Мертві душі
Chapter 11
”Certainlyonewouldhavethoughtthat,afterthesebuffetingsandtrialsandchangesoffortune—afterthistasteofthesorrowsoflife—heandhisprecioustenthousandroubleswouldhavewithdrawntosomepeacefulcornerinaprovincialtown,where,cladinastuffdressing-gown,hecouldhavesatandlistenedtothepeasantsquarrellingonfestivaldays,or(forthesakeofabreathoffreshair)havegoneinpersontothepoulterer’stofingerchickensforsoup,andsohavespentaquiet,butnotwhollyuseless,existence;butnothingofthekindtookplace,andthereinwemustdojusticetothestrengthofhischaracter.Inotherwords,althoughhehadundergonewhat,tothemajorityofmen,wouldhavemeantruinanddiscouragementandashatteringofideals,hestillpreservedhisenergy.True,downcastandangry,andfullofresentmentagainsttheworldingeneral,hefeltfuriouswiththeinjusticeoffate,anddissatisfiedwiththedealingsofmen;yethecouldnotforbearcourtingadditionalexperiences.Inshort,thepatiencewhichhedisplayedwassuchastomakethewoodenpersistencyoftheGerman—apersistencymerelyduetotheslow,lethargiccirculationoftheTeuton’sblood—seemnothingatall,seeingthatbynatureChichikov’sbloodflowedstrongly,andthathehadtoemploymuchforceofwilltocurbwithinhimselfthoseelementswhichlongedtoburstforthandrevelinfreedom.Hethoughtthingsover,and,ashedidso,acertainspiceofreasonappearedinhisreflections.
“HowhaveIcometobewhatIam?”hesaidtohimself.
