Мертвые души
Chapter 4
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“Youconfoundme,youoverwhelmme!”saidKhlobuev,staringathiscompanioninopen-eyedastonishment.“Icanscarcelybelievethatyourwordsaretrue,seeingthatforsuchatrustanactive,indefatigablemanwouldbenecessary.Moreover,howcouldIleavemywifeandchildrenunprovidedfor?”
“Havenofear,”saidMurazov,“Imyselfwilltakethemundermycare,aswellasprocureforthechildrenatutor.Farbetterandnoblerwereitforyoutobetravellingwithawallet,andaskingalmsonbehalfofGod,thentoberemaininghereandaskingalmsforyourselfalone.Likewise,Iwillfurnishyouwithatilt-waggon,sothatyoumaybesavedsomeofthehardshipsofthejourney,andthusbepreservedingoodhealth.Also,Iwillgiveyousomemoneyforthejourney,inorderthat,asyoupassonyourway,youmaygivetothosewhostandingreaterneedthantheirfellows.Thus,if,beforegiving,youassureyourselfthattherecipientofthealmsisworthyofthesame,youwilldomuchgood;andasyoutravelyouwillbecomeacquaintedwithallmenandsundry,andtheywilltreatyou,notasatchinovniktobefeared,butasonetowhom,asapetitioneronbehalfoftheChurch,theymayunloosetheirtongueswithoutperil.”
“Ifeelthattheschemeisasplendidone,andwouldgladlybearmypartinitwereitnotlikelytoexceedmystrength.”
“WhatistherethatdoesNOTexceedyourstrength?”saidMurazov.“Nothingiswhollyproportionatetoit—everythingsurpassesit.Helpfromaboveisnecessary:otherwiseweareallpowerless.Strengthcomesofprayer,andofprayeralone.