Forhispart，Chichikovwasonlytoodelightedtoresidewithapersonsoquietandagreeableashishost。Ofawanderinglifehewastemporarilyweary，andtorest，evenforamonth，insuchabeautifulspot，andinsightofgreenfieldsandtheslowfloweringofspring，waslikelytobenefithimalsofromthehygienicpointofview。And，indeed，amoredelightfulretreatinwhichtorecuperatecouldnotpossiblyhavebeenfound。Thespring，longretardedbypreviouscold，hadnowbeguninallitscomeliness，andlifewasrampant。Already，overthefirstemeraldofthegrass，thedandelionwasshowingyellow，andthered-pinkanemonewashangingitstenderhead；whilethesurfaceofeverypondwasaswarmofdancinggnatsandmidges，andthewater-spiderwasbeingjoinedintheirpursuitbybirdswhichgatheredfromeveryquartertothevantage-groundofthedryreeds。Everyspeciesofcreaturealsoseemedtobeassemblinginconcourse，andtakingstockofoneanother。Suddenlytheearthbecamepopulous，theforesthadopeneditseyes，andthemeadowswereliftinguptheirvoiceinsong。Inthesamewayhadchoraldancesbeguntobeweavedinthevillage，andeverywherethattheeyeturnedtherewasmerriment。
Whatbrightnessinthegreenofnature，whatfreshnessintheair，whatsingingofbirdsinthegardensofthemansion，whatgeneraljoyandraptureandexaltation！Particularlyinthevillagemighttheshoutingandsinginghavebeeninhonourofawedding！
Chichikovwalkedhither，thither，andeverywhere——apursuitforwhichtherewasamplechoiceandfacility。Atonetimehewoulddirecthisstepsalongtheedgeoftheflattableland，andcontemplatethedepthsbelow，wherestilltherelaysheetsofwaterleftbythefloodsofwinter，andwheretheisland-likepatchesofforestshowedleaflessboughs；whileatanothertimehewouldplungeintothethicketandravinecountry，wherenestsofbirdsweightedbranchesalmosttotheground，andtheskywasdarkenedwiththecriss-crossflightofcawingrooks。Again，thedrierportionsofthemeadowscouldbecrossedtotheriverwharves，whencethefirstbargeswerejustbeginningtosetforthwithpea-mealandbarleyandwheat，whileatthesametimeone\'searwouldbecaughtwiththesoundofsomemillresumingitsfunctionsasoncemorethewaterturnedthewheel。Chichikovwouldalsowalkafieldtowatchtheearlytillageoperationsoftheseason，andobservehowtheblacknessofanewfurrowwouldmakeitswayacrosstheexpanseofgreen，andhowthesower，rhythmicallystrikinghishandagainstthepannierslungacrosshisbreast，wouldscatterhisfistfulsofseedwithequaldistribution，apportioningnotagraintoomuchtoonesideortotheother。
Infact，Chichikovwenteverywhere。Hechattedandtalked，nowwiththebailiff，nowwithapeasant，nowwithamiller，andinquiredintothemannerandnatureofeverything，andsoughtinformationastohowanestatewasmanaged，andatwhatpricecornwasselling，andwhatspeciesofgrainwasbestforspringandautumngrinding，andwhatwasthenameofeachpeasant，andwhowerehiskinsfolk，andwherehehadboughthiscow，andwhathefedhispigson。Chichikovalsomadeinquiryconcerningthenumberofpeasantswhohadlatelydied：butofthesethereappearedtobefew。AndsuddenlyhisquickeyediscernedthatTientietnikov\'sestatewasnotbeingworkedasitmighthavebeen——thatmuchneglectandlistlessnessandpilferinganddrunkennesswasabroad；andonperceivingthis，hethoughttohimself：“WhatafoolisthatTientietnikov！Tothinkoflettingapropertylikethisdecaywhenhemightbedrawingfromitanincomeoffiftythousandroublesayear！”
Also，morethanonce，whiletakingthesewalks，ourheroponderedtheideaofhimselfbecomingalandowner——notnow，ofcourse，butlater，whenhischiefaimshouldhavebeenachieved，andhehadgotintohishandsthenecessarymeansforlivingthequietlifeoftheproprietorofanestate。Yes，andatthesetimestherewouldincludeitselfinhiscastle-buildingthefigureofayoung，fresh，fair-facedmaidenofthemercantileorotherrichgradeofsociety，awomanwhocouldbothplayandsing。HealsodreamedoflittledescendantswhoshouldperpetuatethenameofChichikov；perhapsafrolicsomelittleboyandafairyoungdaughter，orpossibly，twoboysandquitetwoorthreedaughters；sothatallshouldknowthathehadreallylivedandhadhisbeing，thathehadnotmerelyroamedtheworldlikeaspectreorashadow；sothatforhimandhisthecountryshouldneverbeputtoshame。Andfromthathewouldgoontofancythatatitleappendedtohisrankwouldnotbeabadthing——thetitleofStateCouncillor，forinstance，whichwasdeservingofallhonourandrespect。Ah，itisacommonthingforamanwhoistakingasolitarywalksotodetachhimselffromtheirksomerealitiesofthepresentthatheisabletostirandtoexciteandtoprovokehisimaginationtotheconceptionofthingsheknowscanneverreallycometopass！