Мертві душі

           Petersburg;consequentlytheirestatesaregoingtorackandruin,andbeingmanagedinanysortoffashion,andsucceedinginpayingtheirdueswithgreaterdifficultyeachyear.Thatbeingso,notamanofthelotbutwouldgladlysurrendertomehisdeadsoulsratherthancontinuepayingthepoll-tax;andinthisfashionImightmake—well,notafewkopecks.Ofcoursetherearedifficulties,and,toavoidcreatingascandal,Ishouldneedtoemployplentyoffinesse;butmanwasgivenhisbraintoUSE,nottoneglect.Onegoodpointabouttheschemeisthatitwillseemsoimprobablethatincaseofanaccident,nooneintheworldwillbelieveinit.True,itisillegaltobuyormortgagepeasantswithoutland,butIcaneasilypretendtobebuyingthemonlyfortransfermentelsewhere.LandistobeacquiredintheprovincesofTauridaandKhersonalmostfornothing,providedthatoneundertakessubsequentlytocoloniseit;sotoKhersonIwill‘transfer’them,andlongmaytheylivethere!Andtheremovalofmydeadsoulsshallbecarriedoutinthestrictestlegalform;andiftheauthoritiesshouldwantconfirmationbytestimony,IshallproducealettersignedbymyownsuperintendentoftheKhersonianruralpolice—thatistosay,bymyself.Lastly,thesupposedvillageinKhersonshallbecalledChichikovoe—betterstillPavlovskoe,accordingtomyChristianname.