Мертві душі
Chapter 1
Andevenlater,duringthefoolishyears,whenfoolishthingsattract,themeasureofaffectionwhichAlexanderPetrovitchretainedwasextraordinary.Infact,tothedayofhisdeath,everyformerpupilwouldcelebratethebirthdayofhislatemasterbyraisinghisglassingratitudetothementordeadandburied—thenclosehiseyelidsuponthetearswhichwouldcometricklingthroughthem.EventheslightestwordofencouragementfromAlexanderPetrovitchcouldthrowaladintoatransportoftremulousjoy,andarouseinhimanhonourableemulationofhisfellows.Boysofsmallcapacityhedidnotlongretaininhisestablishment;whereasthosewhopossessedexceptionaltalentheputthroughanextracourseofschooling.Thisseniorclass—aclasscomposedofspecially-selectedpupils—wasaverydifferentaffairfromwhatusuallyobtainsinothercolleges.OnlywhenaboyhadattaineditsranksdidAlexanderdemandofhimwhatothermastersindiscreetlyrequireofmereinfants—namelythesuperiorframeofmindwhich,whileneverindulginginmockery,canitselfbearridicule,anddisregardthefool,andkeepitstemper,andrepressitself,andeschewrevenge,andcalmly,proudlyretainitstranquillityofsoul.Inshort,whateveravailstoformaboyintoamanofassuredcharacter,thatdidAlexanderPetrovitchemployduringthepupil’syouth,aswellasconstantlyputhimtothetest.
