Мертві душі
Chapter 4
Whenamancrosseshimself,andcries,‘Lord,havemercyuponme!’hesoonstemsthecurrentandwinstotheshore.Norneedyoutakeanyprolongedthoughtconcerningthismatter.AllthatyouneeddoistoacceptitasacommissionsentofGod.Thetilt-waggoncanbepreparedforyouimmediately;andthen,assoonasyouhavebeentotheArchimandriteforyourbookofaccountsandhisblessing,youwillbefreetostartonyourjourney.”
“Isubmitmyselftoyou,andacceptthecommissionasadivinetrust.”
AndevenasKhlobuevspokehefeltrenewedvigourandconfidenceariseinhissoul,andhismindbegintoawaketoasenseofhopefulnessofeventuallybeingabletoputtoflighthistroubles.Andevenasitwas,theworldseemedtobegrowingdimtohiseyes....
Meanwhile,pleaafterpleahadbeenpresentedtothelegalauthorities,anddailywererelativeswhomnoonehadbeforeheardofputtinginanappearance.Yes,likevulturestoacorpsedidthesegoodfolkcomeflockingtotheimmensepropertywhichMadamKhanasarovhadleftbehindher.EverywherewereheardrumoursagainstChichikov,rumourswithregardtothevalidityofthesecondwill,rumourswithregardtowillnumberone,andrumoursoflarcenyandconcealmentoffunds.Also,therecametohandinformationwithregardbothtoChichikov’spurchaseofdeadsoulsandtohisconnivingatcontrabandgoodsduringhisserviceintheCustomsDepartment.Inshort,everypossibleitemofevidencewasexhumed,andthewholeofhisprevioushistoryinvestigated.
