ewell； not a few kopecks。 Of course there are difficulties； and； to avoid creating a scandal； I should need to employ plenty of finesse； but man was given his brain to USE； not to neglect。 One good point about the scheme is that it will seem so improbable that in case of an accident； no one in the world will believe in it。 True； it is illegal to buy or mortgage peasants without land； but I can easily pretend to be buying them only for transferment elsewhere。 Land is to be acquired in the provinces of Taurida and Kherson almost for nothing； provided that one undertakes subsequently to colonise it； so to Kherson I will 'transfer' them； and long may they live there！ And the removal of my dead souls shall be carried out in the strictest legal form； and if the authorities should want confirmation by testimony； I shall produce a letter signed by my own superintendent of the Khersonian rural policethat is to say； by myself。 Lastly； the supposed village in Kherson shall be called Chichikovoebetter still Pavlovskoe； according to my Christian name。〃
In this fashion there germinated in our hero's brain that strange scheme for which the reader may or may not be grateful； but for which the author certainly is so； seeing that； had it never occurred to Chichikov； this story would never have seen the light。
After crossing himself； according to the Russian custom； Chichikov set about carrying out his enterprise。 On pretence of selecting a place wherein to settle； he started forth to inspect various corners of the Russian Empire； but more especially those which had suffered from such unfortunate accidents as failures of the harvest； a high rate of mortality； or whatsoever else might enable him to purchase souls at the lowest possible rate。 But he did not tackle his landowners haphazard： he rather selected such of them as seemed more particularly suited to his taste； or with whom he might with the least possible trouble conclude identical agreements； though； in the first instance； he always tried； by getting on terms of acquaintanceshipbetter still； of friendshipwith them； to acquire the souls for nothing； and so to avoid purchase at all。 In passing； my readers must not blame me if the characters whom they have encountered in these pages have not been altogether to their liking。 The fault is Chichikov's rather than mine； for he is the master； and where he leads we must follow。 Also； should my readers gird at me for a certain dimness and want of clarity in my principal characters and actors； that will be tantamount to saying that never do the broad tendency and the general scope of a work become immediately apparent。 Similarly does the entry to every townthe entry even to the Capital itselfconvey to the traveller such an impression of vagueness that at first everything looks grey and monotonous； and the lines of smoky factories and workshops seem never to be coming to an end； but in time there will begin also to stand out the outlines of six…storied mansions； and of shops and balconies； and wide perspectives of streets； and a medley of steeples； columns； statues； and turretsthe whole framed in rattle and roar and the infinite wonders which the hand and the brain of men have conceived。 Of the manner in which Chichikov's first purchases were made the reader is aware。 Subsequently he will see also how the affair progressed； and with what success or failure our hero met； and how Chichikov was called upon to decide and to overcome even more difficult problems than the foregoing； and by what colossal forces the levers of his far…flung tale are moved； and how eventually the horizon will become extended until everything assumes a grandiose and a lyrical tendency。 Yes； many a verst of road remains to be travelled by a party made up of an elderly gentleman； a britchka of the kind affected by bachelors； a valet named Petrushka； a coachman named Selifan； and three horses which； from the Assessor to the skewbald； are known to us individually by name。 Again； although I have given a full description of our hero's exterior （such as it is）； I may yet be asked for an inclusive definition also of his moral personality。 That he is no hero compounded of virtues and perfections must be already clear。 Then WHAT is he？ A villain？ Why should we call him a villain？ Why should we be so hard upon a fellow man？ In these days our villains have ceased to exist。 Rather it would be fairer to call him an ACQUIRER。 The love of acquisition； the love of gain； is a fault common to many； and gives rise to many and many a transaction of the kind generally known as 〃not strictly honourable。〃 True； such a character contains an element of ugliness； and the same reader who； on his journey through life； would sit at the board of a character of this kind； and spend a most agreeable time with him； would be the first to look at him askance if he should appear in the guise of the hero of a novel or a play。 But wise is the reader who； on meeting such a character； scans him carefully； and； instead of shrinking from him with distaste； probes him to the springs of his being。 The human personality contains nothing which may not； in the twinkling of an eye； become altogether changednothing in which； before you can look round； there may not spring to birth some cankerous worm which is destined to suck thence the essential juice。 Yes； it is a common thing to see not only an overmastering passion； but also a passion of the most petty order； arise in a man who was born to better things； and lead him both to forget his greatest and most sacred obligations； and to see only in the veriest trifles the Great and the Holy。 For human passions are as numberless as is the sand of the seashore； and go on to become his most insistent of masters。 Happy； therefore； the man who may choose from among the gamut of human passions one which is noble！ Hour by hour will that instinct grow and multiply in its measureless beneficence； hour by hour will it sink deeper and deeper into the infinite paradise of his soul。 But there are passions of which a man cannot rid himself； seeing that they are born with him at his birth； and he has no power to abjure them。 Higher powers govern those passions； and in them is something which will call to him； and refuse to be silenced； to the end of his life。 Yes； whether in a guise of darkness； or whether in a guise which will become converted into a light to lighten the world； they will and must attain their consummation on life's field： and in either case they have been evoked for man's good。 In the same way may the passion which drew our Chichikov onwards have been one that was independent of himself； in the same way may there have lurked even in his cold essence something which will one day cause men to humble themselves in the dust before the infinite wisdom of God。
Yet that folk should be dissatisfied with my hero matters nothing。 What matters is the fact that； under different circumstances； their approval could have been taken as a foregone conclusion。 That is to say； had not the author pried over…deeply into Chichikov's soul； nor stirred up in its depths what shunned and lay hidden from the light； nor disclosed those of his hero's thoughts which that hero would have not have disclosed even to his most intimate friend； had the author； indeed； exhibited Chichikov just as he exhibited himself to the townsmen of N。 and Manilov and the rest； well； then we may rest assured that every reader would have been delighted with him； and have voted him a most interesting person。 For it is not nearly so necessary that Chichikov should figure before the reader as though his form and person were actually present to the eye as that； on concluding a perusal of this work； the reader should be able to return； unharrowed in soul； to that cult of the card…table which is the solace and delight of all good Russians。 Yes； readers of this book； none of you really care to see humanity revealed in its nakedness。 〃Why should we do so？〃 you say。 〃What would be the use of it？ Do we not know for ourselves that human life contains much that is gross and contemptible？ Do we not with our own eyes have to look upon much that is anything but comforting？ Far better would it be if you would put before us what is comely and attractive； so that we might forget ourselves a little。〃 In the same fashion does a landowner say to his bailiff： 〃Why do you come and tell me that the affairs of my estate are in a bad way？ I know that without YOUR help。 Have you nothing else to tell me？ Kindly allow me to forget the fact； or else to remain in ignorance of it； and I shall be much obliged to you。〃 Whereafter the said landowner probably proceeds to spend on his diversion the money which ought to have gone towards the rehabilitation of his affairs。
Possibly the author may also incur censure at the hands of those so…called 〃patriots〃 who sit quietly in corners； and become capitalists through making fortunes at the expense of others。 Yes； let but something which they conceive to be derogatory to their country occurfor instance； let there be published some book which voices the bitter truthand out they will come from their hiding…places like a spider which perceives a fly to be caught in its web。 〃Is it well to proclaim this to the world； and