Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Iknowthatbynomannerofmeans,bynopreventivemeasures,andbynopenaltieswilldishonestyeverbecompletelyextirpatedfromourmidst,forthereasonthatitsrootshavestrucktoodeep,andthatthedishonourabletrafficinbribeshasbecomeanecessityto,eventhemainstayof,somewhosenatureisnotinnatelyvenal.Also,Iknowthat,tomanymen,itisanimpossibilitytoswimagainstthestream.Yetnow,atthissolemnandcriticaljuncture,whenthecountryiscallingaloudforsaviours,anditisthedutyofeverycitizentocontributeandtosacrificehisall,IfeelthatIcannotbutissueanappealtoeverymaninwhomaRussianheartandasparkofwhatweunderstandbytheword‘nobility’exist.For,afterall,whichofusismoreguiltythanhisfellow?ItmaybetoMEthegreatestculpabilityshouldbeassigned,inthatatfirstImayhaveadoptedtowardsyoutooreservedanattitude,thatImayhavebeenover-hastyinrepellingthosewhodesiredbuttoserveme,eventhoughoftheirservicesIdidnotactuallystandinneed.Yet,hadtheyreallylovedjusticeandthegoodoftheircountry,Ithinkthattheywouldhavebeenlesspronetotakeoffenceatthecoldnessofmyattitude,butwouldhavesacrificedtheirfeelingsandtheirpersonalitytotheirsuperiorconvictions.ForhardlycanitbethatIfailedtonotetheiroverturesandtheloftinessoftheirmotives,orthatIwouldnothaveacceptedanywiseandusefuladviceproffered.
