Мертві душі
Chapter 1
Thenextitemwasthat,acoupleofhoursbeforeluncheontime,hewithdrewtohisstudy,tosetaboutemployinghimselfuponaweightyworkwhichwastoconsiderRussiafromeverypointofview:fromthepolitical,fromthephilosophical,andfromthereligious,aswellastoresolvevariousproblemswhichhadarisentoconfronttheEmpire,andtodefineclearlythegreatfuturetowhichthecountrystoodordained.Inshort,itwastobethespeciesofcompilationinwhichthemanofthedaysomuchdelights.Yetthecolossalundertakinghadprogressedbutlittlebeyondthesphereofprojection,since,afterapenhadbeengnawedawhile,andafewstrokeshadbeencommittedtopaper,thewholewouldbelaidasideinfavourofthereadingofsomebook;andthatreadingwouldcontinuealsoduringluncheonandbefollowedbythelightingofapipe,theplayingofasolitarygameofchess,andthedoingofmoreorlessnothingfortherestoftheday.
Theforegoingwillgivethereaderaprettyclearideaofthemannerinwhichitwaspossibleforthismanofthirty-threetowastehistime.Cladconstantlyinslippersandadressing-gown,Tientietnikovneverwentout,neverindulgedinanyformofdissipation,andneverwalkedupstairs.Nothingdidhecareforfreshair,andwouldbestownotapassingglanceuponallthosebeautiesofthecountrysidewhichmovedvisitorstosuchecstaticadmiration.
