So deeply did Chichikov become plunged in conversation with his fair pursuers-or rather, so deeply did those fair pursuers enmesh him in the toils of small talk (which they accomplished through the expedient of asking him endless subtle riddles which brought the sweat to his brow in his attempts to guess them)-that he forgot the claims of courtesy which required him first of all to greet his hostess.
Deabruak zekik! Eta orduan, liburua ixten dik, gogaiturik." Horrela gaitzesten zituen Txitxikovek dantzaldiak orokorrean; baina, inondik ere, beste zerbaitek sumintzen zuen.