And if you should happen to speak to the Czar, then tell him, too: "Your Majesty," tell him, "Your Majesty, Piotr Ivanovich Bobchinsky lives in this town."
KHLESTAKOV.
Very well.
BOBCHINSKY.
Pardon me for having troubled you with my presence.
KHLESTAKOV.
Not at all, not at all.
It was my pleasure. [Sees them to the door.]
SCENE VIII
KHLESTAKOV [alone].
My, there are a lot of officials here.
They seem to be taking me for a government functionary.
To be sure, I threw dust in their eyes yesterday.
What a bunch of fools!
I'll write all about it to Triapichkin in St. Petersburg. He'll write them up in the papers.
Let him give them a nice walloping.—Ho, Osip, give me paper and ink.
OSIP [looking in at the door].
D'rectly.
KHLESTAKOV. Anybody gets caught in Triapichkin's tongue had better look out. For the sake of a witticism he wouldn't spare his own father.
They are good people though, these officials. It's a nice trait of theirs to lend me money.
I'll just see how much it all mounts up to.
Here's three hundred from the Judge and three hundred from the Postmaster—six hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred—What a greasy bill!—Eight hundred, nine hundred.—Oho!
Rolls up to more than a thousand!
Now, if I get you, captain, now!
We'll see who'll do whom!
SCENE IX
Khlestakov and Osip entering with paper and ink.
KHLESTAKOV.
Now, you simpleton, you see how they receive and treat me. [Begins to write.]
OSIP.
Yes, thank God!
But do you know what, Ivan Aleksandrovich?
KHLESTAKOV.
What?
OSIP.
Leave this place.
Upon my word, it's time.
KHLESTAKOV [writing].
What nonsense!
Why?
OSIP.
Just so.
God be with them.
You've had a good time here for two days.
It's enough.
What's the use of having anything more to do with them? Spit on them. You don't know what may happen. Somebody else may turn up. Upon my word, Ivan Aleksandrovich.
And the horses here are fine. We'll gallop away like a breeze.
KHLESTAKOV [writing].
No, I'd like to stay a little longer.
Let's go tomorrow.