on,
Tchitchikof drew up a formal conveyance of the eighteen souls,
precisely as though they were bodies and souls, inserting their names,
however, as a guarantee against his claiming any of Nastasie's living
stock. Nastasie signed it, Tchitchikof paid the money, and, after a
good night's rest, departed for Nikolsk, with the title-deed of the
dead souls safely in his possession.

Of course this new freak of Tchitchikof's was soon noised abroad, and
in the eyes of the Nikolskians proved two things:--_1st_, That he was
unmistakably mad, or philanthropic to a high degree; _2d_, That there
was now a prospect of gaining something by said madness or
philanthropy. Accordingly, all the serf-owners made it their business
to drop in upon Tchitchikof in a purely casual manner; and contrived,
after more or less higgling, to depart with a larger quantity of the
current coin of Russia in their possession than they possessed on
first seeking the interview. In a few days, Tchitchikof found himself
possessed of 2000 souls, at the moderate cost of 19,500 rubles. Dead
souls were getting quite a scarce article; and, on the true principles
of supply and demand, some enterprising Nikolskians were about to
import some defunct souls from a distance, when suddenly, one morning,
the host of the Eagle announced, that at dead of the previous night,
Tchitchikof had departed, bag and baggage and souls.

This sudden departure created a great sensation. All the old theories
about Tchitchikof revived; and the general opinion seemed to be, that
it was all a deep-laid scheme of some irresponsible man in authority,
the end whereof was to be suffering in some shape or other to the good
people of Nikolsk; until the inspector of the hospital, the Nikolsk
Socrates, proved clearly, by unassailable argumentation, that
Tchitchikof was mad; that his exit was in exact keeping with his
conduct during his sojourn; and that they might repose in the peace of
easy consciences, proud that they had made the most of his insanity.

Now for the _denouement_. At St Petersburg is or was a bank
established by a paternal government for this most laudable purpose:
what with deaths, taxes, and the natural extravagance that seems to
accompany the possession of land in all countries, the Russian
landowners are often embarrassed, and were driven, before this bank
was established, to seek assistance from usurious Jews, the end of
which was frequently total ruin, and a Hebraicising