Мертвые души

           Inoneandthesamebreathwouldheproposetogowithyouwhithersoeveryoumightchoose(eventotheveryendsoftheworldshouldyousorequire)ortoenteruponanysortofanenterprisewithyou,ortoexchangeanycommodityforanyothercommoditywhichyoumightcaretoname.Guns,horses,dogs,allweresubjectsforbarter—thoughnotforprofitsofarasYOUwereconcerned.Suchtraitsaremostlytheoutcomeofaboisteroustemperament,asisadditionallyexemplifiedbythefactthatifatafairhechancedtofallinwithasimpletonandtofleecehim,hewouldthenproceedtobuyaquantityoftheveryfirstarticleswhichcametohand—horse-collars,cigar-lighters,dressesforhisnursemaid,foals,raisins,silverewers,lengthsofholland,wheatmeal,tobacco,revolvers,driedherrings,pictures,whetstones,crockery,boots,andsoforth,untileveryatomofhismoneywasexhausted.Yetseldomwerethesearticlesconveyedhome,since,asarule,thesamedaysawthemlosttosomemoreskilfulgambler,inadditiontohispipe,histobacco-pouch,hismouthpiece,hisfour-horsedturn-out,andhiscoachman:withtheresultthat,strippedtohisveryshirt,hewouldbeforcedtobegtheloanofavehiclefromafriend.

           SuchwasNozdrev.Somemaysaythatcharactersofhistypehavebecomeextinct,thatNozdrevsnolongerexist.Alas!suchassaythiswillbewrong;formanyadaymustpassbeforetheNozdrevswillhavedisappearedfromourken.Everywheretheyaretobeseeninourmidst—theonlydifferencebetweenthenewandtheoldbeingadifferenceofgarments.