Chichikov at first sight, and the latter was forced to start his career from scratch. Chichikov enters the customs service, since from this place he can get a lot. Chichikov has a talent for searches and searches. Chichikov is promoted and presents a project to catch smugglers. At this time, he himself conspires with smugglers, receives a lot of money (400-500 thousand). Quarrels with a friend with whom he shared, and they are put on trial. The dodgy Chichikov manages to save some of the money and starts all over again as an attorney. There, the idea of buying and reselling dead souls dawns on him (he is going to pawn them in the bank under the guise of living ones, and, having received a loan on security, hide). Reflecting on how readers will react to his hero, the author gives a parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokii Kifovich, father and son. The existence of the father is turned into a speculative side (sample reflection: “the beast is not born from an egg”), and the son is rowdy. In response to requests to appease his son, Kifa Mokievich does not want to interfere in anything, “if he remains a dog, then let me not know about it
In the morning it turned out that there was no way to leave immediately, since the horses were not shod, and the tires needed to be changed at the wheel. Chichikov, beside himself with indignation, ordered Selifan to immediately find the craftsmen so that all the work would be done in two hours. Finally, after five hours, Pavel Ivanovich was able to leave the city. He crossed himself and ordered to drive.
instructions. As soon as the child was distracted, long fingers twisted the ear painfully. The time came, and Pavlusha was sent to the city, to the school. Before leaving, the father gave the following instruction to his son: “... study, do not be foolish and do not hang out, but most of all please teachers and bosses. If you please the bosses, then, although you won’t succeed in science, and God didn’t give you talent, you will go all the way and get ahead of everyone. Do not hang out with your comrades... hang out with those who are richer, so that on occasion they can be useful to you. Do not treat or treat anyone ... take care and save a penny. You will do everything, you will break everything in the world with a penny. Pavlusha
diligently followed the instructions of his father. In the classes, he distinguished himself more by diligence than by his ability in the sciences. He quickly recognized the teacher's penchant for obedient students and in every possible way pleased him. As a result, he graduated from college with a commendable sheet. Subsequently, when this teacher fell ill, Chichikov spared him money for medicines.
After graduating from school, Chichikov with great difficulty got a job in the Treasury Chamber in a miserable place. However, he tried so hard that he entered the favor of his boss and even became the bridegroom of his daughter. Pretty soon the old clerk did his best, and Pavel Ivanovich himself sat down as a clerk in the vacant position. The very next day Chichikov left his fiancee. Gradually he became a prominent person. Even the persecution of all sorts of bribes in the office, he turned to his advantage. From now on, only secretaries and clerks took bribes, they shared them with their superiors.
As a result, it was the lower officials who turned out to be fraudsters. Chichikov nailed himself to some architectural commission and did not live in poverty until the general was replaced.
The new boss did not like Chichikov at all, so he was soon left without a job and his savings. After long ordeals, our hero got a job at the customs, where he proved himself to be an excellent worker. Having become a boss, Chichikov began to turn frauds, as a result of which he turned out to be the owner of a fairly decent capital. However, he quarreled with his accomplice and again lost almost everything. Having become a trustee, Chichikov accidentally learned that even the dead, but considered alive according to the revision tales, peasants can be placed in the board of trustees, while receiving considerable capital that can work for their master. Pavel Ivanovich began to zealously put his dream into practice.
The poem ends with a well-known lyrical digression about the Russian troika.
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Retelling plan
1. Chichikov arrives in the provincial town of NN.
2. Chichikov's visits to city officials.
3. Visit to Manilov.
4. Chichikov is at Korobochka.
5. Acquaintance with Nozdrev and a trip to his estate.
6. Chichikov at Sobakevich's.
7. Visit to Plushkin.
8. Registration of bills of sale for "dead souls" purchased from landowners.
9. The attention of the townspeople to Chichikov, the "millionaire".
10. Nozdrev reveals the secret of Chichikov.
11. The Tale of Captain Kopeikin.
12. Rumors about who Chichikov is.
13. Chichikov hastily leaves the city.
14. Story about the origin of Chichikov.
15. The author's reasoning about the essence of Chichikov.
retelling
Volume I
Chapter 1
A beautiful spring cart drove into the gates of the provincial city of NN. In it sat “a gentleman, not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; one cannot say that he is old, however, and not so that he is too young. His arrival made no noise in the city. The hotel in which he stayed “was of a certain kind, that is, exactly like hotels in provincial cities, where for two rubles a day travelers get a quiet room with cockroaches ...” The visitor, waiting for dinner, managed to ask who was in significant officials in the city, about all significant landowners, who has how many souls, etc.
After dinner, having rested in the room, for a message to the police he wrote on a piece of paper: "College adviser Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, landowner, according to his needs," and he himself went to the city. “The city was in no way inferior to other provincial cities: the yellow paint on the stone houses was strong in the eyes and the gray on the wooden houses was modestly dark ... There were signs with pretzels and boots almost washed away by rain, where there was a shop with caps and the inscription: “Foreigner Vasily Fedorov”, where a billiard was drawn ... with the inscription: "And here is the institution." Most often came across the inscription: "Drinking house."
The whole next day was devoted to visits to city officials: the governor, the vice-governor, the prosecutor, the chairman of the chamber, the chief of police, and even the inspector of the medical board and the city architect. The governor, "like Chichikov, was neither fat nor thin, however, he was a great kind man and even sometimes embroidered tulle himself." Chichikov "very skillfully knew how to flatter everyone." He spoke little about himself and some common phrases. In the evening, the governor had a "party", for which Chichikov carefully prepared. The men here, as elsewhere, were of two kinds: some were thin, curling around the ladies, and others were fat or the same as Chichikov, i.e. not so much too fat, but not thin either, they, on the contrary, backed away from the ladies. “Fat people know how to handle their affairs better in this world than thin ones. The thin ones serve more on special assignments or are only registered and wag hither and thither. Fat people never occupy indirect places, but all direct ones, and if they sit anywhere, they will sit securely and firmly. Chichikov thought for a moment and joined the fat ones. He met the landowners: the very courteous Manilov and the somewhat clumsy Sobakevich. Having completely charmed them with pleasant treatment, Chichikov immediately asked how many souls of peasants they had and in what condition their estates were.
Manilov, "still not at all an elderly man, who had eyes as sweet as sugar ... was oblivious of him," invited him to his estate. Chichikov also received an invitation from Sobakevich.
The next day, while visiting the postmaster, Chichikov met the landowner Nozdrev, “a man of about thirty, a broken fellow, who, after three or four words, began to say “you” to him. He communicated with everyone in a friendly way, but when they sat down to play whist, the prosecutor and postmaster carefully looked at his bribes.
Chichikov spent the next few days in the city. Everyone had a very flattering opinion about him. He gave the impression of a man of the world, able to keep up a conversation on any topic and at the same time speak "neither loudly nor quietly, but exactly as it should."
Chapter 2
Chichikov went to the village to see Manilov. They searched for Manilov's house for a long time: “The village of Manilovka could lure a few with its location. The master's house stood alone at a brisk pace... open to all winds...' One could see a gazebo with a flat green dome, wooden blue columns and the inscription: 'Temple of Solitary Reflection'. An overgrown pond was visible below. Gray log huts darkened in the lowlands, which Chichikov immediately began to count and counted more than two hundred. In the distance was a pine forest. On the porch Chichikov was met by the owner himself.
Manilov was very glad to have a guest. “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 ... He was a prominent person; his features were not devoid of pleasantness... He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes. In the first minute of a conversation with him, you can’t help but say: “What a pleasant and 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 you will move away ... At home he spoke little and for the most part reflected and thought, but what he thought about, too, God knew. It cannot be said that he was engaged in housekeeping ... it went on somehow by itself ... Sometimes ... he said how good it would be if all of a sudden an underground passage was built from the house or a stone bridge was built across the pond, on which there would be shops on both sides, and so that merchants would sit in them and sell various small goods ... However, this ended with only one word.
In his study lay some kind of book, laid on one page, which he had been reading for two years. In the living room there was expensive, smart furniture: all the chairs were upholstered in red silk, but there were not enough for two, and for two years the owner had been telling everyone that they were not yet finished.
Manilov's wife ... "however, they were completely pleased with each other": after eight years of marriage, for her husband's birthday, she always prepared "some kind of beaded case for a toothpick." They cooked poorly in the house, the pantry was empty, the housekeeper stole, the servants were unclean and drunkards. But “all these subjects are low, and Manilova is well brought up,” in a boarding school where they teach three virtues: French, piano and knitting purses and other surprises.
Manilov and Chichikov showed unnatural courtesy: they tried to let each other through at the door without fail first. Finally, they both squeezed through the door at the same time. This was followed by an acquaintance with Manilov's wife and an empty conversation about mutual acquaintances. The opinion of all is the same: "a pleasant, most respectable, most amiable person." Then they all sat down to eat. Manilov introduced his sons to Chichikov: Themistoclus (seven years old) and Alkid (six years old). Themistoclus has a runny nose, he bites his brother on the ear, and he, having overcome tears and smeared with fat, eats dinner. After dinner, "the guest announced with a very significant air that he intended to talk about one very necessary matter."
The conversation took place in an office, the walls of which were painted with some kind of blue paint, even rather gray; on the table lay a few papers covered with writing, but most of all there was tobacco. Chichikov asked Manilov for a detailed register of peasants (revision tales), asking how many peasants had died since the last census of the register. Manilov did not remember exactly and asked why Chichikov needed to know this? He replied that he wanted to buy dead souls, which would be listed in the audit as living. Manilov was so taken aback that "as he opened his mouth, he remained with his mouth open for several minutes." Chichikov convinced Manilov that there would be no violation of the law, the treasury would even receive benefits in the form of legal duties. When Chichikov spoke about the price, Manilov decided to give away the dead souls free of charge and even took over the bill of sale, which aroused immoderate delight and gratitude from the guest. After seeing off Chichikov, Manilov again indulged in dreams, and now he imagined that the sovereign himself, having learned about his strong friendship with Chichikov, favored them with generals.
Chapter 3
Chichikov went to the village of Sobakevich. Suddenly it began to rain heavily, the driver lost his way. It turned out he was very drunk. Chichikov ended up in the estate of the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Chichikov was led into a room hung with old striped wallpaper, on the walls were paintings of some kind of birds, between the windows small antique mirrors with dark frames in the form of curled leaves. The hostess entered; “one of those mothers, small landowners, who cry for crop failures, losses and keep their heads somewhat to one side, and meanwhile they collect a little money in motley bags placed in drawers of chests of drawers ...”
Chichikov stayed overnight. In the morning, he first of all examined the peasant huts: “Yes, her village is not small.” At breakfast, the hostess finally introduced herself. Chichikov started talking about buying dead souls. The box could not understand why he was doing this, and offered to buy hemp or honey. She, apparently, was afraid to sell cheap, began to play up, and Chichikov, persuading her, lost patience: “Well, the woman seems to be strong-headed!” The box still could not decide to sell the dead: “Maybe the household will somehow need ...”
Only when Chichikov mentioned that he was holding government contracts did he manage to convince Korobochka. She wrote a power of attorney to make a bill of sale. After much bargaining, the deal was finally done. At parting, Korobochka generously treated the guest to pies, pancakes, cakes with various seasonings and other food. Chichikov asked Korobochka to tell her how to get out onto the main road, which puzzled her: “How can I do this? It’s tricky to tell, there are a lot of turns.” She gave a girl as an escort, otherwise it would not be easy for the crew to leave: "the roads spread in all directions, like caught crayfish when they are poured out of a bag." Chichikov finally got to the tavern, which stood on a high road.
Chapter 4
Dining in a tavern, Chichikov saw through the window a light britzka with two men driving up. In one of them Chichikov recognized Nozdryov. Nozdryov "was of medium height, a very well-built fellow with full ruddy cheeks, teeth as white as snow, and sideburns as black as pitch." This landowner, Chichikov recalled, whom he met at the prosecutor's office, after a few minutes began to say "you" to him, although Chichikov did not give a reason. Without stopping for a minute, Nozdryov began to speak, without waiting for the interlocutor's answers: “Where did you go? And I, brother, from the fair. Congratulate: blown out into the fluff! .. But how we had a spree in the first days! .. Do you believe that I alone drank seventeen bottles of champagne in the course of dinner! Nozdryov, not silent for a moment, spouted all sorts of nonsense. He drew from Chichikov that he was going to Sobakevich's, and persuaded him to stop by before that. Chichikov decided that he could “beg for something for nothing” from the lost Nozdryov, and agreed.
Author's description of Nozdrev. Such people “are called broken fellows, they are known even in childhood and at school for good comrades, and for all that they are very painfully beaten ... They are always talkers, revelers, reckless people, prominent people ...” Nozdryov used to even with his closest friends "Start with smoothness, and end with reptile." At thirty-five, he was the same as he was at eighteen. The deceased wife left two children who he did not need at all. He did not spend more than two days at home, he was always wandering around the fairs, playing cards "not entirely sinless and clean." “Nozdryov was in some respects historical man. Not a single meeting where he was could do without a story: either the gendarmes would take him out of the hall, or his own friends would be forced to push him out ... or he would cut himself in the buffet, or he would lie ... The closer someone got along with him, the more he rather, he pissed everyone off: he dissolved a fable, which is more stupid than which it is difficult to invent, upset a wedding, a deal, and did not at all consider himself your enemy. He had a passion "to change everything that is for everything you want." All this came from some kind of restless briskness and glibness of character.
On his estate, the owner immediately ordered the guests to inspect everything he had, which took a little over two hours. Everything was abandoned, except for the kennel. In the owner's office, only sabers and two guns hung, as well as "real" Turkish daggers, on which "by mistake" was carved: "master Savely Sibiryakov." Over a poorly prepared dinner, Nozdryov tried to make Chichikov drunk, but he managed to pour out the contents of his glass. Nozdryov offered to play cards, but the guest flatly refused and finally started talking about business. Nozdryov, sensing that the matter was unclean, pestered Chichikov with questions: why does he need dead souls? After much squabbling, Nozdryov agreed, but on the condition that Chichikov would also buy a stallion, a mare, a dog, a hurdy-gurdy, etc.
Chichikov, having stayed the night, regretted that he had called on Nozdryov and started talking to him about the matter. In the morning it turned out that Nozdryov had not abandoned his intention to play for souls, and they finally settled on checkers. During the game, Chichikov noticed that his opponent was cheating and refused to continue the game. Nozdryov shouted to the servants: “Beat him!” and himself, "all in heat and sweat," began to break through to Chichikov. The soul of the guest went to the heels. At that moment, a cart with a police captain drove up to the house, who announced that Nozdryov was on trial for "inflicting personal insult on the landowner Maksimov with rods while drunk." Chichikov, not listening to the bickering, quietly slipped out onto the porch, got into the britzka, and ordered Selifan to "drive the horses at full speed."
Chapter 5
Chichikov could not move away from fear. Suddenly, his britzka collided with a carriage in which two ladies were sitting: one was old, the other was young, of extraordinary charm. They parted with difficulty, but Chichikov thought for a long time about the unexpected meeting and the beautiful stranger.
The village of Sobakevich seemed to Chichikov “quite large... The yard was surrounded by a strong and excessively thick wooden lattice. ... The village huts of the peasants were also cut down marvelously ... everything was fitted tightly and properly. ... In a word, everything ... was stubborn, without shaking, in some kind of strong and clumsy order. “When Chichikov glanced askance at Sobakevich, he seemed to him very similar to medium size bear." “The tail coat on him was completely bear-colored ... He stepped with his feet at random and at random and stepped incessantly on other people's feet. The complexion was red-hot, hot, which happens on a copper penny. "Bear! The perfect bear! They even called him Mikhail Semyonovich, thought Chichikov.
Entering the drawing room, Chichikov noticed that everything in it was solid, clumsy, and had some strange resemblance to the owner himself. Every object, every chair seemed to say: “And I, too, Sobakevich!” The guest tried to start a pleasant conversation, but it turned out that Sobakevich considered all mutual acquaintances - the governor, the postmaster, the chairman of the chamber - to be swindlers and fools. "Chichikov remembered that Sobakevich did not like to speak well of anyone."
Over a plentiful dinner, Sobakevich “tipped half a lamb side onto his plate, ate it all, gnawed it, sucked it to the last bone ... Cheesecakes followed the lamb side, each of which was much larger than a plate, then a turkey as tall as a calf ...” Sobakevich started talking about his neighbor Plyushkin, an extremely stingy man who owns eight hundred peasants, who "starved all the people to death." Chichikov became interested. After dinner, when he heard that Chichikov wanted to buy dead souls, Sobakevich was not at all surprised: "It seemed that there was no soul in this body at all." He started haggling and broke the exorbitant price. He spoke of dead souls as if they were alive: “I have everything for selection: not a workman, but some other healthy peasant”: Mikheev, a carriage worker, Stepan Cork, a carpenter, Milushkin, a bricklayer ... “After all, what a people!” Chichikov finally interrupted him: “But excuse me, why are you counting all their qualities? After all, these are all dead people. In the end, they agreed on three rubles a head and decided to be in the city the next day and deal with the bill of sale. Sobakevich demanded a deposit, Chichikov, in turn, insisted that Sobakevich give him a receipt and asked him not to tell anyone about the deal. "Fist, fist! thought Chichikov, "and a beast to boot!"
In order not to see Sobakevich, Chichikov went by a detour to Plyushkin. The peasant, whom Chichikov asks for directions to the estate, calls Plyushkin "patched". The chapter ends with a lyrical digression about the Russian language. “The Russian people express themselves strongly!.. Pronounced aptly, it’s the same as writing, it is not cut down with an ax ... the lively and lively Russian mind ... does not go into your pocket for a word, but slaps it right away, like a passport on an eternal sock ... no a word that would be so bold, brisk, so burst out from under the very heart, so seething and vibrant, like a well-spoken Russian word.
Chapter 6
The chapter opens with a lyrical digression about travel: “Long ago, in the summers of my youth, it was fun for me to drive up to an unfamiliar place for the first time, a childish curious look revealed a lot of curiosity in it ... Now I indifferently drive up to any unfamiliar village and indifferently look at its vulgar appearance, ... and indifferent silence keep my motionless lips. O my youth! O my freshness!
Laughing at Plyushkin's nickname, Chichikov imperceptibly found himself in the middle of a vast village. “He noticed some special dilapidation on all the village buildings: many roofs shone through like a sieve ... The windows in the huts were without glass ...” Then the manor’s house appeared: “This strange castle looked like some kind of decrepit invalid ... In some places it was one story, in some places two... The walls of the house slitted bare stucco bars in places and, apparently, suffered a lot from all kinds of bad weather... The garden overlooking the village... it seemed that alone refreshed this vast village, and one was quite picturesque...”
“Everything said that the economy once flowed here on a vast scale, and everything looked cloudy now ... At one of the buildings, Chichikov noticed some figure ... For a long time he could not recognize what gender the figure was: a woman or a peasant ... the dress is indefinite, there is a cap on the head, the dressing gown is sewn from no one knows what. Chichikov concluded that it must be the housekeeper. Entering the house, he “was struck by the disorder that appeared”: cobwebs all around, broken furniture, a pile of papers, “a glass with some kind of liquid and three flies ... a piece of rag”, dust, a pile of garbage in the middle of the room. The same housekeeper came in. Looking closer, Chichikov realized that it was more like a key keeper. Chichikov asked where the gentleman was. “What, father, are they blind, or what? - said the key. - And I'm the owner!
The author describes Plushkin's appearance and his history. “The chin protruded far forward, the small eyes had not yet gone out and were running from under high-growing eyebrows like mice”; the sleeves and upper skirts of the dressing gown were so “greasy and shiny that they looked like yuft, which goes on boots”, around the neck is not a stocking, not a garter, just not a tie. “But in front of him was not a beggar, in front of him was a landowner. This landowner had more than a thousand souls,” the pantries were full of grain, lots of linen, sheepskins, vegetables, crockery, and so on. But it seemed to Plyushkin that this was not enough. “Everything that came across to him: an old sole, a woman’s rag, an iron nail, a clay shard, he dragged everything to himself and put it in a pile.” “But there was a time when he was only a thrifty owner! He was married and a family man; mills moved, cloth factories, carpentry machines, spinning mills worked ... Intelligence was visible in the eyes ... But the good housewife died, Plyushkin became more restless, more suspicious and meaner. He cursed his eldest daughter, who ran away and married an officer of the cavalry regiment. The youngest daughter died, and the son, sent to the city to be determined for the service, went to the military - and the house was completely empty.
His “savings” reached the point of absurdity (he keeps a biscuit from Easter cake for several months, which his daughter brought him as a gift, always knows how much liquor is left in the decanter, writes neatly on paper, so that the lines run into each other). At first Chichikov did not know how to explain to him the reason for his visit. But, starting a conversation about Plyushkin's household, Chichikov found out that about one hundred and twenty serfs had died. Chichikov showed “a readiness to take upon himself the obligation to pay taxes for all the dead peasants. The proposal seemed to completely astonish Plyushkin. He couldn't speak for joy. Chichikov invited him to make a bill of sale and even undertook to bear all the expenses. Plyushkin, out of an excess of feelings, does not know how to treat his dear guest: he orders to put on a samovar, get a spoiled cracker from the Easter cake, wants to treat him with a liquor, from which he pulled out "a goat and all sorts of rubbish." Chichikov refused such a treat in disgust.
“And a person could descend to such insignificance, pettiness, disgust! Could change like that!” - exclaims the author.
It turned out that Plyushkin had a lot of fugitive peasants. And Chichikov also acquired them, while Plyushkin bargained for every penny. To the great joy of the owner, Chichikov soon left "in the most cheerful mood": he acquired "more than two hundred people" from Plyushkin.
Chapter 7
The chapter opens with a sad lyrical discussion of two types of writers.
In the morning Chichikov thought about who the peasants were during his lifetime, whom he now owns (now he has four hundred dead souls). In order not to pay clerks, he himself began to build fortresses. At two o'clock everything was ready, and he went to the civil chamber. On the street, he ran into Manilov, who began to kiss and hug him. Together they went to the ward, where they turned to the official Ivan Antonovich with a person “called a jug snout”, to whom, in order to speed up the case, Chichikov gave a bribe. Sobakevich also sat here. Chichikov agreed to complete the deal during the day. The documents have been completed. After such a successful completion of affairs, the chairman suggested that we go to dinner with the chief of police. During dinner, tipsy and cheered up, the guests persuaded Chichikov not to leave and, in general, to marry here. Zakhmelev, Chichikov chatted about his "Kherson estate" and already believed everything he said.
Chapter 8
The whole city was discussing Chichikov's purchases. Some even offered their help in resettling the peasants, some even began to think that Chichikov was a millionaire, so they "fell in love with him even more sincerely." The inhabitants of the city lived in harmony with each other, many were not without education: "some read Karamzin, some" Moskovskie Vedomosti", some even did not read anything at all."
Chichikov made a special impression on the ladies. "The ladies of the city of N were what is called presentable." How to behave, keep the tone, maintain etiquette, and especially keep fashion in the very last detail - in this they were ahead of the ladies of St. Petersburg and even Moscow. The ladies of the city of N were distinguished by “extraordinary caution and decency in words and expressions. They never said: “I blew my nose”, “I sweated”, “I spat”, but they said: “I relieved my nose”, “I managed with a handkerchief”. The word "millionaire" had a magical effect on the ladies, one of them even sent a sugary love letter to Chichikov.
Chichikov was invited to the governor's ball. Before the ball, Chichikov looked at himself in the mirror for an hour, assuming significant poses. At the ball, being in the spotlight, he tried to guess the author of the letter. The governor introduced Chichikov to her daughter, and he recognized the girl whom he once met on the road: “she was the only one who turned white and came out transparent and bright from a muddy and opaque crowd.” The charming young girl made such an impression on Chichikov that he "felt like a completely something like a young man, almost a hussar." The rest of the ladies felt offended by his impoliteness and inattention to them and began to "talk about him in different corners in the most unfavorable way."
Nozdryov appeared and ingenuously told everyone that Chichikov had tried to buy dead souls from him. The ladies, as if not believing in the news, picked it up. Chichikov "began to feel uncomfortable, not all right" and, without waiting for the end of dinner, left. In the meantime, Korobochka arrived in the city at night and began to find out the prices for dead souls, fearing that she had sold too cheap.
Chapter 9
Early in the morning, before the scheduled time for visits, "a lady pleasant in every way" went to visit the "simply pleasant lady." The guest told the news: at night, Chichikov, disguised as a robber, came to Korobochka with a demand to sell him dead souls. The hostess remembered that she had heard something from Nozdryov, but the guest had her own thoughts: dead souls are just a cover, in fact Chichikov wants to kidnap the governor's daughter, and Nozdryov is his accomplice. Then they discussed the appearance of the governor's daughter and did not find anything attractive in her.
Then the prosecutor appeared, they told him about their findings, which completely confused him. The ladies parted in different directions, and now the news went around the city. Men turned their attention to the purchase of dead souls, while women began to discuss the "abduction" of the governor's daughter. Rumors were retold in houses where Chichikov had never even been. He was suspected of a rebellion by the peasants of the village of Borovka and that he had been sent for some kind of check. To top it off, the governor received two notices about a counterfeiter and an escaped robber with an order to detain both ... They began to suspect that one of them was Chichikov. Then they remembered that they knew almost nothing about him ... They tried to find out, but they did not achieve clarity. We decided to meet with the chief of police.
Chapter 10
All officials were concerned about the situation with Chichikov. Gathered at the police chief, many noticed that they were emaciated from the latest news.
The author makes a lyrical digression about “the peculiarities of holding meetings or charity meetings”: “... In all our meetings ... there is a great deal of confusion ... Only those meetings that are made up in order to have a snack or dine succeed.” But here it turned out quite differently. Some were inclined to believe that Chichikov was a doer of banknotes, and then they themselves added: "Or maybe not a doer." Others believed that he was an official of the Governor-General's Office and immediately: "But, by the way, the devil knows." And the postmaster said that Chichikov was Captain Kopeikin, and told the following story.
THE STORY ABOUT CAPTAIN KOPEIKIN
During the war of 1812, the captain's arm and leg were torn off. There were no orders for the wounded then, and he went home to his father. He refused him the house, saying that there was nothing to feed him, and Kopeikin went to seek the truth to the sovereign in St. Petersburg. Asked where to go. The sovereign was not in the capital, and Kopeikin went to the "high commission, to the general-in-chief." He waited for a long time in the waiting room, then they announced to him that he would come in three or four days. The next time the nobleman said that we had to wait for the king, without his special permission, he could not do anything.
Kopeikin was running out of money, he decided to go and explain that he could not wait any longer, he simply had nothing to eat. He was not allowed to see the nobleman, but he managed to slip with some visitor into the reception room. He explained that he was dying of hunger, but could not earn. The general rudely escorted him out and sent him at public expense to his place of residence. “Where Kopeikin went is unknown; but not even two months had passed when a gang of robbers appeared in the Ryazan forests, and the ataman of this gang was none other ... "
It occurred to the chief of police that Kopeikin had no arms and legs, while Chichikov had everything in place. They began to make other assumptions, even this one: “Isn’t Chichikov Napoleon in disguise?” We decided to ask Nozdryov again, although he is a well-known liar. He was just engaged in the manufacture of fake cards, but he came. He said that he had sold dead souls to Chichikov for several thousand, that he knew him from the school where they studied together, and Chichikov had been a spy and a counterfeiter since the time that Chichikov really was going to take away the governor's daughter and Nozdryov helped him. As a result, officials never found out who Chichikov was. Frightened by insoluble problems, the prosecutor died, he had a stroke.
“Chichikov knew absolutely nothing about all this, he caught a cold and decided to stay at home.” He couldn't understand why no one was visiting him. Three days later, he went out into the street and first of all went to the governor, but he was not received there, just like in many other houses. Nozdryov came and incidentally told Chichikov: “...everyone in the city is against you; they think that you are making fake papers... they have dressed you up as robbers and spies.” Chichikov did not believe his ears: "... there is nothing more to delay, you need to get out of here as soon as possible."
He sent Nozdryov out and ordered Selifan to prepare for his departure.
Chapter 11
The next morning everything went upside down. At first Chichikov overslept, then it turned out that the chaise was out of order and the horses needed to be shod. But now everything was settled, and Chichikov, with a sigh of relief, sat down in the britzka. On the way, he met a funeral procession (the prosecutor was buried). Chichikov hid behind a curtain, afraid that he would be recognized. Finally Chichikov left the city.
The author tells the story of Chichikov: “The origin of our hero is dark and modest ... At the beginning, life looked at him somehow sourly and uncomfortably: no friend, no comrade in childhood!” His father, a poor nobleman, was constantly ill. One day, his father took Pavlusha to the city, to determine the city school: “The city streets flashed in front of the boy with unexpected splendor.” When parting, the father “was given a clever instruction: “Learn, do not be a fool and do not hang out, but most of all please teachers and bosses. Don’t hang out with comrades, or hang out with the rich, so that they can be useful to you on occasion ... most of all, take care and save a penny: this thing is more reliable than anything in the world ... You will do everything and break everything in the world with a penny.
“He didn’t have any special abilities for any science,” but he turned out to have a practical mind. He did so that his comrades treated him, and he not only never treated them. And sometimes even, having hidden treats, then he sold them to them. “From the fifty dollars given by my father, I didn’t spend a penny, on the contrary, I made increments to it: I made a bullfinch out of wax and sold it very profitably”; accidentally teased hungry comrades with gingerbread and rolls, and then sold them to them, trained a mouse for two months and then sold it very profitably. “In relation to the authorities, he behaved even smarter”: he fawned over the teachers, catered to them, therefore he was in excellent standing and as a result “received a certificate and a book with golden letters for exemplary diligence and trustworthy behavior.”
His father left him a small inheritance. “At the same time, the poor teacher was expelled from the school,” out of grief, he began to drink, drank everything and disappeared sick in some closet. All his former students collected money for him, but Chichikov dissuaded himself by lack of money and gave him some nickel of silver. “Everything that did not respond with wealth and contentment made an impression on him, incomprehensible to himself. He decided to take up the service passionately, to conquer and overcome everything ... early morning until late in the evening, he wrote, mired in stationery, did not go home, slept in the office rooms on the tables ... He fell under the command of an elderly assistant, who was the image of some kind of stone insensitivity and indestructibility. Chichikov began to please him in everything, "sniffed out his home life", found out that he had an ugly daughter, began to come to church and stand in front of this girl. “And the case was a success: the stern clerk staggered and called him for tea!” He behaved like a fiancé, he called the intern “daddy” already, and through his future father-in-law he won the position of innkeeper. After that, "about the wedding, the matter was hushed up."
“Since then, everything has gone easier and more successfully. He became a conspicuous person ... in a short time he got a bread place ”and learned to deftly take bribes. Then he joined some kind of construction commission, but construction is not going “above the foundation”, but Chichikov managed to steal, like other members of the commission, significant funds. But suddenly a new boss was sent, an enemy of bribe-takers, and the officials of the commission were removed from their posts. Chichikov moved to another city and started from scratch. “He decided to get to the customs at all costs, and got there. He took up the service with unusual zeal. He became famous for his incorruptibility and honesty (“his honesty and incorruptibility were irresistible, almost unnatural”), he achieved a promotion. Having waited for the right moment, Chichikov received funds to carry out his project to catch all the smugglers. "Here in one year he could get what he would not have won in twenty years of the most zealous service." Having agreed with one official, he took up smuggling. Everything went smoothly, the accomplices grew rich, but suddenly they quarreled and both were put on trial. The property was confiscated, but Chichikov managed to save ten thousand, a cart and two serfs. And so he started again. As an attorney, he had to mortgage one estate, and then it dawned on him that you can mortgage dead souls in a bank, take a loan against them and hide. And he went to buy them in the city of N.
“So, our hero is all there ... Who is he in relation to moral qualities? Scoundrel? Why 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 is not publicly, but in silence, alone, deepens inside own soul this heavy inquiry: “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me too?” Yes, no matter how!”
Meanwhile, Chichikov woke up, and the britzka rushed faster, “And what kind of Russian person does not like to drive fast? .. Isn’t it true that you, Rus, are rushing about in a brisk, unbeaten troika? Russia, where are you going? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. A bell is filled with a wonderful ringing; the air torn to pieces rumbles and becomes the wind; everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking sideways, step aside and give it way to other peoples and states.
