“No, I don’t quite mean peasants,” said Chichikov. “I would like to have the dead ones . . .” “Excuse me? I’m sorry . . . I’m a little hard of hearing, I thought I heard a very odd word . . .” “I mean to acquire dead peasants still listed in the census return as living,” said Chichikov. Manilov dropped his clay pipe on the floor and opened his mouth, which remained wide open for all of several minutes.
