Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Yes,thoughitmaysurpriseyou,itisafactthatthatfellowChichikov—”
“Yes,SemenSemenovitch,but,beforeyougoontospeakofChichikov,praytellmesomethingaboutyourself,andhowmuch,inyouropinion,wouldbesufficienttoclearyouofyourdifficulties?”
“Mydifficultiesaregrievous,”repliedKhlobuev.“Toridmyselfofthem,andalsotohaveenoughtogoonwith,Ishouldneedtoacquireatleastahundredthousandroubles,ifnotmore.Inshort,thingsarebecomingimpossibleforme.”
“And,hadyouthemoney,whatshouldyoudowithit?”
“Ishouldrentatenement,anddevotemyselftotheeducationofmychildren.NotathoughtshouldIgivetomyself,formycareerisover,seeingthatitisimpossibleformetore-entertheCivilServiceandIamgoodfornothingelse.”
“Nevertheless,whenamanisleadinganidlelifeheisapttoincurtemptationswhichshunhisbetter-employedbrother.”
“Yes,butbeyondquestionIamgoodfornothing,sobrokenismyhealth,andsuchamartyrIamtodyspepsia.”
“Buthowdoyouproposetolivewithoutworking?Howcanamanlikeyouexistwithoutapostorapositionofanykind?LookaroundyouattheworksofGod.Everythinghasitsproperfunction,andpursuesitspropercourse.Evenastonecanbeusedforonepurposeoranother.How,then,canitberightforamanwhoisathinkingbeingtoremainadrone?”
“ButIshouldnotbeadrone,forIshouldemploymyselfwiththeeducationofmychildren.”
“No,SemenSemenovitch—no:THATyouwouldfindthehardesttaskofall.
