Governor monologue (Act 1) — The Inspector-General

I? Well, I'm not afraid, but I just feel a little--you know--The merchants and townspeople bother me. I seem to be unpopular with them. But the Lord knows if I've taken from some I've done it without a trace of ill-feeling. I even suspect--[Takes him by the arm and walks aside with him.]--I even suspect that I may have been denounced. Or why would they send an Inspector to us? Look here, Ivan Kuzmich, don't you think you could--ahem!--just open a little every letter that passes through your office and read it--for the common benefit of us all, you know--to see if it contains any kind of information against me, or is only ordinary correspondence. If it is all right, you can seal it up again, or simply deliver the letter opened.