'Certainly, certainly,' said the president, reading the letter. 'I am ready to act for him. When do you want to complete the purchase, now or later?'
'Now,' said Tchitchikov. 'I will even ask you if possible to have it done to-day, as I should like to leave the town to-morrow. I have brought the deeds of purchase and my application.'
'That's all right; only, say what you like, we are not going to let you go so soon. The purchase shall be completed to-day, but you must stay with us a little all the same. I'll give the order at once,' he said, and opened the door of an office filled with clerks who might be compared to industrious bees busy upon their combs, if indeed honeycomb can be compared with legal duties. 'Is Ivan Antonovitch there?'
'Yes, here,' answered a voice from within.
'Kindly send him here.'
Ivan Antonovitch, the 'jug snout' with whom the reader is already familiar, entered the presidential chamber, making a respectful bow.
'Here, Ivan Antonovitch, take all these deeds of purchase. …'
'And don't forget, Ivan Grigoryevitch,' put in Sobakevitch, 'we must have witnesses, two at least for each party. Send now to the prosecutor: he is a man of leisure and no doubt he is at home now. Zolotuha the attorney, the most grasping scoundrel on earth, does all his work for him. The inspector of the medical board is
