Мертвые души
Chapter 4
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“ButisthereNOTHINGtowhichyoucouldsetyourhandinordertoclearyourselfofyourdifficulties?”
“Howcouldtherebe?”
“Well,youmightacceptaGovernmentpost.”
“Becomeaprovincialsecretary,youmean?HowcouldIobtainsuchapost?Theywouldnotoffermeoneofthemeanestpossiblekind.Evensupposingthattheydid,howcouldIliveonasalaryoffivehundredroubles—Iwhohaveawifeandfivechildren?”
“Thentryandobtainabailiff’spost.”
“Whowouldentrusttheirpropertytoamanwhohassquanderedhisownestate?”
“Nevertheless,whendeathanddestitutionthreaten,amanmusteitherdosomethingorstarve.ShallIaskmybrothertousehisinfluencetoprocureyouapost?”
“No,no,PlatonMikhalitch,”sighedKhlobuev,grippingtheother’shand.“Iamnolongerserviceable—Iamgrownoldbeforemytime,andfindthatliverandrheumatismarepayingmeforthesinsofmyyouth.WhyshouldtheGovernmentbeputtoalossonmyaccount?—nottospeakofthefactthatforeverysalariedposttherearecountlessnumbersofapplicants.Godforbidthat,inordertoprovidemewithalivelihoodfurtherburdensshouldbeimposeduponanimpoverishedpublic!”
“Sucharetheresultsofimprovidentmanagement!”thoughtPlatontohimself.“Thediseaseisevenworsethanmyslothfulness.”
MeanwhileKostanzhoglo,walkingbyChichikov’sside,wasalmosttakingleaveofhissenses.
“Lookatit!”hecriedwithawaveofhishand.
