Мертві душі
Chapter 3
Youmayfalleventothinking:“Afterall,didMadameKorobotchkastandsoverylowinthescaleofhumanperfection?WastherereallysuchaverygreatgulfbetweenherandMadameManilov—betweenherandtheMadameManilovwhomwehaveseenentrenchedbehindthewallsofagenteelmansioninwhichtherewereafinestaircaseofwroughtmetalandanumberofrichcarpets;theMadameManilovwhospentmostofhertimeinyawningbehindhalf-readbooks,andinhopingforavisitfromsomesociallydistinguishedpersoninorderthatshemightdisplayherwitandcarefullyrehearsedthoughts—thoughtswhichhadbeenderigeurintownforaweekpast,yetwhichreferred,nottowhatwasgoingoninherhouseholdoronherestate—bothofwhichpropertieswereatoddsandends,owingtoherignoranceoftheartofmanagingthem—buttothecomingpoliticalrevolutioninFranceandthedirectioninwhichfashionableCatholicismwassupposedtobemoving?Butawaywithsuchthings!Whyneedwespeakofthem?Yethowcomesitthatsuddenlyintothemidstofourcareless,frivolous,unthinkingmomentstheremayenteranother,andaverydifferent,tendency?—thatthesmilemaynothaveleftahumanfacebeforeitsownerwillhaveradicallychangedhisorhernature(thoughnothisorherenvironment)withtheresultthatthefacewillsuddenlybecomelitwitharadianceneverbeforeseenthere?...
“Hereisthebritchka,hereisthebritchka!”exclaimedChichikovonperceivingthatvehicleslowlyadvancing.“Ah,youblockhead!”hewentontoSelifan.
