Мертві душі
Chapter 4
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“TimewaswhenIvanPotapitchwasamerchantworthhalfamillionroubles.Ineverythingdidhelookbutforgain,andhisaffairsprosperedexceedingly,somuchsothathewasabletosendhissontobeeducatedinFrance,andtomarryhisdaughtertoaGeneral.AndwhetherinhisofficeorattheExchange,hewouldstopanyfriendwhomheencounteredandcarryhimofftoataverntodrink,andspendwholedaysthusemployed.Butatlasthebecamebankrupt,andGodsenthimothermisfortunesalso.Hisson!Ah,well!IvanPotapitchisnowmysteward,forhehadtobeginlifeoveragain.Yetoncemorehisaffairsareinorder,and,haditbeenhiswish,hecouldhaverestartedinbusinesswithacapitalofhalfamillionroubles.‘Butno,’hesaid.‘AstewardamI,andastewardwillIremaintotheend;for,frombeingfull-stomachedandheavywithdropsy,Ihavebecomestrongandwell.’Notadropofliquorpasseshislips,butonlycabbagesoupandgruel.Andhepraysasnoneoftherestofuspray,andhehelpsthepoorasnoneoftherestofushelpthem;andtothishewouldaddyetfurthercharityifhismeanspermittedhimtodoso.”
PoorKhlobuevremainedsilent,asbefore.
Theeldermantookhistwohandsinhis.
“SemenSemenovitch,”hesaid,“youcannotthinkhowmuchIpityyou,orhowmuchIhavehadyouinmythoughts.Listentome.Inthemonasterythereisareclusewhoneverlooksuponahumanface.OfallmenwhomIknowhehasthebroadestmind,andhebreaksnothissilencesavetogiveadvice.
