Мертві душі

           Yes,letbutsomethingwhichtheyconceivetobederogatorytotheircountryoccur—forinstance,lettherebepublishedsomebookwhichvoicesthebittertruth—andouttheywillcomefromtheirhiding-placeslikeaspiderwhichperceivesaflytobecaughtinitsweb.“Isitwelltoproclaimthistotheworld,andtosetfolktalkingaboutit?”theywillcry.“WhatyouhavedescribedtouchesUS,isOURaffair.Isconductofthatkindright?Whatwillforeignerssay?Doesanyonecarecalmlytositbyandhearhimselftraduced?Whyshouldyouleadforeignerstosupposethatallisnotwellwithus,andthatwearenotpatriotic?”Well,tothesesageremarksnoanswercanreallybereturned,especiallytosuchoftheaboveasrefertoforeignopinion.Butseehere.ThereoncelivedinaremotecornerofRussiatwonativesoftheregionindicated.OneofthosenativeswasagoodmannamedKifaMokievitch,andamanofkindlydisposition;amanwhowentthroughlifeinadressing-gown,andpaidnoheedtohishousehold,forthereasonthathiswholebeingwascentredupontheprovinceofspeculation,andthat,inparticular,hewaspreoccupiedwithaphilosophicalproblemusuallystatedbyhimthus:“Abeast,”hewouldsay,“isbornnaked.Now,whyshouldthatbe?Whyshouldnotabeastbebornasabirdisborn—thatistosay,throughtheprocessofbeinghatchedfromanegg?Natureisbeyondtheunderstanding,howevermuchonemayprobeher.”ThiswasthesubstanceofKifaMokievitch’sreflections.Buthereinisnotthechiefpoint.