Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/297

Rh the door was close shut behind him. 'Never mind, never mind! Don't be downcast, everything will be put right. We will all work for you and are your servants! Thirty thousand for all and nothing more!'

'Really,' cried Tchitchikov, 'and shall I be entirely acquitted?'

'Entirely! And you will get compensation too for damages.'

'And for your trouble? …'

'Thirty thousand, that's for all together—for our fellows and for the governor-general's and for the secretary.'

'But excuse me, how can I—all my things, my writing-case. … It's all been sealed up now, under guard. …'

'Within an hour you shall have it all. You shake hands on it, eh?'

Tchitchikov gave his hand. His heart was throbbing, and he could not believe that it was possible. …

'Farewell for the time then! Our mutual friend commissioned me to tell you that the great thing is calm and presence of mind.'

'H'm!' thought Tchitchikov. 'I understand, the lawyer!'

Samosvitov withdrew. Tchitchikov left alone was still unable to believe what he had said, when, less than an hour after their conversation, his case was brought him, with papers, money and everything in perfect order. Samosvitov had gone as though armed with authority, he had