The Story of how the non-commissioned officer wido

The Story of how the non-commissioned officer widow flogged herself


"New questions, problems are brought to the fore," - Nikolai Gogol thought.

Gogol approached a table on which the manuscript of "The Government Inspector" lay.

He took a feather and began to leaf through the manuscript.

"So …"

"The governor (of a town) (having extended and trembling all over). Pardon, do not ruin! The wife, small children … Do not make unfortunate the human.

Khlestakov. No, I do not want! Here still? why I must care? Because, that you have a wife and children, I have to go to prison, here it is fine!"

Gogol dipped a feather in an inkwell and entered a phrase:

"The accredited journalists are entering".

Gogol continued a reading.

"Bobchinsky looks out at a door and in a fright hides".

Gogol thought: "Progress is. But … Let's be realists …".

He dipped a feather in ink again and added:

"Accredited journalists are coming out."

Gogol continued a reading.

"[Khlestakov.] No, I thank obediently, I do not want.

The governor (of a town) (shivering). By inexperience, really by inexperience. Insufficiency of a money … You can to reason: the state salary is not enough even for tea and sugar. If there were what bribes, then the trifle: to a table something, yes, and on pair of a dress. That to the non-commissioned officer widow, who is engaged in merchants, widow, whom as if I  flogged - it is slander, really slander. This slander was invented by my villains; these are such people that are ready to attempt upon my life".

"Let's be realists …", - Gogol postponed a feather and walked about the room … - "She flogged herself".


December 23, 2018 21:40


Translation from Russian into English: December 23, 2018 22:10.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский «Рассказ о том, как унтер-офицерская вдова сама себя выпорола».