Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/243

Rh canaries; she has pug dogs and lady companions and servants such as can't be found nowadays. The youngest of her servants must be sixty, though she always calls to him: "Hey, boy!" If a visitor does not behave himself, she will tell the servant to leave him out when handing the dishes at dinner. And they actually do miss him out.'

Platonov laughed.

'And what is her name, and where does she live?' asked Tchitchikov.

'She lives in our town, Alexandra Ivanovna Hanasarov.'

'Why don't you apply to her?' Platonov asked sympathetically. 'I think if she were to get a closer insight into the position of your family, she would not be capable of refusing you, however stingy she may be.'

'Oh no, she is capable! My aunt has a tough character. She is one of those old women that are like flint, Platon Mihailovitch! Besides there are other people making up to her apart from me. Among them there is one who is aiming at being a governor. He claims to be a relation. God bless him, perhaps he will succeed. God bless the lot of them! I never have been able to make up to people, and less than ever now; I can't stoop to it.'

'Idiot!' thought Tchitchikov. 'Why, I'd look after an aunt like that like a nurse looking after a baby!

'Well, talking like this is dry work,' said