Chichikov himself perceived that his device had been a clumsy one , and his pretext weak . " I must tell him straight out , " he said to himself as he pulled his wits together .
Сам Чичиков понял, что его прием был неуклюж, а предлог слаб. «Я должен сказать ему прямо», — сказал он себе, собираясь с мыслями.
