Мертвые души
Chapter 4
“Ah,PaulIvanovitch,”saidtheoldman,“howevennowthepropertywhichyouhaveacquiredisblindingyoureyes,andcausingyoutofailtorealiseyourterribleposition!”
“Yes,mygoodfriendandbenefactor,”wailedpoorChichikovdespairingly,andclaspingMurazovbytheknees.“Yetsavemeifyoucan!ThePrinceisfondofyou,andwoulddoanythingforyoursake.”
“No,PaulIvanovitch;howevermuchImightwishtosaveyou,andhowevermuchImighttrytodoso,Icouldnothelpyouasyoudesire;foritistothepowerofaninexorablelaw,andnottotheauthorityofanyoneman,thatyouhaverenderedyourselfsubject.”
“Satantemptedme,andhasendedbymakingofmeanoutcastfromthehumanrace!”Chichikovbeathisheadagainstthewallandstruckthetablewithhisfistuntilthebloodspurtedfromhishand.Yetneitherhisheadnorhishandseemedtobeconsciousoftheleastpain.
“Calmyourself,PaulIvanovitch,”saidMurazov.“Calmyourself,andconsiderhowbestyoucanmakeyourpeacewithGod.Thinkofyourmiserablesoul,andnotofthejudgmentofman.”
“Iwill,AthanasiVassilievitch,Iwill.Butwhatafateismine!Dideversuchafatebefallaman?TothinkofallthepatiencewithwhichIhavegatheredmykopecks,ofallthetoilandtroublewhichIhaveendured!YetwhatIhavedonehasnotbeendonewiththeintentionofrobbinganyone,norofcheatingtheTreasury.
