KHLESTAKOV. It's just as if I had eaten nothing at
all, upon my word. It has only whetted my appetite.
If I only had some change to send to the market and buy
some bread.

OSIP [entering]. The Governor has come, I don't
know what for. He's inquiring about you.

KHLESTAKOV [in alarm]. There now! That inn-
keeper has gone and made a complaint against me. Suppose
he really claps me into jail? Well! If he does it
in a gentlemanly way, I may-- No, no, I won't. The
officers and the people are all out on the street and I
set the fashion for them and the merchant's daughter
and I flirted. No, I won't. And pray, who is
he? How dare he, actually? What does he take
me for? A tradesman? I'll tell him straight out, "How
dare you? How--"

[The door knob turns and Khlestakov goes pale and
shrinks back.]



SCENE VIII


Khlestakov, the Governor, and Dobchinsky.

The Governor advances a few steps and stops. They