Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol1.djvu/64

52, ta-ta-ta. Good-bye, my dear! Good-bye!' Then he kissed the child on the head and turned to Manilov and his wife with the little laugh with which people commonly insinuate to parents the innocence of their children's desires.

'You really must stay, Pavel Ivanovitch!' said Manilov when they had gone out on the steps. 'Look what storm-clouds.'

'They are only little ones,' answered Tchitchikov.

'And do you know the way to Sobakevitch's?'

'I wanted to ask you about it.'

'If you will allow me, I will tell your coachman at once.'

And Manilov proceeded with the same politeness to explain the way to the coachman.

The coachman, hearing that he had to pass two turnings and take the third, said: 'We shall find it, your honour.'

And Tchitchikov drove away while the gentleman and lady left behind stood for a long time on tiptoe on the steps, sending greetings after him and waving their handkerchiefs.

Manilov watched the chaise disappearing into the distance, and even after it was completely out of sight, still went on standing on the steps, smoking his pipe. At last he went into the house, sat down to the table and gave himself up to meditation, genuinely delighted at having given his visitor pleasure. Then his thoughts passed imperceptibly to other subjects, and goodness knows where they landed at last. He mused on the bliss