Мертві душі

           Itisbecauseitishightimethatarestweregiventothe“poor,butvirtuous”individual;itisbecausethephrase“amanofworth”hasgrownintoaby-word;itisbecausethe“manofworth”hasbecomeconvertedintoahorse,andthereisnotawriterbutrideshimandflogshim,inandoutofseason;itisbecausethe“manofworth”hasbeenstarveduntilhehasnotashredofhisvirtueleft,andallthatremainsofhisbodyisbuttheribsandthehide;itisbecausethe“manofworth”isforeverbeingsmuggleduponthescene;itisbecausethe“manofworth”hasatlengthforfeitedeveryone’srespect.ForthesereasonsdoIreaffirmthatitishightimetoyokearascaltotheshafts.Letusyokethatrascal.

           Ourhero’sbeginningswerebothmodestandobscure.True,hisparentsweredvoriane,butheinnowayresembledthem.Atallevents,ashort,squabfemalerelativewhowaspresentathisbirthexclaimedassheliftedupthebaby:“HeisaltogetherdifferentfromwhatIhadexpectedhimtobe.Heoughttohavetakenafterhismaternalgrandmother,whereashehasbeenborn,astheproverbhasit,‘likenotfathernormother,butlikeachancepasser-by.’”ThusfromthefirstliferegardedthelittleChichikovwithsourdistaste,andasthroughadim,frost-encrustedwindow.