"Halloa, Porphir," he shouted whilst approaching the window, and addressing his servant by this name, who was below, holding a knife and a crust of bread in one hand, and a piece of smoked sturgeon in the other, which piece he had contrived cleverly to cut off whilst fumbling about in his master's carriage.
"Halloa, Porphir," shouted Nosdrieff again, "bring me that little dog out of the carriage! You shall see, my dear fellow, what a beautiful dog that is," he said, while turning himself again towards Tchichikoff. "It is like a stolen dog, the owner would have rather liked to part with himself than with that dog. I gave him that wretched mare, which as you know, I took in exchange from Captain Hvostireff."
Tchichikoff, however, had never in his life known, or seen either the wretched mare, or the Captain Hvostireff.
"Would your glory like to take any thing?" asked the landlady civilly.
"Nothing. Oh, my dear fellow, what fun we had to be sure! However, old woman, let me have a small glass of something. What have you got?"
"Some anisette, if your glory wishes."
"Very well, let me have some anisette," said Nosdrieff.
"Give me a small glass as well!" said his fair brother-in-law.
"At the theatre, I heard an actress sing like a canary-bird; the lieutenant who sat next to me whispered his favorite motto into my ear, and said: 'this young bird would be an excellent subject for a favourable opportunity!' I fancy there were at least fifty large booths upon the Market Place. And Fenardi spun a windmill, at least four hours at a time."
Here he took a small glass of liqueur from the hands of the landlady, who bowed very low at the moment.