Мертвые души
Chapter 4
“PaulIvanovitch,”saidMurazov,shakinghishead,“howthatpropertyofyoursstillsealsyoureyesandears,sothatyoucannotsomuchaslistentothepromptingsofyourownsoul!”
“Ah,Iwillthinkofmysoul,too,ifonlyyouwillsaveme.”
“PaulIvanovitch,”theoldmanbeganagain,andthenstopped.Foralittlewhiletherewasapause.
“PaulIvanovitch,”atlengthhewenton,“tosaveyoudoesnotliewithinmypower.Surelyyouyourselfseethat?But,sofarasIcan,Iwillendeavourto,atallevents,lightenyourlotandprocureyoureventualrelease.WhetherornotIshallsucceedIdonotknow;butIwillmaketheattempt.AndshouldI,contrarytomyexpectations,provesuccessful,Ibegofyou,inreturnforthesemyefforts,torenounceallthoughtofbenefitfromthepropertywhichyouhaveacquired.SincerelydoIassureyouthat,wereImyselftobedeprivedofmyproperty(andmypropertygreatlyexceedsyoursinmagnitude),Ishouldnotshedasingletear.Itisnotthepropertyofwhichmencandepriveusthatmatters,butthepropertyofwhichnooneonearthcandepriveordespoilus.Youareamanwhohasseensomethingoflife—touseyourownwords,youhavebeenabarquetossedhitherandthitherbytempestuouswaves:yetstillwilltherebelefttoyouaremnantofsubstanceonwhichtolive,andthereforeIbeseechyoutosettledowninsomequietnookwherethereisachurch,andwherenonebutplain,good-heartedfolkabide.
