AndevenasKhlobuevspokehefeltrenewedvigourandconfidenceariseinhissoul，andhismindbegintoawaketoasenseofhopefulnessofeventuallybeingabletoputtoflighthistroubles。Andevenasitwas，theworldseemedtobegrowingdimtohiseyes……
Meanwhile，pleaafterpleahadbeenpresentedtothelegalauthorities，anddailywererelativeswhomnoonehadbeforeheardofputtinginanappearance。Yes，likevulturestoacorpsedidthesegoodfolkcomeflockingtotheimmensepropertywhichMadamKhanasarovhadleftbehindher。EverywherewereheardrumoursagainstChichikov，rumourswithregardtothevalidityofthesecondwill，rumourswithregardtowillnumberone，andrumoursoflarcenyandconcealmentoffunds。Also，therecametohandinformationwithregardbothtoChichikov\'spurchaseofdeadsoulsandtohisconnivingatcontrabandgoodsduringhisserviceintheCustomsDepartment。Inshort，everypossibleitemofevidencewasexhumed，andthewholeofhisprevioushistoryinvestigated。HowtheauthoritieshadcometosuspectandtoascertainallthisGodonlyknows，butthefactremainsthattherehadfallenintothehandsofthoseauthoritiesinformationconcerningmattersofwhichChichikovhadbelievedonlyhimselfandthefourwallstobeaware。True，foratimethesemattersremainedwithinthecognisanceofnonebutthefunctionariesconcerned，andfailedtoreachChichikov\'sears；butatlengthaletterfromaconfidentialfriendgavehimreasontothinkthatthefatwasabouttofallintothefire。Saidtheletterbriefly：“Dearsir，Ibegtoadviseyouthatpossiblylegaltroubleispending，butthatyouhavenocauseforuneasiness，seeingthateverythingwillbeattendedtobyyoursverytruly。“Yet，inspiteofitstenor，theepistlereassureditsrecipient。“Whatageniusthefellowis！”thoughtChichikovtohimself。Next，tocompletehissatisfaction，histailorarrivedwiththenewsuitwhichhehadordered。Notwithoutacertainsenseofpridedidourheroinspectthefrockcoatofsmokedgreyshotwithflamecolourandlookatitfromeverypointofview，andthentryonthebreeches——thelatterfittinghimlikeapicture，andquiteconcealinganydeficienciesinthematterofhisthighsandcalvesthough，whenbuckledbehind，theylefthisstomachprojectinglikeadrum。True，thecustomerremarkedthatthereappearedtobeaslighttightnessundertherightarmpit，butthesmilingtailoronlyrejoinedthatthatwouldcausethewaisttofitallthebetter。“Sir，“hesaidtriumphantly，“youmayrestassuredthattheworkhasbeenexecutedexactlyasitoughttohavebeenexecuted。Noone，exceptinSt。
Petersburg，couldhavedoneitbetter。“Asamatteroffact，thetailorhimselfhailedfromSt。Petersburg，butcalledhimselfonhissignboard“ForeignCostumierfromLondonandParis“——thetruthbeingthatbytheuseofadouble-barrelledflourishofcitiessuperiortomere“Karlsruhe“and“Copenhagen“hedesignedtoacquirebusinessandcutouthislocalrivals。
Chichikovgraciouslysettledtheman\'saccount，and，assoonashehadgone，paradedatleisure，andconamore，andafterthemannerofanartistofaesthetictaste，beforethemirror。Somehowheseemedtolookbetterthaneverinthesuit，forhischeekshadnowtakenonastillmoreinterestingair，andhischinanaddedseductiveness，whilehiswhitecollarlenttonetohisneck，thebluesatintieheightenedtheeffectofthecollar，thefashionabledickeysetoffthetie，therichsatinwaistcoatemphasisedthedickey，andthesmoked-grey-shot-with-flame-colourfrockcoat，shininglikesilk，splendidlyroundedoffthewhole。Whenheturnedtotherighthelookedwell：whenheturnedtothelefthelookedevenbetter。Inshort，itwasacostumeworthyofaLordChamberlainorthespeciesofdandywhoshrinksfromswearingintheRussianlanguage，butamplyrelieveshisfeelingsinthelanguageofFrance。Next，inclininghisheadslightlytooneside，ourheroendeavouredtoposeasthoughhewereaddressingamiddle-agedladyofexquisiterefinement；andtheresultoftheseeffortswasapicturewhichanyartistmighthaveyearnedtoportray。Next，hisdelightledhimgracefullytoexecuteahopinballetfashion，sothatthewardrobetrembledandabottleofeau-de-Colognecamecrashingtothefloor。Yeteventhiscontretempsdidnotupsethim；hemerelycalledtheoffendingbottleafool，andthendebatedwhomfirstheshouldvisitinhisattractiveguise。
Suddenlythereresoundedthroughthehallaclatterofspurredheels，andthenthevoiceofagendarmesaying：“YouarecommandedtopresentyourselfbeforetheGovernor-General！”Turninground，Chichikovstaredinhorroratthespectaclepresented；forinthedoorwaytherewasstandinganapparitionwearingahugemoustache，ahelmetsurmountedwithahorsehairplume，apairofcrossedshoulder-belts，andagiganticsword！Awholearmymighthavebeencombinedintoasingleindividual！AndwhenChichikovopenedhismouthtospeaktheapparitionrepeated，“YouarecommandedtopresentyourselfbeforetheGovernor-General，“andatthesamemomentourherocaughtsightbothofasecondapparitionoutsidethedoorandofacoachwaitingbeneaththewindow。Whatwastobedone？Nothingwhateverwaspossible。Justashestood——inhissmoked-grey-shot-with-flame-coloursuit——hehadthenandtheretoenterthevehicle，and，shakingineverylimb，andwithagendarmeseatedbyhisside，tostartfortheresidenceoftheGovernor-General。