Dead Souls

"I haven't touched checkers in a long time!" said Chichikov, also moving a piece.

"We know what a poor player you are!" said Nozdryov, advancing a piece.

"I haven't touched checkers in a long time!" said Chichikov, moving a piece.

"We know what a poor player you are!" said Nozdryov, moving a piece, and at the same time moving another piece with the cuff of his sleeve.

"I haven't touched checkers in a long . . . Hey, hey, what's this, brother? Put that one back!" said Chichikov.

"Which one?"

"That piece there," said Chichikov, and just then he saw almost under his very nose another piece that seemed to be sneaking towards being kinged; where it had come from God only knew. "No," said Chichikov, getting up from the table, "it's absolutely impossible to play with you! You can't move like that, three pieces at a time!"

"What do you mean three? It was a mistake. One got moved by accident, I'll move it back if you like."

"And the other one came from where?"

"Which other one?"

"This one that's sneaking towards being kinged?"

"Come now, as if you don't remember!"

"No, brother, I counted all the moves and remember everything; you stuck it in there just now. It belongs here!"

"What, where does it belong?" Nozdryov said, flushing. "Ah, yes, brother, I see you're an inventor!"

"No, brother, it seems you are the inventor, only not a very successful one."

"What do you take me for?" said Nozdryov. "Would I go and cheat?"

"I don't take you for anything, I'll just never play with you from now on."

"No, you can't refuse," Nozdryov said, getting excited, "the game's begun!"

"I have the right to refuse, because you're not playing as befits an honest man."

"No, you're lying, you can't say that!"

"No, brother, it's you who are lying!"

"I wasn't cheating, and you can't refuse, you have to finish the game!

"That you will not make me do," Chichikov said coolly, and going over to the board, he mixed up the pieces.

Nozdryov flushed and came up to Chichikov so close that he retreated a couple of steps.

"I'll make you play! Never mind that you've mixed up the pieces, I remember all the moves. We'll put them back the way they were."

"No, brother, the matter's ended, I won't play with you."

"So you don't want to play?"

"You can see for yourself that it's impossible to play with you."

"No, tell me straight out that you don't want to play," Nozdryov said, stepping still closer.

"I don't!" said Chichikov, bringing both hands closer to his face anyhow, just in case, for things were indeed getting heated.

This precaution was quite appropriate, because Nozdryov swung his arm . . . and it might very well have happened that one of our hero's pleasant and plump cheeks was covered in indelible dishonor; but, successfully warding off the blow, he seized Nozdryov by his two eager arms and held him fast.

"Porfiry Pavlushka!" Nozdryov shouted in rage, trying to tear himself free.

Hearing these words, Chichikov, not wishing to have household serfs witness this tempting scene, and at the same time feeling that it was useless to hold Nozdryov, let go of his arms. At the same time, in came Porfiry and with him Pavlushka, a stalwart fellow, to deal with whom would have been altogether unprofitable.

"So you don't want to finish the game?" Nozdryov said. "Answer me straight out!"

"It is impossible to finish the game," Chichikov said and peeked out the window. He saw his britzka standing all ready, and Selifan seemed to be waiting for a sign to drive up to the porch, but it was impossible to get out of the room: in the doorway stood two stalwart bonded fools.

"So you don't want to finish the game?" Nozdryov repeated, his face burning as if it were on fire.

"If you played as befits an honest man. But now I can't."

"Ah! so you can't, scoundrel! You saw the game was going against you, so now you can't! Beat him!" he shouted frenziedly, turning to Porfiry and Pavlushka, and himself seizing hold of his cherrywood chibouk. Chichikov turned pale as a sheet. He wanted to say something, but felt that his lips were moving soundlessly.