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

Vladimir Vladimirovich Zalesski

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'.