The travels of Chichikov, like those of Mr. Pickwick, form a kind of Odyssey. The types he introduces us to are extraordinarily comic; there are fools who give their “souls” for nothing, and misers who demand an exorbitant price for them. But sometimes Chichikov meets with people who are as clever as himself, and who outwit him. One of the most amusing episodes is that where he comes across a suspicious old woman called Korobotchka. Chichikov, after arriving at her house late at night, and having spent the night there, begins his business transactions cautiously and tentatively. The old woman at first thinks he has come to sell her tea, or that he has come to buy honey. Then Chichikov comes to the point, and asks her if any peasants have died on her land. She says eighteen. He then asks her to sell them to him, saying that he will give her money for them. She asks if he wishes to dig them out of the ground. He explains that the transaction would only take place upon paper. She asks him why he wants to do this. That, he answers, is his own affair. “But they are dead,” she says. “Whoever said they were alive?” asked Chichikov. “It is a loss to you that they are dead. You pay for them, and I will now save you the trouble and the expense, and not only save you this, but give you fifteen roubles into the bargain. Is it clear now?” “I really can’t say,” the old woman replies. “You see I never before sold _dead_ ‘souls.’” And she keeps on repeating: “What bothers me is that they are _dead_.” Chichikov again explains to her that she has to pay a tax on them just as though they were alive. “Don’t talk of it!” she says. “Only a week ago I had to pay one hundred and fifty roubles.” Chichikov again explains to her how advantageous it would be for her to get them off her hands, upon which she answers that she has never had occasion to sell dead souls; if they were alive, on the other hand, she would have been delighted to do it. “But I don’t want live ones! I want dead ones,” answers Chichikov. “I am afraid,” she says, “that I might lose over the bargain--that you may be deceiving me.” Chichikov explains the whole thing over again, offering her fifteen roubles, and showing her the money; upon which she says she would like to wait a little, to find out what they are really worth. “But who on earth will buy them from you?” asks Chichikov. “They might be useful on the estate,” says the old woman. “How can you use dead souls on the estate?” asks Chichikov. Korobotchka suggests that she would rather sell him some hemp, and Chichikov loses his temper. Equally amusing are Chichikov’s adventures with the miser Plushkin, Nozdref, a swaggering drunkard, and Manilov, who is simply a fool. But when all is said and done, the most amusing person in the book is Chichikov himself.