Мертві душі

           andManilovandtherest;well,thenwemayrestassuredthateveryreaderwouldhavebeendelightedwithhim,andhavevotedhimamostinterestingperson.ForitisnotnearlysonecessarythatChichikovshouldfigurebeforethereaderasthoughhisformandpersonwereactuallypresenttotheeyeasthat,onconcludingaperusalofthiswork,thereadershouldbeabletoreturn,unharrowedinsoul,tothatcultofthecard-tablewhichisthesolaceanddelightofallgoodRussians.Yes,readersofthisbook,noneofyoureallycaretoseehumanityrevealedinitsnakedness.“Whyshouldwedoso?”yousay.“Whatwouldbetheuseofit?Dowenotknowforourselvesthathumanlifecontainsmuchthatisgrossandcontemptible?Dowenotwithourowneyeshavetolookuponmuchthatisanythingbutcomforting?Farbetterwoulditbeifyouwouldputbeforeuswhatiscomelyandattractive,sothatwemightforgetourselvesalittle.”Inthesamefashiondoesalandownersaytohisbailiff:“Whydoyoucomeandtellmethattheaffairsofmyestateareinabadway?IknowthatwithoutYOURhelp.Haveyounothingelsetotellme?Kindlyallowmetoforgetthefact,orelsetoremaininignoranceofit,andIshallbemuchobligedtoyou.”Whereafterthesaidlandownerprobablyproceedstospendonhisdiversionthemoneywhichoughttohavegonetowardstherehabilitationofhisaffairs.

           Possiblytheauthormayalsoincurcensureatthehandsofthoseso-called“patriots”whositquietlyincorners,andbecomecapitaliststhroughmakingfortunesattheexpenseofothers.