This is a lady's residence." "But what are we to do, mother?
We have lost our way, and cannot spend the night out of doors in such weather." "No, we cannot.

The night is dark and cold," added Selifan.
"Hold your tongue, you fool!" exclaimed Chichikov.
"Who ARE you, then ?" inquired the old woman.
"A dvorianin [12], good mother." Somehow the word dvorianin seemed to give the old woman food for thought.
"Wait a moment," she said, "and I will tell the mistress." Two minutes later she returned with a lantern in her hand, the gates were opened, and a light glimmered in a second window.

Entering the courtyard, the britchka halted before a moderate-sized mansion.

The darkness did not permit of very accurate observation being made, but, apparently, the windows only of one-half of the building were illuminated, while a quagmire in front of the door reflected the beams from the same.

Meanwhile the rain continued to beat sonorously down upon the wooden roof, and could be heard trickling into a water butt; nor for a single moment did the dogs cease to bark with all the strength of their lungs.