A man like that is simply impossible.

Yes, he is a Thetuk, a regular Thetuk." With that they repaired to the parlour, where, on Porphyri bringing candles, Chichikov perceived that his host had produced a pack of cards.
"I tell you what," said Nozdrev, pressing the sides of the pack together, and then slightly bending them, so that the pack cracked and a card flew out.

"How would it be if, to pass the time, I were to make a bank of three hundred ?" Chichikov pretended not to have heard him, but remarked with an air of having just recollected a forgotten point: "By the way, I had omitted to say that I have a request to make of you." "What request ?" "First give me your word that you will grant it." "What is the request, I say ?" "Then you give me your word, do you ?" "Certainly." "Your word of honour ?" "My word of honour." "This, then, is my request.

I presume that you have a large number of dead serfs whose names have not yet been removed from the revision list ?" "I have.

But why do you ask ?" "Because I want you to make them over to me." "Of what use would they be to you ?" "Never mind.