Two mayors

When the soil was quite loosened by courtesy and the people rested from education, then, by itself, the need for legislation was in line. The response to this need was the state adviser Feophilakt Irinarhovich Benevolensky ... From the very early youth, Benevolensky felt an irresistible inclination to the legislation. Sitting on the benches of the seminary, he has already drawn several laws, between which the most remarkable are: “every person may have a crushed heart,” “every soul is trembling” and “every cricket, and he knows his six” ...

Since then, legislative activity in the city of Glupov boiled. The day did not pass so that the new estate letter would not appear and so that the Glupovites would not be delighted. Finally, the moment came when Benevolensky even began to think about the constitution ... And he began to think about his intention, but the more he thought, the more he confused in his thoughts. In all, he was more embarrassed by the fact that he could not give a sufficiently firm definition of the word: "right." He recognized the word "duties" very clearly ... but "right" - what is "right"? Was it enough to determine them by saying: "Everyone in his house is safely resting?" Will it be too brief? And on the other hand, if you put it into clarification, will it not be too extensive and burdensome for the Silovites themselves?

These doubts were resolved by the fact that Benevolensky, in the form of a transition measure, published "The Charter about the characteristic mayor of the good -hearted" ...

• I know, ”he said on this occasion Kupchikha Raspova,“ that this document does not yet conclude this document, but I ask you, my venerable, to take into a thought that no building, even if it was chicken, is not completed at once! In time, we will fulfill the rest of the business in a derivative of us, and now we will console ourselves that we will assign our hope on God! ..

It was a warm lunar night when a wagon was brought to the city house. Benevolensky went on the porch with a firm react and wanted to bow to all four sides, as he was embarrassed to see that there was no one on the street except two gendarmes. As usual, the Glupovites in this case surprised the world with their ingratitude, and as soon as they learned that the mayor was poorly, they immediately deprived him of their popularity. But no matter how Gorky was this bowl, Benevolensky drank it with a cheerful spirit. With a clear and clear voice, he said: "Loofers!" - And, sitting in a kibitka, safely proceeded to the land where Makar did not drive the calves.

So he graduated from his administrative field, the mayor, in which the passion for the legislation was in the continuous struggle with the passion for pies. The laws issued by him at present, however, have no actions.

But the happiness of the Ghubovites, apparently, was not yet to be an early end. Benevolensky was replaced by a lieutenant colonel of a pimple and brought with him the administration system was even more simplified.

The pimple was no longer young, but preserved unusually. Bold, folded by riding, he seemed to say with his whole figure so, he said: do not look at the fact that I have a gray mustache: I can! I can still very much! He was blush, had scarlet and juicy lips, because of which a series of white teeth was visible; His gait was active and peppy, the gesture is fast ...

• I am a simple person, sir, ”he said alone,“ and not for that he came here to issue laws -s. My obligation to observe so that the laws are intact and do not lie on the tables-s. Of course, I have a campaign plan, but this plan is this: to relax, sir!

He said to others like this:

• My condition, thanks to God, is fair. Commanded-s; Therefore, he did not waste, but multiplied-sir. It is consequences what laws are about this - I know those, but I don’t want to publish new ones. Of course, many in my place would have rushed to the attack, or maybe they would even have a bombardment, but I am a simple person and I don’t see for myself in attacks!

The third spoke like this:

• I have not been liberal and I had never been to a liberal, sir. I always act directly and therefore even from the laws I keep in the distance. In difficult cases, I order to search, but I demand one thing: so that the law is old. I do not like new laws, sir. Much is passed in them, but about otherwise it is not mentioned at all. So I always said, so I answered now, when I went here. From new ones, I say, fire the laws, so on, I hope to fulfill exactly!

Finally, the fourth he portrayed himself in the following colors:

• I can say one thing to myself: I have not been in battles, but in parades it is hardened even over the proportion. I don't understand new ideas. I don’t even understand why they should be understood.