Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol1.djvu/121

Rh 'Come, you can't catch a hare with your hands,' observed his brother-in-law.

'But I say I did catch one, I caught one on purpose!' answered Nozdryov. 'Now,' he said, addressing Tchitchikov, 'I am going to take you to see the boundaries of my property.'

Nozdryov led his visitors across fields which in many places were covered with hillocks. The guests had to make their way between rough fallow land and ploughed fields. Tchitchikov began to feel tired. In many places the water squelched up under their feet, it was such low-lying ground. At first they were careful and picked their way, but afterwards, seeing that it was of no use, walked straight on without looking out for the mud. After walking a considerable distance they did indeed see the boundary, which consisted of a wooden post and a narrow ditch.

'This is the boundary,' said Nozdryov, 'all that you see on this side is mine and even on the other side of it, all that forest which you see in the blue distance over there and all that beyond the forest is mine too.'

'But when did that forest become your property?' asked the brother-in-law. 'Surely you haven't bought it lately? It used not to be yours, you know.'

'Yes, I bought it lately,' answered Nozdryov.

'When did you manage to buy it so quickly?'

'Oh, I bought it the day before yesterday and paid a lot for it too, dash it all!'

'Why, but you were at the fair then.'