Мертвые души

           FromthisthereaderwillseethatAndreiIvanovitchTientietnikovbelongedtothatbandofsluggardswhomwealwayshavewithus,andwho,whateverbetheirpresentappellation,usedtobeknownbythenicknamesof“lollopers,”“bedpressers,”and“marmots.”Whetherthetypeisatypeoriginatingatbirth,oratyperesultingfromuntowardcircumstancesinlaterlife,itisimpossibletosay.AbettercoursethantoattempttoanswerthatquestionwouldbetorecountthestoryofTientietnikov’sboyhoodandupbringing.

           Everythingconnectedwiththelatterseemedtopromisesuccess,forattwelveyearsofagetheboy—keen-witted,butdreamyoftemperament,andinclinedtodelicacy—wassenttoaneducationalestablishmentpresidedoverbyanexceptionaltypeofmaster.Theidolofhispupils,andtheadmirationofhisassistants,AlexanderPetrovitchwasgiftedwithanextraordinarymeasureofgoodsense.HowthoroughlyheknewthepeculiaritiesoftheRussianofhisday!Howwellheunderstoodboys!Howcapablehewasofdrawingthemout!Notapracticaljokerintheschoolbut,afterperpetratingaprank,wouldvoluntarilyapproachhispreceptorandmaketohimfreeconfession.