Every day I used to breakfast with Kuvshinnikov in his restaurant.

Well, what I was nearly forgetting is this: that, though I am aware that you can't forgo your engagement, I am not going to give you up--no, not for ten thousand roubles of money.

I tell you that in advance." Here he broke off to run to the window and shout to his servant (who was holding a knife in one hand and a crust of bread and a piece of sturgeon in the other--he had contrived to filch the latter while fumbling in the britchka for something else): "Hi, Porphyri! Bring here that puppy, you rascal! What a puppy it is! Unfortunately that thief of a landlord has given it nothing to eat, even though I have promised him the roan filly which, as you may remember, I swopped from Khvostirev." As a matter of act, Chichikov had never in his life seen either Khvostirev or the roan filly.
"Barin, do you wish for anything to eat ?" inquired the landlady as she entered.
"No, nothing at all.

Ah, friend Chichikov, what times we had! Yes, give me a glass of vodka, old woman.

What sort to you keep ?" "Aniseed." "Then bring me a glass of it," repeated Nozdrev.
"And one for me as well," added the flaxen-haired man.
"At the theatre," went on Nozdrev, "there was an actress who sang like a canary.