On rising, he made it his first business (after donning dressing-gown and slippers) to cross the courtyard to the stable, for the purpose of ordering Selifan to harness the britchka.

Just as he was returning from his errand he encountered Nozdrev, clad in a dressing-gown, and holding a pipe between his teeth.
Host and guest greeted one another in friendly fashion, and Nozdrev inquired how Chichikov had slept.
"Fairly well," replied Chichikov, but with a touch of dryness in his tone.
"The same with myself," said Nozdrev.

"The truth is that such a lot of nasty brutes kept crawling over me that even to speak of it gives me the shudders.

Likewise, as the effect of last night's doings, a whole squadron of soldiers seemed to be camping on my chest, and giving me a flogging.

Ugh! And whom also do you think I saw in a dream?
You would never guess.