He is the son of a Father Cyril, and a clerk in your offices." "Certainly we shall call him here," replied the President.

"Everything shall be done to meet your convenience, and I forbid you to present any of our officials with a gratuity.

That is a special request on my part.
No friend of mine ever pays a copper." With that he gave Ivan Antonovitch the necessary instructions; and though they scarcely seemed to meet with that functionary's approval, upon the President the purchase deeds had evidently produced an excellent impression, more especially since the moment when he had perceived the sum total to amount to nearly a hundred thousand roubles.
For a moment or two he gazed into Chichikov's eyes with an expression of profound satisfaction.

Then he said: "Well done, Paul Ivanovitch! You have indeed made a nice haul!" "That is so," replied Chichikov.
"Excellent business! Yes, excellent business!" "I, too, conceive that I could not well have done better.

The truth is that never until a man has driven home the piles of his life's structure upon a lasting bottom, instead of upon the wayward chimeras of youth, will his aims in life assume a definite end." And, that said, Chichikov went on to deliver himself of a very telling indictment of Liberalism and our modern young men.