Shortly afterwards there arrived a card of invitation to the Governor's ball already referred to.

In passing, it may be said that such festivities are not infrequent phenomena in county towns, for the reason that where Governors exist there must take place balls if from the local gentry there is to be evoked that respectful affection which is every Governor's due.
Thenceforth all extraneous thoughts and considerations were laid aside in favour of preparing for the coming function.

Indeed, this conjunction of exciting and provocative motives led to Chichikov devoting to his toilet an amount of time never witnessed since the creation of the world.

Merely in the contemplation of his features in the mirror, as he tried to communicate to them a succession of varying expressions, was an hour spent.

First of all he strove to make his features assume an air of dignity and importance, and then an air of humble, but faintly satirical, respect, and then an air of respect guiltless of any alloy whatsoever.