Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/185

Rh man can do! You can dance, you can play some instrument … or else you can get married.'

'Married! To whom?'

Surely there must be some attractive and wealthy young ladies in the neighbourhood.'

'No, there are not.'

'Well, look for them in other places. Go about.' At this point a happy thought flashed upon Tchitchikov's brain; his eyes grew wider. 'Well, here's a capital remedy,' he said, looking into Platonov's face.

'What do you mean?'

'Travel.'

'Where could I go?'

'Why if you are free, come with me,' said Tchitchikov, and to himself he thought, looking at Platonov, 'and that would be a good thing, we could go halves over the expenses; and the repair of the carriage I could put down entirely to him.'

'Why, where are you going then?'

'Oh, how shall I say? I am travelling not so much on my own affairs as on other people's. General Betrishtchev, my intimate friend, and I may say my benefactor, had asked me to visit his relations. … Of course, relations are all very well, but I am partly travelling on my own account too; for seeing the world and what people are doing, is—say what you like—a book of life, a second education.'

Platonov pondered.