Of his habit of treading upon other people's toes Chichikov had become fully aware; wherefore he stepped cautiously, and, throughout, allowed his host to take the lead.

As a matter of fact, Sobakevitch himself seemed conscious of his failing, for at intervals he would inquire: "I hope I have not hurt you ?" and Chichikov, with a word of thanks, would reply that as yet he had sustained no injury.
At length they reached the drawing-room, where Sobakevitch pointed to an armchair, and invited his guest to be seated.

Chichikov gazed with interest at the walls and the pictures.

In every such picture there were portrayed either young men or Greek generals of the type of Movrogordato (clad in a red uniform and breaches), Kanaris, and others; and all these heroes were depicted with a solidity of thigh and a wealth of moustache which made the beholder simply shudder with awe.

Among them there were placed also, according to some unknown system, and for some unknown reason, firstly, Bagration [24]--tall and thin, and with a cluster of small flags and cannon beneath him, and the whole set in the narrowest of frames--and, secondly, the Greek heroine, Bobelina, whose legs looked larger than do the whole bodies of the drawing-room dandies of the present day.