Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol1.djvu/155

Rh that no one was disposed to begin the conversation. 'We had a very pleasant evening.'

'Yes, I wasn't at the president's that day,' answered Sobakevitch.

'He is a splendid man!'

'Who's that?' asked Sobakevitch, staring at the corner of the stove.

'The president.'

'Well, perhaps he seems so to you. Although he is a freemason, he is the greatest fool on earth.'

Tchitchikov was a little disconcerted by this rather harsh description, but recovering himself he went on: 'Of course every man has his weaknesses, but the governor now, what a delightful man!'

'The governor a delightful man?'

'Yes, isn't he?'

'He is the greatest ruffian on earth!'

'What, the governor a ruffian!' said Tchitchikov, and was utterly at a loss to understand how the governor could be a ruffian. 'I must own I should never have thought so,' he continued. 'Allow me to observe, however, that his behaviour is not at all suggestive of it: on the contrary, in fact, there is a great deal of softness in him.' At this juncture he referred in support of his words to the purses embroidered by the governor's own hands; and alluded appreciatively to the amiable expression of his face.

'He has the face of a ruffian!' said Sobakevitch. 'If you put a knife in his hand and let him loose on the public highway he would cut your throat