Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/166

156 'What a fool!'

'That is a very just observation, your Excellency. But imagine my position now.' Here Tchitchikov, dropping his voice, began saying as though it were a secret, 'He has a housekeeper, your Excellency, and the housekeeper has children. If I don't look out it will all go to them.'

'The silly old man has outlived his wits and that is all about it,' said the general. 'But I don't see how I can help you.'

'What I thought of was this: now until the new census lists are given in, owners of large estates must have accumulated besides their living serfs, a great number who have passed away and died. … So, your Excellency, if you were to transfer them to me, just as though they were living, by a regular deed of purchase, I could show the purchase deed to the old man, and he couldn't get out of giving me my inheritance.'

At this the general burst into a roar of laughter such as is rarely heard, he rolled into an armchair just as he was, flung his head back and almost choked. The whole household was alarmed. The valet appeared. His daughter ran into the room in a fright.

'Papa, what has happened to you?'

'Nothing, my dear, ha, ha, ha! Run along, we'll come into dinner directly. Ha, ha, ha!'

And several times after a rest the general's laughter broke out again with renewed violence,