Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/282

272 incriminating Tchitchikov for the purchase of dead souls and for the smuggling of contraband goods at the time when he was in the Customs. They dug up everything and found out all his previous history. God knows how they scented it out and how they learned it. Evidence was even produced regarding matters of which Tchitchikov supposed that no one knew but himself and four walls. For a time all this was a judicial secret, and had not reached his ears, though a trustworthy note, which he very soon received from his lawyer, gave him some idea that a fine mess was brewing. The note was brief: 'I hasten to inform you that there is going to be a great scrimmage; but remember that it never does to be agitated. The great thing is to be calm. We will manage everything.' This note completely reassured Tchitchikov. 'That man's a real genius,' he said when he had read the note. To complete his good humour at that moment the tailor brought his new suit. Tchitchikov conceived an intense desire to behold himself in his new dress-coat of the 'flame and smoke of Navarino.' He pulled on the breeches which set wonderfully upon him, so that it was a perfect picture. … Such thighs … it was such a splendid fit, the calves too, the cloth brought out every detail and made them look even more resilient. When he drew the buckle behind him, his stomach was like a drum. He beat on it with a brush, saying: 'What a fool he is and yet he completes the picture!' The coat seemed