Description of the meal of Nozdryov and Chichikov. Chichikov's attitude towards Nozdrev

Our hero is unique, with his own unusual character and morals: He belongs to those people who had “...the passion to spoil their neighbor, sometimes for no reason at all.” “The closer someone got with him, the more likely he was to screw everyone... Nozdryov is a “historical man”, in the sense that “no matter where he was, there were stories.”

Description of the village In this village, as in others, there was a darkened wooden tavern, like Russian hut in a larger size. There are carved patterned cornices around the windows, and jugs with flowers are painted on the shutters. In the yard there was a stable with two mares and an angry stallion, empty stalls, a wolf cub on a leash, a pond, a very beautifully built house for dogs and a blacksmith shop.

Description of the manor's house The house was not prepared to receive guests: in the middle of the dining room there were wooden trestles, and two men whitewashing the walls; the floor was sprayed with whitewash. In Nozdryov's office there were sabers and two guns. There was a lot of things in the house: Turkish daggers, a barrel organ, pipes - wooden, cast iron, smoked and unsmoked, a pipe with an amber mouthpiece, a tobacco pouch and much more.

Nozdryov's attitude to Chichikov's proposal Nozdryov agreed to donate souls if Chichikov bought something from him (a horse, mare, dog or box) or won at cards. Nozdryov agreed to give souls if Chichikov bought something from him (a horse, mare, dog or box) or won at cards. But Chichikov did not want to buy anything except souls, and did not want to play. But Chichikov did not want to buy anything except souls, and did not want to play. When he refused, the landowner became angry and said that he would not sell his soul for any money. When he refused, the landowner became angry and said that he would not sell his soul for any money.

CHAPTER FOUR

Arriving at the tavern, Chichikov ordered to stop for two reasons. On the one hand, to give the horses a rest, and on the other hand, to have a few snacks and refreshments. The author must admit that he is very envious of the appetite and stomach of this kind of people. For him, all the gentlemen of great hands who live in St. Petersburg and Moscow, who spend time thinking about what to eat tomorrow and what kind of dinner to create for the day after tomorrow, and who start this dinner only after putting a pill in their mouths, mean absolutely nothing to him; swallowing oysters, sea spiders and other miracles, and then going to Carlsbad or the Caucasus. No, these gentlemen never aroused envy in him. But gentlemen of the average class, that at one station they will demand ham, at another suckling pig, at the third a piece of sturgeon or some kind of baked sausage with onions and then, as if nothing had happened, they sit down at the table at any time you want, and sterlet ear with burbot and hisses and grumbles with milk between their teeth, devoured by pie or kulebyak with catfish splash, so that the appetite of others is taken away - these gentlemen, for sure, are taking advantage of the enviable gift of the sky! More than one gentleman of great hands would immediately sacrifice half the souls of the peasants and half of the estates, mortgaged and unmortgaged, with all the improvements to a foreign and Russian foot, just to have the kind of stomach that a gentleman of average hands has; but the trouble is that no amount of money, less than an estate, with or without improvements, can buy the kind of stomach that a middle-class gentleman has.

The darkened wooden tavern received Chichikov under its narrow, hospitable canopy on carved wooden posts, similar to ancient church candlesticks. The tavern was something like a Russian hut, somewhat larger. Carved patterned cornices made of fresh wood around the windows and under the roof brightly and vividly colored its dark walls; Jugs of flowers were painted on the shutters.

Climbing up a narrow wooden staircase into the wide entryway, he met a door opening with a creak and a fat old woman in colorful chintz, who said: “Come here!” In the room there were all the old friends that everyone comes across in small wooden taverns, of which there are many built along the roads, namely a frost-covered samovar, smoothly scraped pine walls, a triangular cabinet with teapots and cups in the corner, gilded porcelain eggs in front of icons hanging on blue and red ribbons, a cat that had recently lambed, a mirror that showed four eyes instead of two, and some kind of cake instead of a face; finally, bunches of fragrant herbs and carnations were stuck near the images, dried to such an extent that those who wanted to smell them only sneezed and nothing else.

Do you have a piglet? - Chichikov asked this question to the standing woman.

With horseradish and sour cream?

With horseradish and sour cream.

Give it here!

The old woman went digging and brought a plate, a napkin so starched that it stood on end like dried bark, then a knife with a yellowed bone block, thin as a penknife, a two-pronged fork and a salt shaker, which could not possibly be placed directly on the table.

Our hero, as usual, now entered into a conversation with her and asked whether she herself kept the tavern, or was the owner, and how much income the tavern gave, and whether their sons lived with them, and whether the eldest son was a single or married person, and which one he took wife, with a large dowry or not, and whether the father-in-law was pleased, and whether he was angry that he received few gifts at the wedding - in a word, he did not miss anything. It goes without saying that I was curious to find out what kind of landowners were in their area, and found out that there were all kinds of landowners: Plotin, Pochitaev, Mylnoy, Cheprakov-Colonel, Sobakevich. "Ah! Do you know Sobakevich?" - he asked and immediately heard that the old woman knew not only Sobakevich, but also Manilov, and that Manilov would be more delicate than Sobakevich: he would order the chicken to be cooked immediately, and he would also ask for the veal; if there is lamb liver, then he will ask for lamb liver, and will just try everything, and Sobakevich will ask for one thing, but he will eat it all, and even demand a supplement for the same price.

When he was talking in this way, eating a pig, of which there was already the last piece left, the sound of the wheels of an approaching carriage was heard. Looking out the window, he saw a light chaise pulled by three good horses stopping in front of the inn. Two men got out of the chaise. One is blond, tall; the other is a little shorter, dark-haired. The blond one was in a dark blue Hungarian jacket, the dark one was simply in a striped arkhaluk. From a distance another carriage was dragging along, empty, pulled by some long-haired quadruplet with tattered collars and rope harness. The fair-haired one immediately went up the stairs, while the black-haired one still remained and felt something in the chaise, talking right there with the servant and at the same time waving to the carriage driving behind them. His voice seemed somewhat familiar to Chichikov. While he was looking at him, the blond man had already found the door and opened it. He was a tall man, with a thin face, or what is called shabby, with a red mustache. From his tanned face one could conclude that he knew what smoke was, if not gunpowder, then at least tobacco. He politely bowed to Chichikov, to which the latter responded in kind. In the course of a few minutes they would probably have started talking and getting to know each other well, because the beginning had already been made, and both almost at the same time expressed pleasure that the dust along the road had been completely washed down by yesterday's rain and now the ride was cool and pleasant, as his dark-haired comrade entered, throwing his cap off his head onto the table, bravely ruffling his black thick hair with his hand. He was of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.

Bah, bah, bah! - he suddenly cried, spreading both arms at the sight of Chichikov. - What destinies?

Chichikov recognized Nozdryov, the same one with whom he had dined with the prosecutor and who in a few minutes got on such friendly terms with him that he had already begun to say “you,” although, however, he, for his part, did not give any reason for this.

Where did you go? - said Nozdryov and, without waiting for an answer, continued: - And I, brother, am from the fair. Congratulations: you're blown away! Can you believe that you have never been so blown away in your life? After all, I came to the philistines! Look out the window on purpose! - Here he bent Chichikov’s head himself, so that he almost hit the frame with it. - You see, what rubbish! They dragged me so hard, the damned ones, I already climbed into his chaise. - Saying this, Nozdryov pointed his finger at his comrade. - Haven’t you met yet? My son-in-law Mizhuev! He and I talked about you all morning. “Well, look, I say, if we don’t meet Chichikov.” Well, brother, if you only knew how screwed I am! Would you believe that he not only killed four trotters, he lost everything. After all, I have neither a chain nor a watch on... - Chichikov looked and saw for sure that he had neither a chain nor a watch on. It even seemed to him that one sideburn was smaller and not as thick as the other. “But if I had only twenty rubles in my pocket,” Nozdryov continued, “no more than twenty, I would have won it all back, that is, except for what I would have won back, like an honest man, I would now put thirty thousand in my wallet.”

However, you said so even then,” the blond man answered, “and when I gave you fifty rubles, I immediately squandered them.”

And I wouldn’t waste it! By God, I wouldn’t have squandered it! If I hadn’t done something stupid myself, I really wouldn’t have squandered it. If I hadn’t forgotten the password on the damned seven, I could have broken the whole bank.

However, he didn’t pick it off,” said the blond one.

I didn’t pick it because I folded the duck at the wrong time. Do you think your major plays well?

Good or bad, he beat you.

Eka importance! - said Nozdrey, - this way I’ll beat him too. No, if he tries to play with a doublet, then I’ll see, I’ll see then what kind of player he is! But, brother Chichikov, what a ride we had in the first days! True, the fair was excellent. The merchants themselves say that there has never been such a congress. Everything I brought from the village was sold at the best price. Eh, brother, what a party! Now even when you remember... damn it! that is, what a pity that you weren’t there. Imagine that a dragoon regiment was stationed three miles from the city. Do you believe that there were as many officers as there were, forty officers alone were in the city; how we started drinking, brother... Captain Captain Kisses... so nice! such a mustache, brother! He simply calls Bordeaux a burdashka. “Bring it, brother,” he says, “the boogers!” Lieutenant Kuvshinnikov... Oh, brother, what a lovely man! Now, one might say, he is a reveler in all his form. We were all with him. What wine Ponomarev gave us! You need to know that he is a swindler and you can’t take anything from his shop: all sorts of rubbish is mixed into the wine: sandalwood, burnt cork, and even elderberry, the scoundrel, rubs in; but if he pulls out a bottle from the back room, which he calls special, - well, brother, you’re simply in the empyrean. We had such champagne - what's the governor's champagne next to it? just kvass. Imagine, not Clicquot, but some kind of Clicquot-Matradura, that means double Clicquot. And he also took out one bottle of French called bonbon. Smell? - socket and everything you want. They had such a great time!.. After us some prince arrived and sent us to the shop for champagne, there wasn’t a single bottle in the whole city, all the officers drank. Would you believe that I alone drank seventeen bottles of champagne during dinner!

“Well, you can’t drink seventeen bottles,” the blond man remarked.

“As an honest man, I say that I drank,” Nozdryov answered.

You can tell yourself whatever you want, but I’m telling you that you won’t even drink ten.

Well, you want to bet that I’ll drink!

Why bet?

Well, put down the gun you bought in the city.

Don't want.

Well, go ahead and try it.

And I don't want to try

Yes, you would be without a gun, like without a hat. Eh, brother Chichikov, that is, how I regretted that you were not there. I know that you would not have parted with Lieutenant Kuvshinnikov. How well you and him would get along! This is not like the prosecutor and all the provincial misers in our city, who are shaking for every penny. This one, brother, can go to galbik, and to banchishka, and to whatever you want. Eh, Chichikov, why should you come? Really, you're a sucker for this, you cattle breeder! Kiss me, soul, death love you! Mizhuev, look, fate has brought us together: what is he to me, or what am I to him? He came from God knows where, I live here too... And how many carriages there were, brother, and it was all en gros1. He played his fortune: he won two jars of lipstick, a porcelain cup and a guitar; then he put it down again once and scrolled through the channel for another six rubles. And what, if only you knew, the red tape of Kuvshinnikov! He and I went to almost all the balls. One was so overdressed, there were ruffles on her, and truffles, and God knows what was missing... I just thought to myself: “damn it!” And Kuvshinnikov, that is, she is such a beast, got hooked on her and French gives her such compliments... Believe it or not, he didn’t miss simple women. He calls this: taking advantage of the strawberry. They brought wonderful fish and balyks. I did bring one with me; It’s good that I thought of buying it when I still had money. Where are you going now?

1 in large quantities (French)

“And to the little man,” said Chichikov.

Well little man, leave him! let's ride in me!

No, you can't, there's a matter.

Well, that's it! I just made it up! Oh you, Opodelok Ivanovich!

Really, it’s a good thing, and a necessary one at that.

I bet you're lying! Well, just tell me, who are you going to?

Well, to Sobakevich.

Here Nozdrey began to laugh with that ringing laugh that only a fresh, healthy person bursts into, whose teeth are all white as sugar, their cheeks are trembling and jumping, and the neighbor behind two doors, in the third room, jumps up from his sleep, eyes wide and saying: “Eck, he was taken apart!”

What's so funny? - said Chichikov, partly dissatisfied with such laughter.

But Nozdryov continued to laugh at the top of his lungs, saying:

Oh, have mercy, really, I’ll burst out laughing!

There’s nothing funny: I gave him my word,” said Chichikov.

But you won’t be happy with life when you come to him, it’s just a Jew! After all, I know your character, you will be cruelly taken aback if you think you will find a small bottle and a good bottle of some bonbon there. Listen, brother: well, to hell with Sobakevich, let's ride in me! what kind of balyk I’ll serve! Ponomarev, the beast, bowed like this and said: “Only for you, the whole fair, he says, search, you won’t find anything like this.” The rogue, however, is terrible. I said this to his face: “You, I say, are the first swindlers with our tax farmer!” Laughs, the beast, stroking his beard. Kuvshinnikov and I had breakfast every day in his shop. Oh, brother, I forgot to tell you: I know that you won’t leave now, but I won’t give it up for ten thousand, I’ll tell you in advance. Hey Porfiry! - he shouted, going up to the window, at his man, who was holding a knife in one hand, and in the other a crust of bread with a piece of balyk, which he was lucky enough to cut off in passing, taking something out of the chaise. “Hey, Porfiry,” Nozdryov shouted, “bring the puppy!” What a puppy! - he continued, turning to Chichikov. - Stolen, the owner did not give it for himself. I promised him a brown mare, which, remember, I traded with Khvostyrev... - Chichikov, however, had never seen either a brown mare or Khvostyrev.

Master! would you like to have something to eat? - the old woman said at that time, approaching him.

Nothing. Eh, brother, what a party! However, give me a glass of vodka; which one do you have?

Anisovaya,” answered the old woman.

Well, let’s have anise,” said Nozdrey.

Give me a glass too! - said the blond one.

There was one actress in the theater who sang like a canary! Kuvshinnikov, who was sitting next to me, “Here, he says, brother, I could use some strawberries!” There were, I think, fifty booths alone. Fenardi spent four hours turning the mill. - Here he accepted a glass from the hands of the old woman, who bowed low to him for that. - Oh, give it here! - he shouted when he saw Porfiry come in with the puppy. Porfiry was dressed, just like the master, in some kind of archaluk, quilted with cotton wool, but a little more oily.

Come on, put it here on the floor!

Porfiry put the puppy on the floor, which, stretched out on all four paws, sniffed the ground.

Here's a puppy! - said Nozdryov, taking him by the hand and raising him. The puppy let out a rather pitiful howl.

“You, however, didn’t do what I told you,” said Nozdryov, turning to Porfiry and examining the puppy’s belly, “and didn’t think about combing it?”

No, I brushed him out.

Why fleas?

I can't know. Maybe they somehow got out of the chaise.

You lie, you lie, and you didn’t even imagine scratching; I think he’s a fool, he let his own people in too. Look, Chichikov, look at the ears, feel them with your hand.

Why, I already see: a good breed! - answered Chichikov.

No, take it on purpose and feel your ears!

To please him, Chichikov felt his ears, saying:

Yes, it will be a good dog.

And your nose, do you feel how cold it is? take it in your hand.

Not wanting to offend him, Chichikov grabbed him by the nose, saying:

Good instinct.

A real little face,” Nozdryov continued, “and, I admit, I’ve been sharpening my teeth on the face for a long time.” Here, Porfiry, take it to me!

Porfiry, taking the puppy under his belly, carried him into the chaise.

Listen, Chichikov, you must definitely go to me now, five miles in total, we’ll get the hang of it, and then, perhaps, you can go to Sobakevich.

“Well,” Chichikov thought to himself, “I’ll really go and see Nozdryov. Why is he worse than others, he’s the same person, and he’s also lost. beg for something."

“If you please, we’re going,” he said, “but we can’t delay you too much, time is precious to me.”

Well, soul, that's it! This is good, wait, I’ll kiss you for this. - Here Nozdryov and Chichikov kissed. - And great: the three of us and we’ll go for a ride!

No, please let me go,” the blond man said, “I need to go home.”

Nonsense, nonsense, brother, I won’t let you in.

Really, the wife will be angry; Now you can transfer to their chaise.

No, no, no! Don't even think about it.

The blond man was one of those people in whose character, at first glance, there is some kind of stubbornness. Before you even have time to open your mouth, they are already ready to argue and, it seems, will never agree to something that is clearly opposite to their way of thinking, that they will never call a stupid person smart and that in particular they will not agree to dance to someone else’s tune; but it will always end with the fact that their character will turn out to be soft, that they will agree to exactly what they rejected, they will call stupid things smart and then go off to dance in the best way possible to someone else’s tune - in a word, they will start as a smooth thing and end up as a viper.

Nonsense! - said Nozdryov in response to some kind of statement from the blond man, put a cap on his head, and the blond man went after them.

They didn’t pay for the vodka, master... - said the old woman

Oh, okay, okay, mother. Listen, son-in-law! please pay. I don't have a penny in my pocket.

How old are you? - said the son-in-law.

“Why, father, just two kopecks,” said the old woman.

You're lying, you're lying. Give her half a ruble, that's enough for her.

“Not enough, master,” said the old woman, but she took the money with gratitude and ran in a hurry to open the door for them. She was not at a loss, because she asked for four times what the vodka cost.

The visitors sat down. Chichikov's chaise was driving next to the chaise in which Nozdryov and his son-in-law were sitting, and therefore all three of them could freely talk to each other as they continued the road. Following them, constantly lagging behind, was Nozdryov's small carriage on skinny philistine horses. Porfiry was sitting in it with a puppy.

Since the conversation that the travelers had among themselves was not very interesting for the reader, we will do better if we say something about Nozdryov himself, who, perhaps, will play not the last role in our poem.

Nozdryov’s face is probably already somewhat familiar to the reader. Everyone has encountered many such people. They are called broken fellows, they are reputed even in childhood and at school for being good comrades, and for all that they can be beaten very painfully. In their faces you can always see something open, direct, and daring. They soon get to know each other, and before you know it, they’re already saying “you.” They will make friends, it seems, forever: but it almost always happens that the person who has become friends will fight with them that same evening at a friendly party. They are always talkers, carousers, reckless people, prominent people. Nozdryov at thirty-five was exactly the same as he was at eighteen and twenty: a lover of a walk. Marriage did not change him at all, especially since his wife soon went to the next world, leaving behind two children who he absolutely did not need. However, the children were looked after by a pretty nanny. He could not sit at home for more than a day. His sensitive nose heard him several dozen miles away, where there was a fair with all sorts of conventions and balls; in the blink of an eye he was there, arguing and causing chaos at the green table, for, like all of them, he had a passion for cards. At cards, as we have already seen from the first chapter, he did not play completely sinlessly and purely, knowing many different overexposures and other subtleties, and therefore the game very often ended in another game: either they beat him with boots, or they gave him overexposure to a thick and very good sideburns, so that he sometimes returned home with only one sideburn, and then a rather runny one. But his healthy and full cheeks were so well created and contained so much plant power that his sideburns soon grew back, even better than before. And what’s strangest of all, which can happen only in Rus' alone, is that after some time he already met again with those friends who were pestering him, and he met as if nothing had happened, and he, as they say, was nothing, and they were nothing.

Nozdryov was in some respects a historical person. Not a single meeting he attended was complete without a story. Some kind of story would certainly happen: either the gendarmes would lead him out of the hall by the arm, or his own friends would be forced to push him out. If this doesn’t happen, then something will happen that won’t happen to anyone else: either he’ll cut himself up at the buffet in such a way that he only laughs, or he’ll lie to himself. in a cruel way , so that he himself will finally become ashamed. And he will lie completely without any need: he will suddenly tell that he had a horse with some kind of blue or pink wool, and similar nonsense, so that those listening finally all leave, saying: “Well, brother, it seems you have already begun to pour bullets.” ". There are people who have a passion to spoil their neighbors, sometimes for no reason at all. Someone, for example, even a person in rank, with a noble appearance, with a star on his chest, will shake your hand, talk to you about deep subjects that provoke thought, and then, lo and behold, right there, before your eyes, he will spoil you. And he will spoil things like a simple college registrar, and not at all like a man with a star on his chest, talking about subjects that provoke thought, so that you just stand there and marvel, shrugging your shoulders, and nothing more. Nozdryov had the same strange passion. The closer someone got with him, the more likely he was to annoy everyone: he spread a tall tale, the stupidest of which is difficult to invent, upset a wedding, a trade deal, and did not at all consider himself your enemy; on the contrary, if chance brought him to meet you again, he would treat you again in a friendly manner and even say: “You’re such a scoundrel, you’ll never come to see me.” Nozdryov was in many respects a multifaceted man, that is, a man of all trades. At that very moment he invited you to go anywhere, even to the ends of the world, to enter into any enterprise you want, to exchange whatever you have for whatever you want. A gun, a dog, a horse - everything was the subject of exchange, but not at all in order to win: this simply happened from some kind of restless agility and liveliness of character. If at a fair he was lucky enough to attack a simpleton and beat him, he bought a bunch of everything that had previously caught his eye in the shops: collars, smoking candles, scarves for a nanny, a stallion, raisins, a silver washstand, Dutch linen, grain flour, tobacco, pistols, herrings, paintings, sharpening tools, pots, boots, earthenware - as much as there was enough money. However, it rarely happened that it was brought home; almost on the same day it descended to another, luckiest player, sometimes even adding his own pipe with a pouch and mouthpiece, and other times the whole foursome with everything: with a carriage and a coachman, so that the owner himself set off in a short frock coat or arkhaluk to look for some a friend to use his carriage. That's what Nozdryov was like! Maybe they will call him a beaten character, they will say that now Nozdryov is no longer there. Alas! those who speak like this will be unjust. Nozdryov will not leave the world for a long time. He is everywhere between us and, perhaps, only wears a different caftan; but people are thoughtlessly undiscerning, and a person in a different caftan seems to them a different person.

Meanwhile, three carriages had already rolled up to the porch of Nozdryov’s house. There was no preparation in the house to receive them. There were wooden trestles in the middle of the dining room, and two men, standing on them, whitewashed the walls, singing some kind of endless song; the floor was all splashed with whitewash. Nozdryov immediately ordered the men and the goats out and ran into another room to give orders. The guests heard him ordering dinner from the cook; Realizing this, Chichikov, who was already beginning to feel somewhat hungry, saw that they would not sit down at the table before five o’clock. Nozdryov, returning, took the guests to inspect everything he had in the village, and in a little over two hours he showed absolutely everything, so that there was nothing left to show. First of all, they went to inspect the stable, where they saw two mares, one dappled gray, the other brown, then a bay stallion, unsightly in appearance, but for which Nozdryov swore that he had paid ten thousand.

“You didn’t give ten thousand for it,” the son-in-law remarked. - He's not worth it alone.

By God, he gave me ten thousand,” said Nozdryov.

“You can swear to yourself as much as you want,” the son-in-law answered.

Well, if you want, we’ll bet!” said Nozdryov.

The son-in-law did not want to bet.

Then Nozdryov showed the empty stalls where there had previously been good horses. In the same stable they saw a goat, which, according to the old belief, was considered necessary to keep with the horses, which, it seemed, was in harmony with them, walking under their bellies, as if at home. Then Nozdryov took them to see the wolf cub, which was on a leash. “Here is a wolf cub!” he said. “I deliberately feed him raw meat. I want him to be a perfect beast!” We went to look at the pond, in which, according to Nozdryov, there was a fish of such size that two people could hardly pull it out, which, however, the relative did not fail to doubt. “I’ll show you, Chichikov,” said Nozdryov, “I’ll show you an excellent pair of dogs: the strength of the black meat is simply amazing, the shield is a needle!” - and led them to a very beautifully built small house, surrounded by a large courtyard fenced off on all sides. Entering the yard, we saw all sorts of dogs there, both thick-dog and pure-dog, of all possible colors and stripes: murugi, black and tan, half-piebald, murugo-piebald, red-piebald, black-eared, gray-eared... There were all the nicknames, all imperative moods: shoot, scold, flutter, fire, skosyr, scratch, bake, bake, severga, killer whale, reward, trustee. Nozdryov was among them just like a father among the family; all of them, immediately throwing up their tails, which dogs call rules, flew straight towards the guests and began to greet them. About ten of them put their paws on Nozdryov’s shoulders. The scolder showed the same friendship to Chichikov and, rising on his hind legs, He licked it right on the lips with his tongue, so that Chichikov immediately spat it out. They examined the dogs, who were amazed at the strength of the black meat - they were good dogs. Then they went to examine the Crimean bitch, who was already blind and, according to Nozdryov, should have died soon, but. two years ago there was a very good bitch; they also examined the bitch - the bitch was definitely blind. Then they went to inspect the water mill, where the flutter was missing, in which the upper stone, which quickly rotates on the spindle, is installed - “fluttering”, in the wonderful expression of the Russian. man.

And here soon there will be a forge! - said Nozdryov. Having walked a little, they saw, exactly, a forge, and examined the forge.

Here in this field,” said Nozdryov, pointing his finger at the field, “the Russians are so dead that the land is not visible; I caught one by the hind legs with my own hands.

Well, you can’t catch a hare with your hand! - the son-in-law remarked.

But he caught it, he caught it on purpose! - answered Nozdryov - “Now I will take you to see,” he continued, turning to Chichikov, “the border where my land ends.”

Nozdryov led his guests through the field, which in many places consisted of hummocks. Guests had to make their way between fallow fields and harrowed fields. Chichikov began to feel tired. In many places their feet squeezed out the water beneath them, the place was so low. At first they were careful and stepped carefully, but then, seeing that it was of no use, they walked straight, not distinguishing where the most and where the least dirt was. Having walked a fair distance, they saw, exactly, a border consisting of wooden pillar and narrow ditch.

This is the border! - said Nozdryov. “Everything you see on this side is all mine, and even on the other side, all this forest that looks blue over there, and everything beyond the forest, everything is mine.”

When did this forest become yours? - asked the son-in-law. - Did you recently buy it? After all, he was not yours.

Yes, I bought it recently,” Nozdryov answered.

When did you manage to buy it so soon?

Why, I bought it the other day, and damn it, I paid for it.

Why, you were at the fair at that time.

Oh you, Sofron! Is it not possible to be at the fair and buy land at the same time? Well, I was at the fair, and my clerk bought it without me.

Yes, well, really a clerk! - said the son-in-law, but even then he doubted and shook his head.

The guests returned along the same nasty road to the house. Nozdryov led them to his office, in which, however, there were no visible traces of what happens in offices, that is, books or paper; There were only sabers and two guns hanging - one worth three hundred and the other worth eight hundred rubles. The son-in-law, having examined it, only shook his head. Then Turkish daggers were shown, on one of which the following was mistakenly carved: “Master Savely Sibiryakov.” After that, a barrel organ appeared to the guests. Nozdryov immediately performed something in front of them. The barrel organ played not without pleasantness, but in the middle of it, something seemed to have happened, for the mazurka ended with the song: “Malbrug went on a campaign,” and “Malbrug went on a campaign” unexpectedly ended with some long-familiar waltz. Nozdryov had long ago stopped whistling, but there was one very lively pipe in the organ-organ, which did not want to calm down, and therefore it whistled alone for a long time. Then pipes appeared - wooden, clay, meerschaum, smoked and unsmoked, covered in suede and uncovered, a pipe with an amber mouthpiece, recently won, a pouch embroidered by some countess, somewhere at the post station, who had fallen head over heels in love with him, whose hands , according to him, were the most sublime superflue - a word that probably meant the highest point of perfection for him. After eating balyk, they sat down at the table around five o’clock. Dinner, apparently, was not the main thing in Nozdryov’s life; the dishes did not play a big role: some were burnt, some were not cooked at all. It is clear that the cook was guided by some kind of inspiration and put in the first thing that came to hand: if there was pepper near him, he sprinkled pepper, or if he found cabbage, he put in cabbage, stuffed milk, ham, peas - in a word, roll and go, it was It would be hot, but some taste would probably come out. But Nozdryov leaned on the wine: the soup had not yet been served, he had already poured the guests a large glass of port and another gosautern, because in the provincial and county towns There is no such thing as a simple Sauternes. Therefore, Nozdryov ordered to bring a bottle of Madeira, which the field marshal himself never drank better. Madeira, for sure, even burned in the mouth, for the merchants, already knowing the taste of the landowners who loved good Madeira, seasoned it mercilessly with rum, and sometimes poured aqua regia into it, in the hope that Russian stomachs would endure everything. Then Nozdryov ordered to bring some special bottle, which, according to him, was both bourgognon and champagne together. He poured very diligently into both glasses, right and left, for his son-in-law and Chichikov; Chichikov noticed, however, somehow in passing, that he did not add much to himself. This forced him to be careful, and as soon as Nozdryov somehow started talking or poured a drink for his son-in-law, he would at that very moment tip his glass into the plate. In a short time, mountain ash was brought to the table, which, according to Nozdryov, had the perfect taste of cream, but in which, to amazement, fusel could be heard in all its strength. Then they drank some kind of balm that had a name that was even difficult to remember, and the owner himself another time called it by a different name. Dinner had long since ended, and the wines had been tasted, but the guests were still sitting at the table. Chichikov did not want to talk to Nozdryov in front of his son-in-law about the main subject. After all, the son-in-law was a stranger, and the subject required a private and friendly conversation. However, the son-in-law could hardly be a dangerous man, because he seemed to be working out to his heart's content and, sitting on a chair, was nodding off every minute. Having noticed himself that he was not in a reliable state, he finally began to ask for leave to go home, but in such a lazy and sluggish voice, as if, in the Russian expression, he was pulling a collar on a horse with pliers.

And no, no! I won't let you in! - said Nozdryov

No, don’t offend me, my friend, really, my son-in-law said, I’ll go, you’ll offend me very much.

Nonsense, nonsense! We'll build a little banch in a minute.

No, brother, build it yourself, but I can’t, my wife will have a big complaint, really, I have to tell her about the fair. Brother, really, I need to please her. No, don't hold me!

Well, her wife, k..! You will actually do important things together!

No, brother! she is so respectable and faithful! The services he provides are so... believe me, I have tears in my eyes. No, don’t hold me back; like an honest person, I’ll go. I assure you of this with true conscience.

Let him go, what's the use of him! - Chichikov said quietly to Nozdryov.

And indeed! - said Nozdryov. - Death I don’t like such meltdowns! - and added aloud: - Well, to hell with you, go and have sex with your wife, you little bastard! (1)

(1) Fetyuk - a word that is offensive to a man, comes from Fita - a letter considered by some to be an indecent letter. (Note by N.V. Gogol.)

“No, brother, don’t curse me with a fetish,” answered the son-in-law, “I owe her my life.” She's really kind, sweet, she gives such caresses... she brings you to tears; He’ll ask what he saw at the fair, he needs to tell everything, she’s really so sweet.

Well, go ahead and tell her nonsense! Here's your cap.

No, brother, you shouldn’t speak of her like that at all; With this you can say that you offend me myself, she is so sweet.

Well, get back to her quickly!

Yes, brother, I’ll go, sorry I can’t stay. I would be glad in my soul, but I can’t.

The son-in-law repeated his apologies for a long time, not noticing that he himself had been sitting in the chaise for a long time, had long left the gate, and in front of him there had long been only empty fields. It must be thought that the wife did not hear many details about the fair.

Such rubbish! - said Nozdryov, standing in front of the window and looking at the departing carriage. - Look how he dragged himself! The fastening skate is not bad, I’ve been wanting to pick it up for a long time. But there is no way to get along with him. Fetyuk, just fetyuk!

Then they entered the room. Porfiry handed over the candles, and Chichikov noticed in the owner’s hands a deck of cards that had come from nowhere.

“What about brother,” said Nozdryov, pressing the sides of the deck with his fingers and bending it somewhat, so that the piece of paper cracked and bounced off. - Well, to pass the time, I keep a jar of three hundred rubles!

But Chichikov pretended as if he had not heard what they were talking about, and said, as if suddenly remembering:

A! so as not to forget: I have a request for you.

First give your word that you will fulfill it.

What's your request?

Well, give me your word!

Honestly?

Honestly.

Here's my request: do you have a lot of dead peasants who have not yet been deleted from the audit?

Well, yes, but what?

Transfer them to me, to my name.

What do you need?

Well yes I need it.

Why?

Well, yes, it’s necessary... it’s my business, in a word, it’s necessary.

Well, I'm sure he's up to something. Admit it, what?

So what are you up to? It’s impossible to start anything from such a trifle.

But why do you need them?

Oh, how curious! he would like to touch all sorts of rubbish with his hand, and even smell it!

Why don't you want to tell me?

But what kind of profit do you need to know? Well, just like that, fantasy came.

So here it is: until you say so, I won’t do it!

Well, you see, it’s really dishonest of you: you gave your word, and even backed out.

Well, as you want, I won’t do it until you tell me why.

"What should I say to him?" - thought Chichikov, after a moment of reflection he announced that dead souls he needs to gain weight in society, since he doesn’t have large estates, so until then at least some little souls.

You're lying, you're lying! - said Nozdryov, not allowing him to finish. - You're lying, brother!

Chichikov himself noticed that he had not come up with a very clever idea and that the pretext was rather weak.

Well, I’ll tell you more directly,” he said, correcting himself, “just please don’t let it slip to anyone.” I thought about getting married; but you need to know that the father and mother of the bride are very ambitious people. This is, really, a commission: I’m not glad that I got involved, they certainly want the groom to have no less than three hundred souls, and since I’m missing almost one and a half hundred peasants...

Well, you're lying! you're lying! - Nozdryov shouted again.

Well, here it is,” said Chichikov, “he didn’t lie that much,” and showed the smallest part with his thumb on his little finger.

I bet you're lying!

However, this is a shame! What am I really? Why do I have to lie?

Well, yes, I know you: you are a big swindler, let me tell you this out of friendship! If I were your boss, I would hang you from the first tree.

Chichikov was offended by this remark. Already any expression that was in any way rude or offensive to decency was unpleasant to him. He did not even like to allow himself to be treated with familiarity in any case, unless the person was of too high a rank. And so now he was completely offended.

By God, I would hang him,” repeated Nozdryov, “I’m telling you this frankly, not to offend you, but just saying it in a friendly way.”

“There are limits to everything,” Chichikov said with a sense of dignity. “If you want to show off such speeches, then go to the barracks,” and then he added: “If you don’t want to give it as a gift, then sell it.”

Sell! But I know you, you’re a scoundrel, you won’t pay dearly for them?

Eh, you're good too! look you! Are they diamonds, or what?

Well, it is. I already knew you.

Have mercy, brother, what kind of Jewish urge do you have? You should just give them to me.

Well, listen, to prove to you that I’m not some kind of scammer, I won’t take anything for them. Buy a stallion from me, I'll give you one in addition.

For mercy's sake, what do I need a stallion for? - said Chichikov, truly amazed at such a proposal.

Like what? But I paid ten thousand for it, and I’m giving it to you for four.

What do I need a stallion for? I don't run a factory.

Listen, you don’t understand: I’ll only take three thousand from you now, and you can pay me the rest of the thousand later.

I don’t need a stallion, God bless him!

Well, buy a brown mare.

And you don't need a mare.

For the mare and for the gray horse that you saw with me, I will take only two thousand from you.

I don't need horses.

If you sell them, they will give you three times as much for them at the first fair.

It’s better to sell them yourself when you are sure that you will win three times.

I know that I will win, and I want you to benefit too.

Chichikov thanked him for the favor and outright refused both the gray horse and the brown mare.

Well, buy some dogs. I’ll sell you a pair like this, it’ll just give you the chills! busty, with a mustache, the fur stands up like stubble. The barreliness of the ribs is incomprehensible, the paw is all in a ball and won’t touch the ground.

Why do I need dogs? I'm not a hunter.

Yes, I want you to have dogs. Listen, if you don’t want dogs, then buy a barrel organ from me, a wonderful barrel organ; myself, as an honest person, it cost one and a half thousand. I’ll give it to you for nine hundred rubles.

But why do I need a barrel organ? After all, I’m not German to beg for money while trudging along the roads with her.

But this is not the kind of barrel organ that the Germans wear. This is an organ; look at it on purpose: it’s all made of mahogany. Here I will show it to you again! - Here Nozdryov, grabbing Chichikov by the hand, began to drag him into another room, and no matter how he rested his feet on the floor and assured that he already knew what the organ was, he had to hear again how Malbrug went on a campaign. - When you don’t want money, so listen: I’ll give you a barrel organ and all the dead souls I have, and you give me your chaise and three hundred rubles in addition.

Well, what else am I going to wear?

I'll give you another chaise. Let's go to the barn, I'll show it to you! You just repaint it, and it will be a miracle chaise.

“How the restless demon has taken hold of him!” - Chichikov thought to himself and decided at all costs to get rid of all sorts of chaises, barrel organs and all possible dogs, despite the incomprehensible barreliness of the ribs and the lumpy paws.

Why, a chaise, a barrel organ and dead souls, all together!

“I don’t want to,” Chichikov said again.

Why don't you want to?

Because I just don’t want to, and that’s it.

What are you really like! with you, as I see, it is impossible, as usual between good friends and comrades, really!.. Now it’s clear that he’s a two-faced man!

What am I, a fool, or what? Judge for yourself: why buy something that is absolutely unnecessary for me?

Well, please don't tell me. Now I know you very well. Such a rakalia, really! Well, listen, do you want to throw a can? I will put all the dead on the line, and the organ too.

Well, deciding to go to the bank means being exposed to the unknown,” Chichikov said, and meanwhile glanced sideways at the cards in his hands. Both waists seemed to him very similar to artificial ones, and the very spot looked very suspicious.

Why the unknown? - said Nozdryov. - No suspense! If only happiness is on your side, you can win the damn abyss. There she is! what happiness! - he said, starting to throw enthusiasm to excite. - What happiness! what happiness! there: it’s pounding! this is the damned nine on which I squandered everything! I felt that he would sell, but already, closing my eyes, I thought to myself: “Damn you, sell you, damn you!”

When Nozdryov said this, Porfiry brought a bottle. But Chichikov resolutely refused to both play and drink.

Why don't you want to play? - said Nozdryov.

Well, because it’s not located. Yes, I must admit, I’m not at all keen on playing.

Why not a hunter?

Chichikov shrugged his shoulders and added:

Because I'm not a hunter.

You're rubbish!

What to do? God created it that way.

Just crazy! I thought before that you were at least somewhat a decent person, but you don’t understand any kind of treatment. There is no way to talk to you as if you were a close person... no straightforwardness, no sincerity! perfect Sobakevich, such a scoundrel!

Why are you scolding me? Is it my fault that I don't play? Sell ​​me some souls, if you are the kind of person who trembles over this nonsense.

You'll get damn bald! I wanted to, I wanted to give it away for nothing, but now you won’t get it! Even if you give me three kingdoms, I won’t give it up. Such a scoundrel, a disgusting stove maker! From now on I don’t want to have anything to do with you. Porfiry, go tell the groom not to give oats to his horses, let them eat only hay.

Chichikov did not expect this last conclusion.

It would be better if you just didn’t show your face to me! - said Nozdryov.

Despite, however, such a disagreement, the guest and the host dined together, although this time there were no wines with fancy names on the table. There was only one bottle of some kind of Cypriot sticking out, which was what is called sour in all respects. After dinner, Nozdryov said to Chichikov, taking him to a side room where a bed had been prepared for him:

Here's your bed! I don't want to either Good night wish you!

After Nozdryov left, Chichikov was left in the most unpleasant mood. He was inwardly annoyed with himself, scolding himself for visiting him and wasting his time. But he scolded himself even more for talking to him about the matter, acting carelessly, like a child, like a fool: for the matter was not at all of that kind, to be entrusted to Nozdryov... Nozdryov is a trash man, Nozdryov can lie, add, spread God knows what, some other gossip will come out - not good, not good. "I'm just a fool." - he said to himself. He slept very poorly that night. Some small, persistent insects bit him with unbearable pain, so that he scratched the wounded place with his whole handful, saying: “Oh, damn you and Nozdryov!” He woke up early in the morning. His first order of business was, putting on a robe and boots, to go across the yard to the stable and order Selifan to lay the chaise at once. Returning through the courtyard, he met Nozdryov, who was also in a dressing gown, with a pipe in his mouth.

Nozdryov greeted him in a friendly manner and asked how he slept.

“So-so,” Chichikov answered very dryly.

And I, brother,” said Nozdryov, “such abomination crept in all night that it’s disgusting to tell, and in my mouth after yesterday it’s like a squadron spent the night.” Imagine: I dreamed that I was whipped, oh my! and guess who? You'll never guess: Staff Captain Potseluev together with Kuvshinnikov.

“Yes,” Chichikov thought to himself, “it would be nice if they tore you off in reality.”

By God! yes it hurts! I woke up: damn it, something was actually scratching - that's right, witches are fleas. Well, now go and get dressed, I’ll come to you now. You just need to scold the scoundrel clerk.

Chichikov went into the room to get dressed and wash. When he went out into the dining room after that, there was already a tea set with a bottle of rum on the table. There were traces of yesterday's lunch and dinner in the room; it seems that the floor brush was not touched at all. There were bread crumbs on the floor, and tobacco ash was even visible on the tablecloth. The owner himself, who was quick to enter, had nothing under his robe except his open chest, on which some kind of beard grew. Holding a chibouk in his hand and sipping from a cup, he was very good for a painter who does not like the fear of gentlemen slicked and curled, like barber signs, or cut with a comb.

Well, what do you think? - said Nozdryov, after a short silence. - Don't you want to play for souls?

I already told you, brother, that I don’t play; buy - if you please, I’ll buy it.

I don’t want to sell, it wouldn’t be friendly. I won't take the spitting off God knows what. In a bow is another matter. Let's at least throw in the waist!

I already said no.

Don't you want to change?

Don't want.

Well, listen, let's play checkers, if you win, it's all yours. After all, I have a lot of people who need to be deleted from the revision. Hey, Porfiry, bring the checkerboard here.

Labor is in vain, I will not play.

But it’s not to the bank; there can be no happiness or falsehood here: everything comes from art; I’ll even preface you by saying that I don’t know how to play at all, unless you give me something in advance.

“I’ll play checkers with him,” Chichikov thought to himself! “I played checkers well, but it’s hard for him to get up to speed here.”

If you please, so be it, I’ll play checkers.

Souls cost a hundred rubles!

Why? It’s enough if they go at fifty.

No, what kind of jackpot is fifty? It would be better if I included in this amount some kind of mediocre puppy or a gold signet for your watch.

Well, please! - said Chichikov.

How much will you give me in advance? - said Nozdryov.

Why on earth is this? Of course, nothing.

At least let it be my two moves.

I don’t want to, I’m not a good player myself.

It's been a while since I picked up checkers! - Chichikov said, also moving his saber.

We know you, how bad you play! - said Nozdryov, speaking with his saber.

It's been a while since I picked up checkers! - Chichikov said, moving his saber.

We know you, how bad you play! - said Nozdryov, moving the saber, and at the same time he moved the other saber with the cuff of his sleeve.

It's been a while since I picked it up!.. Eh, eh! What is this, brother? put her back! - said Chichikov.

Yes, a saber,” said Chichikov, and at the same time he saw another one right in front of his nose, which, as it seemed, was making its way into the kings; where it came from, only God knew. “No,” said Chichikov, getting up from the table, “there is no way to play with you!” They don’t move like that, suddenly three checkers at a time!

Why three? This is by mistake. One moved accidentally, I’ll move it if you please.

Where did the other one come from?

Which other one?

And this one that sneaks into the ladies?

Look at you like you don’t remember!

No, brother, I counted all the moves and remember everything; You just installed it now. She belongs over there!

How, where is the place? - said Nozdryov, blushing. - Yes, brother, as I see it, you are a writer!

No, brother, it seems that you are the writer, but it’s just unsuccessful.

Who do you think I am? - said Nozdryov. - Am I going to cheat?

I don’t regard you as anyone, but from now on I’ll never play.

No, you can’t refuse,” Nozdryov said, getting excited, “the game has begun!”

I have the right to refuse, because you are not playing as befits an honest person.

No, you're lying, you can't say that1

No, brother, you yourself are lying!

I didn’t cheat, but you can’t refuse, you have to finish the game!

“You can’t force me to do this,” Chichikov said calmly and, going up to the board, mixed the checkers.

Nozdryov flushed and approached Chichikov so close that he took two steps back.

I'll make you play! It's okay that you mixed the checkers, I remember all the moves. We will put them back the way they were.

No, brother, it's over, I won't play with you.

So you don't want to play?

You see for yourself that there is no way to play with you.

No, tell me straight, you don't want to play? - Nozdryov said, approaching even closer.

Don't want! - said Chichikov and, however, brought both hands closer to his face just in case, for things were really getting hot.

This precaution was very appropriate, because Nozdryov waved his hand... and it could very well have happened that one of our hero’s pleasant and full cheeks would have been covered with indelible dishonor; but, happily deflecting the blow, he grabbed Nozdryov by both of his perky hands and held him tightly.

Porfiry, Pavlushka! - Nozdryov shouted in rage, trying to break free.

Hearing these words, Chichikov, in order not to make the courtyard people witnesses the seductive scene and at the same time feeling that holding Nozdryov was useless, released his hands. At this very time Porfiry entered and with him Pavlushka, a burly guy with whom it was completely unprofitable to deal.

So you don't want to finish the games? - said Nozdryov. - Answer me directly!

There is no way to end the game,” Chichikov said and looked out the window. He saw his chaise, which stood completely ready, and Selifan seemed to be waiting for a signal to roll under the porch, but there was no way to get out of the room: two hefty serf fools stood at the door.

So you don't want to finish the games? - Nozdryov repeated with his face burning as if on fire.

If only you played like an honest person should. But now I can't.

A! You can't do that, you scoundrel! When you saw that it wasn’t yours, you couldn’t! Beat him! - he shouted frantically, turning to Porfiry and Pavlushka, and he grabbed the cherry chibouk in his hand. Chichikov became pale as a sheet. He wanted to say something, but he felt that his lips were moving without a sound.

Beat him! - Nozdryov shouted, rushing forward with his cherry chibouk, all hot and sweaty, as if he was approaching an impregnable fortress. - Beat him! - he shouted in the same voice as during a great attack he shouts to his platoon: “Guys, forward!” some desperate lieutenant, whose eccentric courage has already acquired such fame that a special order is given to hold his hands during hot affairs. But the lieutenant already felt the swearing fervor, everything went around in his head; Suvorov rushes in front of him, he climbs into a great cause. "Guys, go ahead!" - he shouts, rushing, without thinking that he is harming the already thought-out plan for a general attack, that millions of gun muzzles are exposed in the embrasures of impregnable fortress walls that go beyond the clouds, that his powerless platoon will fly up like feathers into the air and that the fatal bullet is already whistling , preparing to slam his noisy throat. But if Nozdryov expressed himself as a desperate, lost lieutenant approaching the fortress, then the fortress he was going towards did not in any way resemble an impregnable one. On the contrary, the fortress felt such fear that its soul hid in its very heels. Already the chair with which he had decided to defend himself had been torn out of his hands by the serfs, already, having closed his eyes, neither alive nor dead, he was preparing to taste his master’s Circassian chibouk, and God knows what would happen to him; but fate wanted to save the sides, shoulders and all the well-bred parts of our hero. Unexpectedly, the rattling sounds of a bell suddenly rang, as if from the clouds, the sound of the wheels of a cart flying up to the porch was clearly heard, and the heavy snoring and heavy panting of the heated horses of the stopped troika echoed even in the room itself. Everyone involuntarily looked out the window: someone, with a mustache, in a semi-military frock coat, was getting out of the cart. Having inquired in the hall, he entered at that very moment when Chichikov had not yet had time to recover from his fear and was in the most pitiful position in which a mortal had ever been.

Let me know who is Mr. Nozdryov here? - said the stranger, looking in some bewilderment at Nozdryov, who stood with a chibouk in his hand, and at Chichikov, who was barely beginning to recover from his disadvantageous position.

Let me first find out who I have the honor of speaking with? - Nozdryov said, coming closer to him.

Police captain.

What do you want?

I have come to announce to you the notice given to me that you are on trial until the end of the decision on your case.

What nonsense, for what reason? - said Nozdryov.

You were involved in a story on the occasion of inflicting a personal insult on the landowner Maximov with rods while drunk.

You're lying! I have never even seen the landowner Maximov!

Dear Sir! Let me tell you that I am an officer. You can tell this to your servant, not to me!

Here Chichikov, without waiting for Nozdryov to answer this, rather slipped out onto the porch by his hat and behind the back of the police captain, sat down in the chaise and ordered Selifan to drive the horses at full speed.

Gallery " dead souls“Nozdryov continues in the poem. There is something in him from Manilov’s crazy fantasies and something from Plyushkin’s greed. Gogol paints a completely different form of decomposition of the noble class in the image of Nozdryov. Chichikov first meets Nozdryov at a dinner with the prosecutor But on the way to Sobakevich’s estate The paths of Nozdryov and Chichikov cross once again. Chichikov barely recognized Nozdryov, but he immediately began to behave with him as if they had known each other for a long time, this is his usual style of communication. Without a shadow of embarrassment, he tells Chichikov about losing everything at the fair, including everything. britzki, that is, for him such behavior and such an event are normal. This is a typical “jack of all trades” person. There was something open, direct, and daring in his face. He is characterized by a peculiar “breadth of nature.” author: “Nozdryov was in some respects a historical person.” Not a single meeting where he was without stories! Nozdryov, with a light heart, loses a lot of money at cards, beats a simpleton at a fair and immediately “squanders” all the money. Nozdryov is a master of “casting bullets,” he is a reckless braggart and an utter liar. Nozdryov behaves defiantly, even aggressively, everywhere.

And it is in the tavern that you can most often meet such people, of whom, as the author notes, there are many in Rus'. Speaking about one hero, the author at the same time gives characteristics to people like him. The irony of the author lies in the fact that in the first part of the phrase he characterizes the Nozdrevs as “good and faithful comrades,” and then adds: “... and for all that, they can be beaten very painfully.” This type of people is known in Rus' under the name of the “broken fellow.” The third time they say “you” to an acquaintance, at fairs they buy everything that comes to mind: collars, smoking candles, a stallion, a dress for a nanny, tobacco, pistols, etc., thoughtlessly and easily spend money on carousing and card games. games, they like to lie and “mess up” a person for no reason. The source of his income, like that of other landowners, are serfs. The image of Nozdryov is no less typical than the image of Manilov or Korobochka. Gogol writes: “Nozdryov will not be removed from the world for a long time. He is everywhere among us and, perhaps, only walks around in a different caftan; but people are frivolously undiscerning, and a person in a different caftan seems to them a different person.” Like other landowners, he does not develop internally and does not change depending on age. “Nozdryov at thirty-five years old was exactly the same as he was at eighteen and twenty: a lover of a walk.” He is completely indifferent to his children, without thinking about their future, he entrusted their upbringing to a nanny. He cannot sit at home, he constantly wanders around fairs, conventions and balls. His card playing is not honest, so he was often beaten for cheating, but Nozdryov is not touchy and again communicates with the people who beat him as if nothing had happened. Nozdryov lives for today and does not think about tomorrow: having won at cards, he exchanged all his winnings for all sorts of unnecessary things, which the next day were lost to another, more successful player.

In contrast to the petty, hoarding, hardened landowner, Nozdryov is distinguished by his exuberant prowess and “broad” scope of nature. He is extremely active and perky. The hero’s appearance also corresponds to these character traits: “He was of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; health seemed to be dripping from his face.”

What indomitable energy, activity, liveliness, swiftness emanates from Nozdryov, this reveler, reckless driver, known in the city as a “historical person”. He is not at all concerned with petty worries about saving money. No, he has a different, opposite passion - thoughtlessly and easily spending money on carousing, card games, and buying unnecessary things. What is the source of his income? It is the same as that of other landowners - serfs who provide their masters with an idle and carefree life.

Such qualities of Nozdryov as blatant lies, boorish attitude towards people, dishonesty, thoughtlessness, are reflected in his fragmentary, fast speech, in the fact that he constantly jumps from one subject to another, in his insulting, abusive, cynical expressions: “a kind of cattle breeder “,” “You’re a jerk for this,” “such rubbish.” He is constantly looking for adventure and does not do housework at all. This is evidenced by the unfinished repairs in the house, empty stalls, a faulty barrel organ, a lost britzka and the pitiful situation of his serfs, from whom he beats everything possible. He does not take care of his own household; the only place that he kept in exemplary order was the kennel, where he was “the most perfect father among the family.” He is the founder of such a social phenomenon as “nozdrevshchina”. He squandered everything, abandoned his estate and settled at the fair in a gaming house.

Behind this, at first glance, life-affirming appearance, there is nothing humanly significant; his stormy “activity” takes on a specific character. Everywhere Nozdryov appeared, chaos breaks out and scandals arise. The author says that this was due to some kind of “restless nimbleness and liveliness of character.” This same glibness forced Nozdryov to commit other rash acts, such as his excessive boasting. Everything that Nozdryov has is the best, the most thoroughbred dogs, the most expensive horses, however, in fact, often the boasting does not even have a real basis. His domain ends in someone else's forest, but this does not stop Nozdryov from calling it his own. This landowner constantly gets into all sorts of stories: either he will be removed from the assembly of the nobility, or he will participate in “inflicting a personal insult on the landowner Maximov with rods while drunk.” There is one more feature of Nozdryov that deserves special attention: he loved to spoil people he knew, and the closer he knew the person, the more the landowner bullied him. He upset weddings, trade deals, never considered his pranks to be offensive, and was often surprised to learn about the offense of an acquaintance. The interesting thing is that everyone knows about this and, nevertheless, Nozdryov is accepted everywhere. Nozdryov's energy is devoid of any guiding idea or goal. Boasting and lying are an integral feature of him. “Nozdryov’s face is probably already somewhat familiar to the reader. They are called broken small ones. In their faces you can always see something open, direct, and daring. They soon get to know each other, and before you know it, they’re already saying “you.” The ease of rapprochement is directly proportional to the ease of loud quarrels and scandals. Moreover, at the same time the same person can be called a scoundrel and a friend. And Nozdryov was often beaten for impudence and fraud. The passion for lying and playing cards largely explains the fact that not a single meeting where Nozdryov was present was complete without a story. The life of a landowner is absolutely soulless. In the office “there were no noticeable traces of what happens in offices, that is, books or papers; only a saber and two guns hung. Of course, Nozdryov’s household was in ruins. Even lunch consists of dishes that were burnt, or, on the contrary, not cooked. After After a tasteless dinner, Chichikov begins to talk about business and explains to Nozdryov that he wants to buy “dead” souls from him in order, supposedly, to look richer in front of the bride’s parents. However, Nozdryov's version is not successful. “You’re a big swindler, let me tell you this out of friendship!” Nozdryov says to Chichikov, offending him greatly, although in essence Nozdryov is completely right. Nozdryov refuses to sell dead peasants just like that, it is not interesting to him and does not correspond to his adventurous character. In exchange for dead souls, a living stallion, a brown mare, dogs, a barrel organ are offered... It comes to the point that Nozdryov orders not to give Chichikov's horses oats. Chichikov scolds himself for coming to Nozdryov and even more for talking to him about his business. In the morning, Nozdryov did not abandon his adventurous whims and forced Chichikov to play checkers for “dead souls.” A scuffle arose between them, very typical of Nozdryov, but Chichikov managed to escape from the inevitable beatings only thanks to the arrival of the police captain. Chichikov, not remembering himself, left Nozdrev’s estate.

The image of Nozdryov is no less typical than the images of Manilov or Korobochka. Gogol writes: “Nozdryov will not be removed from the world for a long time. He is everywhere between us and, perhaps, only wears a different caftan; but people are frivolously undiscerning, and a person in a different caftan seems to them a different person.” The author gives him what he deserves through the mouth of Chichikov: “Nozdryov is a man of rubbish!” In the image of Nozdrev, Gogol created a new socio-psychological type of “Nozdrevism” in Russian literature.

Chichikov is an intelligent, cunning and calculating person, striving for only one goal - by hook or by crook, to earn as much money as possible. Having received the instruction from his father to “take care and save a penny,” main character Romana earned the most money in different ways and really didn’t like to part with them.

As a schoolboy, Chichikov sold pies at exorbitant prices to his hungry classmates. Having entered the service in the government chamber, he began to court the daughter of the boss, intending to take a higher position due to this. While serving at customs, Chichikov pulled off a major deal by smuggling expensive lace across the border.

As for Nozdryov, he appears before us as a lover of walking, drinking, having fun and playing cards. The passion for fun and excitement was so great that Nozdryov was ready to play anything, betting any amount. This character trait of the hero is especially clearly visible when Nozdryov offers to play checkers with Chichikov, putting the dead souls necessary for the second at stake.

The main character traits of the hero are quarrelsomeness, excessive passion, boasting, arrogance, and swagger. It is also worth noting that Nozdryov often harmed others, considering his act a very funny joke. For example: Nozdryov did not even suspect that the landowner Maksimov, his acquaintance, would not appreciate his friend’s sense of humor and was very surprised when he learned that Maksimov had filed a lawsuit against his “friend.” For Nozdryov, beating Maximov with rods while drunk was just a cute joke, which, as he believed, was not worth being offended by.

Chichikov and Nozdryov can easily trace common features. They are both calculating and cunning, wanting to extract the maximum benefit from any of their actions. This is clearly visible from the bargaining for dead souls.

Nozdryov offered Chichikov to play cards for a small amount, tried to sell dogs, stallions and even a barrel organ, and give away dead souls in addition, and Chichikov tried his best to avoid gambling debts and buying things he didn’t need. They both love to have a lot of fun. An example is the celebration of Chichikov with the entire cultural society provincial town NN sending dead souls to the Kherson province: social communication, cards, feast, champagne. The celebration was a great success, because Chichikov. Returned to my room drunk. This can be judged from Chichikov’s desire to arrange a roll call of all the purchased peasants.

To summarize the above, we can say that Nozdryov and Chichikov, despite all their differences, are to some extent kindred spirits.

One of the key characters in the work is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, a former civil servant, and the landowner Nozdryov.

The storyline of the work pits the characters who had previously met at the prosecutor's dinner on Nozdrev's estate, to which Chichikov comes at the invitation of the owner in the hope of redeeming several hundred dead souls from him for the purpose of further pledging them to the bank to receive a loan as living ones.

To begin with, Nozdryov shows the guest his large farm, consisting of a water mill, a blacksmith shop, a huge field, a stable and a large number of dogs. Chichikov, being an extremely neat and tidy person, observes the hospitable owner surrounded by the kennel with hostility, wanting only to quickly discuss the matter that brought him to Nozdryov’s estate.

Inviting Chichikov to dinner, Nozdryov, accustomed to drunken revelry and riotous fun, tries to get the guest drunk by mixing various alcoholic drinks and pretending to be very drunk. However, the cunning Chichikov, seeing this game, prefers to empty his glasses under the table.

From Chichikov’s point of view, Nozdryov is a crappy person with a penchant for all kinds of nasty things and dirty tricks towards others.

Discussion of the issue selling the dead The shower leads Chichikov and Nozdryov to a major quarrel, since the landowner is not used to knowing when to stop in anything and does not want to just carry out a deal to sell or donate dead souls. Nozdryov does not believe the reason given by Chichikov about giving him social weight, for which the latter collects the souls of dead peasants. He considers Chichikov to be the last swindler who should be hanged on the first branch.

Nozdryov invites Chichikov to win dead souls in a game of checkers, and, having started to play, cleverly cheats, not realizing that he has become involved with a cheater just like him. The loss drives Nozdryov into a rage, which develops into a conflict that threatens to turn into a fight.

Chichikov, fearing to lose his image among those around him, resolves the brewing conflict, preferring to quickly leave the Nozdrev estate.

Revealing the relationship between Chichikov and Nozdryov, the writer demonstrates their similar character traits, consisting of adventurism, deceit, arrogance, capable of obeying the moral laws of society for their own selfish purposes. The writer names the images of his heroes as historical figures, drawing a parallel with real-life representatives of society of that period of time.

Several interesting essays

• The main characters of the comedy The Inspector General by Gogol (8th grade)

  The famous comedy by N.V. Gogol was created by him in early XIX century. Readers were surprised and shocked by the characteristics of the heroes of the comedy “The Inspector General”. Gogol described all those negative traits which I observed among officials at that time

• Can a person be cruel to our smaller brothers? Final essay

  IN real life We constantly see examples of cruelty to animals. They raise the question of how acceptable such behavior is and where are the boundaries beyond which demandingness turns into cruelty.

• The history of the creation of Pushkin's Belkin Stories (conception, history of writing and publication)

  The idea to write a series of stories, which became the most famous prose works of the great poet, appeared in 1829. However, there is no direct evidence of this; the assumption is based on research by literary scholars.

• Essay Love lyrics by Pushkin

  The theme of love in the lyrics of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is an invaluable basis for the love lyrics of our poetry, a springboard for more than one generation that grew up on the understanding of love and respect for this feeling presented by the great poet.

• Analysis of the fairy tale Wild Landowner by Saltykov-Shchedrin essay

  This fairy-tale character lives with everything ready, proud of himself and indulging his own whims. Only he has no idea what a blissful existence consists of. Peasants to whom I actually owe everything

Tasks:

• the formation of ideas about the role of the landowner Nozdryov in Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”;
• development of skills in characterizing a literary character;
• development of imaginative thinking.

Equipment:

• illustrations of B. Kustodiev’s paintings “Merchant’s Wife at Tea”, “Tavern”, “Innkeeper”, “Fair”, “Still Life with Pheasants”;
• illustrations by P. M. Boklevsky (“Nozdryov”) to N. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”.

Characteristics plan(offered to students before analyzing the topic as homework for the previous lesson):

1. Nozdryov. His role in Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”:

a) portrait characteristics of the hero; the role of the portrait in understanding the essence of the hero;

b) Nozdryov’s speech, examples of vivid words and expressions; the role of speech characteristics;

c) Nozdryov’s estate, office interior;

d) what is the significance of the remark that “dinner, apparently, was not the main thing in Nozdryov’s life; the dishes did not play a big role: some were burnt, some were not cooked at all”;

e) Nozdryov’s reaction to Chichikov’s proposal to sell dead souls;

g) what is the purpose of introducing a character into the text of the poem.

2. What new features of Chichikov’s nature appear before the reader? How does he reveal himself in communication with Nozdryov?

Lesson progress

I. Immersion in the topic.

Presentation of illustrations of B. Kustodiev’s paintings “Merchant’s Wife at Tea”, “Still Life with Pheasants”, “Inn”, “Innkeeper”, “Fair”.

• What associations do you have when you perceive these illustrations?
• Why are they presented at the beginning of the conversation about the landowner Nozdryov?
• What is the similarity between these illustrations and the content of chapter 4 of the poem “Dead Souls,” which tells about Nozdryov?

The paintings show the fullness of life, a riot of colors, bright colorful personalities, vanity, transience of the moment, dynamics. The subjects of the paintings somehow reflect distinctive features Nozdryov's nature. The illustrations help to penetrate Nozdryov’s world, the world of extravagance, “extraordinary lightness,” the world of impetuosity, some kind of higher emotionality, the world of openness and “love” for everyone.

II. Study of the text in connection with the topic.

1. Portrait characteristics the hero and the role of the portrait in understanding the essence of the hero’s character.

Chapter 4: He was of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns, he was as fresh as blood and milk; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.

The main details of the portrait are rosy cheeks, freshness of the face, the key word of the portrait is health. The details reflect the essence of the hero’s inner portrait, his broken character, his senseless actions. Just as his health overflows, so his emotionality goes beyond all boundaries.

2. The hero's speech. Examples of the most striking and typical words and expressions of the hero. The role of speech characteristics.

As a man is, so is his speech (Cicero):

And I, brother,...

Blown away...

Swelled, lost everything...

Kiss me, soul, death love you...

Banchishka

Distortion of French words: burdashka, bonbon, rosette, bezeshka, superflu.

Nozdryov's speech is as sparkling as his nature. This speech cannot be called fearless; it is the speech of an emotional, assertive person who does not care about tomorrow. The main values ​​of life are partying, drinking, dogs, and in general everything that is called “carousing.” This is a person distinguished by “restless briskness and liveliness of character,” as Gogol put it. All this is reflected in the hero’s speech.

But can we see only the negative in the speech portrait of the hero?

We cannot say that Nozdryov is devoid of creativity. His speech is a game with generally accepted words, and not every person is capable of this game. Nozdryov is busy with speech creation. Note his experiments with French words.

3. Nozdryov's estate. His house. What significance does the interior play for understanding the essence of Nozdryov’s nature?

Stable: two horses, the rest of the stalls are empty.

A pond in which there was a fish of such size that two people could hardly pull it out.

Kennel: the most worthy sight on Nozdryov’s estate.

Mill: “then we went to inspect the water mill, where the flutter was missing, into which the top stone, which quickly rotates on a spindle, is installed - “fluttering,” in the wonderful expression of the Russian peasant.”

Nozdryov's House:

Cabinet. However, there were no visible traces of what happens in offices, that is, books or paper; Only sabers and two guns hung - one worth three hundred, and the other eight hundred rubles.

The barrel organ: it played not without joy, but in the middle of it, it seems, something happened, for the mazurka ended with the song: “Malbrug went on a hike,” and “Malbrug went on a hike” unexpectedly ended with some long-familiar waltz. Nozdryov had long ago stopped whistling, but there was one very lively pipe in the barrel organ, which did not want to calm down, and for a long time afterwards it whistled alone.

Pipes: wooden, clay, meerschaum, smoked and unsmoked, covered with suede and uncovered, a chibouk with an amber mouthpiece, recently won, a pouch embroidered by some countess, somewhere at the post station who fell head over heels in love with him, whose handles in his words, they were the most sublime superflue - a word that probably meant the highest point of perfection for him.

Nozdryov is a Russian landowner, but a landowner devoid of any spiritual life. Maybe he devotes all his energy to managing the estate and has no time to immerse himself in reading? No, the estate has long been abandoned, there is no rational management. Consequently, there is neither spiritual nor material life, but there is emotional life, which has absorbed everything. Constant lies, the desire to argue, passion, the inability to suppress one’s feelings - this is what constitutes the essence of Nozdryov. For a Russian landowner, hunting is one of the components of life, and for Nozdryov the kennel replaced everything. He is a certain Troyekurov, who has lost power and influence, and has changed his rough, strong nature.

4. What is the significance of Gogol’s remark that “dinner, apparently, was not the main thing in Nozdryov’s life; the dishes did not play a big role: some were burnt, some were not cooked at all”? Remember that both Manilov and Korobochka Chichikov are treated well, and the description of the dinner takes up quite a bit of space in the chapter.

Lunch, eating food, abundance and variety of dishes is a symbolic designation of animal life in Gogol. Thus, the author emphasizes that the hero is devoid of spirituality. Nozdryov is depicted as an extremely emotional person, in whom there are living feelings, although distorted, so there is no description of eating food here.

5. How does Nozdryov react to Chichikov’s proposal to sell dead souls? How to evaluate Nozdryov’s behavior after Chichikov’s refusal to continue playing checkers?

This broken fellow is devoid of any moral principles, social preferences, this is a kind of childishness, a kind of primitivism, a prehistoric existence of relationships.

III. Key takeaways from the lesson

1. What new features of Chichikov’s nature appear before the reader? How does he reveal himself in communication with Nozdryov?

Chichikov is, of course, the antipode of Nozdryov. The conditions in which Pavel Ivanovich was formed forced him to hide his emotions and desires, forced him to think first, then act, made him prudent and enterprising. In Chichikov there is no emotionality, no recklessness, no stupidity, no “life over the edge.” The hero of the new capitalist era, the era of selfishness and calculation, is deprived of strong emotions, and therefore deprived of a sense of the fullness of life. These thoughts come to us precisely at the moment of reading the chapter about Nozdryov. Thus, the chapter represents the type of Russian landowner, but also reveals a lot about the nature of the main character, Chichikov.

• Nozdryov at 35 years old was exactly the same as he was at eighteen and twenty: a lover of a walk;
• He could not sit at home for more than a day;
• He had a passion for cards;
• He did not play entirely sinlessly and purely;
• Nozdryov was in some respects a historical person;
• The closer someone got with him, the more likely he was to annoy everyone: he spread a fable, the stupidest of which is difficult to invent, upset a wedding, a trade deal...;
• Restless agility and liveliness of character;
• Nozdryov is a trash person.

The main national trait of the Russian character is openness, “breadth of soul.” In Nozdryov, Gogol depicts how this trait is distorted if there is no spiritual life.

IV. Homework

A written answer to the question: “What human type does Gogol depict when representing the landowner Nozdryov?”