Мертві душі
Chapter 4
“Whatmostsurprisesme,”saidChichikov,“ishow,inviewofyourability,youcometobesodestituteofmeansorresources.”
“ButIhaveplentyofboth,”saidKhlobuev,andwiththatwentontodeliverhimselfofaperfectavalancheofprojects.Yetthoseprojectsprovedtobesouncouth,soclumsy,solittletheoutcomeofaknowledgeofmenandthings,thathishearerscouldonlyshrugtheirshouldersandmentallyexclaim:“GoodLord!Whatadifferencebetweenworldlywisdomandthecapacitytouseit!”Ineverycasetheprojectsinquestionwerebasedupontheimperativenecessityofatonceprocuringfromsomewheretwohundred—oratleastonehundred—thousandroubles.Thatdone(soKhlobuevaverred),everythingwouldfallintoitsproperplace,theholesinhispocketswouldbecomestopped,hisincomewouldbequadrupled,andhewouldfindhimselfinapositiontoliquidatehisdebtsinfull.Neverthelessheendedbysaying:“Whatwouldyouadvisemetodo?Ifearthatthephilanthropistwhowouldlendmetwohundredthousandroublesorevenahundredthousand,doesnotexist.ItisnotGod’swillthatheshould.”
“Goodgracious!”inwardlyejaculatedChichikov.“TosupposethatGodwouldsendsuchafooltwohundredthousandroubles!”
“However,”wentonKhlobuev,“Ipossessanauntworththreemillions—apiousoldwomanwhogivesfreelytochurchesandmonasteries,butfindsadifficultyinhelpingherneighbour.Atthesametime,sheisaladyoftheoldschool,andworthhavingapeepat.
