Мертвые души

           Thepointis,notthatIshouldfindanapologydifficulttooffer,seeingthat,sinceLienitsinismysuperior,andIoughtnottohaveaddressedhimasIdid,Iamclearlyinthewrong.Rather,thepointisthefollowing.Tomychargetherehasbeencommittedtheperformanceofanotherkindofservice.Thatistosay,Iamtheownerofthreehundredpeasantsouls,abadlyadministeredestate,andafoolofabailiff.Thatbeingso,whereastheStatewillloselittlebyhavingtofillmystoolwithanothercopyist,itwillloseverymuchbycausingthreehundredpeasantsoulstofailinthepaymentoftheirtaxes.AsIsay(howamItoputit?),IamalandownerwhohaspreferredtoenterthePublicService.Now,shouldIemploymyselfhenceforthinconserving,restoring,andimprovingthefortunesofthesoulswhomGodhasentrustedtomycare,andtherebyprovidetheStatewiththreehundredlaw-abiding,sober,hard-workingtaxpayers,howwillthatserviceofminerankasinferiortotheserviceofadepartment-directingfoollikeLienitsin?”

           Onhearingthisspeech,theStateCouncillorcouldonlygape,forhehadnotexpectedTientietnikov’storrentofwords.Hereflectedafewmoments,andthenmurmured:

           “Yes,but,but—buthowcanamanlikeyouretiretorusticationinthecountry?Whatsocietywillyougetthere?Hereonemeetsatleastageneraloraprincesometimes;indeed,nomatterwhomyoupassinthestreet,thatpersonrepresentsgaslampsandEuropeancivilisation;butinthecountry,nomatterwhatpartofityouarein,notasoulistobeencounteredsavemuzhiksandtheirwomen.