Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/280

270 never gets into personal contact, and the peasant will not be open with him. While you, begging for the church, will have a look at every one—at the artisan, at the merchant, and will have the chance of questioning every one. I tell you this because the governor-general particularly needs such men; and passing by all official posts you will be receiving one in which your life will not be useless.'

'I will try, I will do my best as far as in me lies,' said Hlobuev. And there was a perceptible note of confidence in his voice, he straightened his back and held his head up like a man on whom the light of hope has dawned. 'I see that God has blessed you with understanding, and you know some things better than we short-sighted people.'

'Now allow me to ask you,' said Murazov, 'what about Tchitchikov, and what's the meaning of this business?'

'I can tell you the most unheard-of things about Tchitchikov. He does such things. … Do you know, Afanasy Vassilyevitch, that the will was forged? The real one has been found, in which everything was left to her protégées.'

'You don't say so? But who forged the false will?'

'The fact is that it was an abominable business! They say it was Tchitchikov, and that the will was signed after her death: they dressed up some woman to take the place of the deceased, and she it was signed it. It was a scandalous thing