At length, when a considerable distance had been covered, they caught sight of a boundary-post and a narrow ditch.
"That is the boundary," said Nozdrev.

"Everything that you see on this side of the post is mine, as well as the forest on the other side of it, and what lies beyond the forest." "WHEN did that forest become yours ?" asked the brother-in-law.

"It cannot be long since you purchased it, for it never USED to be yours." "Yes, it isn't long since I purchased it," said Nozdrev.
"How long ?" "How long?
Why, I purchased it three days ago, and gave a pretty sum for it, as the devil knows!" "Indeed?
Why, three days ago you were at the fair ?" "Wiseacre! Cannot one be at a fair and buy land at the same time?
Yes, I WAS at the fair, and my steward bought the land in my absence." "Oh, your STEWARD bought it." The brother-in-law seemed doubtful, and shook his head.
The guests returned by the same route as that by which they had come; whereafter, on reaching the house, Nozdrev conducted them to his study, which contained not a trace of the things usually to be found in such apartments--such things as books and papers.

On the contrary, the only articles to be seen were a sword and a brace of guns--the one "of them worth three hundred roubles," and the other "about eight hundred." The brother-in-law inspected the articles in question, and then shook his head as before.

Next, the visitors were shown some "real Turkish" daggers, of which one bore the inadvertent inscription, "Saveli Sibiriakov [19], Master Cutler." Then came a barrel-organ, on which Nozdrev started to play some tune or another.