Мертві душі

           Now,sinceatKrasnioratLeipzig(itmattersnotwhich)hehadlostanarmandaleg,andinthosedaysnoprovisionwasmadeforwoundedsoldiers,andhecouldnotworkwithhisleftarmalone,hesetouttoseehisfather.Unfortunatelyhisfathercouldonlyjustsupporthimself,andwasforcedtotellhissonso;whereforetheCaptaindecidedtogoandapplyforhelpinSt.Petersburg,seeingthathehadriskedhislifeforhiscountry,andhadlostmuchbloodinitsservice.Youcanimaginehimarrivinginthecapitalonabaggagewaggon—inthecapitalwhichislikenoothercityintheworld!Beforehimtherelayspreadoutthewholefieldoflife,likeasortofArabianNights—apicturemadeupoftheNevskiProspect,GorokhovaiaStreet,countlesstaperingspires,andanumberofbridgesapparentlysupportedonnothing—infact,aregularsecondNineveh.Well,hemadeshifttohirealodging,butfoundeverythingsowonderfullyfurnishedwithblindsandPersiancarpetsandsoforththathesawitwouldmeanthrowingawayalotofmoney.True,asonewalksthestreetsofSt.Petersburgoneseemstosmellmoneybythethousandroubles,butourfriendKopeikin’sbankwaslimitedtoafewscorecoppersandalittlesilver—notenoughtobuyavillagewith!Atlength,atthepriceofaroubleaday,heobtainedalodginginthesortoftavernwherethedailyrationisabowlofcabbagesoupandacrustofbread;andashefeltthathecouldnotmanagetoliveverylongonfareofthatkindheaskedfolkwhathehadbetterdo.‘Whatyouhadbetterdo?’theysaid.