Мертві душі
Chapter 1
Atoneparticularspotthesteepflankofthemountainrangeiscoveredwithbillowyverdureofdensergrowththantherest;andheretheaidofskilfulplanting,addedtotheshelteraffordedbyaruggedravine,hasenabledthefloraofnorthandsouthsotobebroughttogetherthat,twinedaboutwithsinuoushop-tendrils,theoak,thesprucefir,thewildpear,themaple,thecherry,thethorn,andthemountainasheitherassistorcheckoneanother’sgrowth,andeverywherecoverthedeclivitywiththeirstragglingprofusion.Also,attheedgeofthesummittherecanbeseenminglingwiththegreenofthetreestheredroofsofamanorialhomestead,whilebehindtheupperstoriesofthemansionproperanditscarvedbalconyandagreatsemi-circularwindowtheregleamthetilesandgablesofsomepeasants’huts.Lastly,overthiscombinationoftreesandroofsthererises—overtoppingeverythingwithitsgilded,sparklingsteeple—anoldvillagechurch.Oneachofitspinnaclesacrossofcarvedgiltisstayedwithsupportsofsimilargildinganddesign;withtheresultthatfromadistancethegildedportionshavetheeffectofhangingwithoutvisibleagencyintheair.Andthewhole—thethreesuccessivetiersofwoodland,roofs,andcrosseswhole—liesexquisitelymirroredintheriverbelow,wherehollowwillows,grotesquelyshaped(someofthemrootedontheriver’sbanks,andsomeinthewateritself,andalldroopingtheirbranchesuntiltheirleaveshaveformedatanglewiththewaterlilieswhichfloatonthesurface),seemtobegazingatthemarvellousreflectionattheirfeet.
