Мертві душі

           Happy,therefore,themanwhomaychoosefromamongthegamutofhumanpassionsonewhichisnoble!Hourbyhourwillthatinstinctgrowandmultiplyinitsmeasurelessbeneficence;hourbyhourwillitsinkdeeperanddeeperintotheinfiniteparadiseofhissoul.Buttherearepassionsofwhichamancannotridhimself,seeingthattheyarebornwithhimathisbirth,andhehasnopowertoabjurethem.Higherpowersgovernthosepassions,andinthemissomethingwhichwillcalltohim,andrefusetobesilenced,totheendofhislife.Yes,whetherinaguiseofdarkness,orwhetherinaguisewhichwillbecomeconvertedintoalighttolightentheworld,theywillandmustattaintheirconsummationonlife’sfield:andineithercasetheyhavebeenevokedforman’sgood.InthesamewaymaythepassionwhichdrewourChichikovonwardshavebeenonethatwasindependentofhimself;inthesamewaymaytherehavelurkedeveninhiscoldessencesomethingwhichwillonedaycausementohumblethemselvesinthedustbeforetheinfinitewisdomofGod.

           Yetthatfolkshouldbedissatisfiedwithmyheromattersnothing.Whatmattersisthefactthat,underdifferentcircumstances,theirapprovalcouldhavebeentakenasaforegoneconclusion.Thatistosay,hadnottheauthorpriedover-deeplyintoChichikov’ssoul,norstirredupinitsdepthswhatshunnedandlayhiddenfromthelight,nordisclosedthoseofhishero’sthoughtswhichthatherowouldhavenothavedisclosedeventohismostintimatefriend;hadtheauthor,indeed,exhibitedChichikovjustasheexhibitedhimselftothetownsmenofN.