of no rank or family! What have I not suffered indeed! Like some ship on the stormy waves … what ill-usage, what persecution have I not endured, what grief have I not known! And for what? For having followed the path of justice, for being true to my conscience, for giving a helping hand to the forlorn widow and orphan in distress! …'
At this point he actually wiped away a tear with his handkerchief.
Manilov was deeply touched. The two friends spent a long time pressing each other's hands and gazing in silence into each other's eyes in which the tears were starting. Manilov would not let go of our hero's hand, but went on pressing it so warmly that the latter did not know how to release it. At last, stealthily withdrawing it, he said that it would not be amiss to draw up the deed of sale as soon as possible, and that it would be as well for him to pay a visit to the town himself; then he picked up his hat and began taking leave.
'What? You want to go already?' said Manilov, suddenly coming to himself and almost frightened.
At that moment Madame Manilov walked into the study.
'Lizanka,' said Manilov with a rather plaintive air, 'Pavel Ivanovitch is leaving us!'
'Because we have wearied Pavel Ivanovitch,' said Madame Manilov.
'Madam! Here,' said Tchitchikov, 'here is where …'—he laid his hand on his heart—'Yes, here the delightful time I have spent with you will
