Upon that followed an evening at the Vice-Governor's, a large dinner party at the house of the Commissioner of Taxes, a smaller dinner-party at the house of the Public Prosecutor (a very wealthy man), and a subsequent reception given by the Mayor.

In short, not an hour of the day did Chichikov find himself forced to spend at home, and his return to the inn became necessary only for the purposes of sleeping.

Somehow or other he had landed on his feet, and everywhere he figured as an experienced man of the world.

No matter what the conversation chanced to be about, he always contrived to maintain his part in the same.

Did the discourse turn upon horse-breeding, upon horse-breeding he happened to be peculiarly well-qualified to speak.