Мертві душі
Chapter 2
TowhatthereaderalreadyknowsconcerningthepersonagesinhanditisthereforenecessarytoaddthatPetrushkausuallyworeacast-offbrownjacketofasizetoolargeforhim,asalsothathehad(accordingtothecustomofindividualsofhiscalling)apairofthicklipsandaveryprominentnose.Intemperamenthewastaciturnratherthanloquacious,andhecherishedayearningforself-education.Thatistosay,helovedtoreadbooks,eventhoughtheircontentscamealiketohimwhethertheywerebooksofheroicadventureormeregrammarsorliturgicalcompendia.AsIsay,heperusedeverybookwithanequalamountofattention,and,hadhebeenofferedaworkonchemistry,wouldhaveacceptedthatalso.Notthewordswhichheread,butthemeresolacederivedfromtheactofreading,waswhatespeciallypleasedhismind;eventhoughatanymomenttheremightlaunchitselffromthepagesomedevil-sentwordwhereofhecouldmakeneitherheadnortail.Forthemostpart,histaskofreadingwasperformedinarecumbentpositionintheanteroom;whichcircumstanceendedbycausinghismattresstobecomeasraggedandasthinasawafer.
