Мертвые души
Chapter 11
Oncemorehepulledhimselftogether,oncemoreheembarkeduponalifeoftoil,oncemorehestintedhimselfineverything,oncemoreheleftcleananddecentsurroundingsforadirty,meanexistence.Inotherwords,untilsomethingbettershouldturnup,heembracedthecallingofanordinaryattorney—acallingwhich,notthenpossessedofacivicstatus,wasjostledonveryside,enjoyedlittlerespectatthehandsoftheminorlegalfry(or,indeed,atitsown),andperforcemetwithuniversalslightsandrudeness.ButsheernecessitycompelledChichikovtofacethesethings.AmongcommissionsentrustedtohimwasthatofplacinginthehandsofthePublicTrusteeseveralhundredpeasantswhobelongedtoaruinedestate.Theestatehadreacheditsparlousconditionthroughcattledisease,throughrascallybailiffs,throughfailuresoftheharvest,throughsuchepidemicdiseasesthathadkilledoffthebestworkmen,and,last,butnotleast,throughthesenselessconductoftheownerhimself,whohadfurnishedahouseinMoscowinthelateststyle,andthensquanderedhiseverykopeck,sothatnothingwasleftforhisfurthermaintenance,anditbecamenecessarytomortgagetheremains—includingthepeasants—oftheestate.
