Мертві душі

           Imyselfmighthavebeenofusetohim,fornotonlydoImaintaincertainconnectionswithSt.Petersburg,butalso—”AndtheGenerallefthissentenceunfinished.Thirdly,acaptain-superintendentofruralpolicehappenedtoremarkinthecourseofconversation:“To-morrowImustgoandseeTientietnikovabouthisarrears.”Lastly,apeasantofTientietnikov’sownvillage,whenaskedwhathisbarinwaslike,returnednoansweratall.AllofwhichwouldappeartoshowthatTientietnikovwasnotexactlylookeduponwithfavour.

           Tospeakdispassionately,however,hewasnotabadsortoffellow—merelyastar-gazer;andsincetheworldcontainsmanywatchersoftheskies,whyshouldTientietnikovnothavebeenoneofthem?However,letmedescribeindetailaspecimendayofhisexistence—onethatwillcloselyresembletherest,andthenthereaderwillbeenabledtojudgeofTientietnikov’scharacter,andhowfarhislifecorrespondedtothebeautiesofnaturewithwhichhelivedsurrounded.

           Onthemorningofthespecimendayinquestionheawokeverylate,and,raisinghimselftoasittingposture,rubbedhiseyes.Andsincethoseeyesweresmall,theprocessofrubbingthemoccupiedaverylongtime,andthroughoutitscontinuancetherestoodwaitingbythedoorhisvalet,Mikhailo,armedwithatowelandbasin.Foronehour,fortwohours,didpoorMikhailostandthere:thenhedepartedtothekitchen,andreturnedtofindhismasterstillrubbinghiseyesashesatonthebed.