The
members of society, just as though they had conspired, die, go
insane, are caught thieving, shoot or hang themselves; vacancy
after vacancy is freed; promotions follow promotions, new elements
flow in, and, behold, after two years there is not a one of the
previous people on the spot; everything is new, if only the
institution has not fallen into pieces completely, has not crept
apart. And is it not the same astounding destiny which overtakes
enormous social, universal organizations--cities, empires,
nations, countries, and, who knows, perhaps whole planetary
worlds?
Something resembling this incomprehensible fatality swept over the
Yamaskya Borough as well, bringing it to a rapid and scandalous
destruction. Now in place of the boisterous Yamkas is left a
peaceful, humdrum outskirt, in which live truck-farmers, cat's-
meat men, Tartars, swineherds and butchers from the near-by
slaughterhouses. At the petition of these worthy people even the
designation of Yamaskya Borough itself, as disgracing the
inhabitants with its past, has been named over into Golubovka, in
honour of the merchant Golubov, owner of a shop dealing in
groceries and delicacies, and warden of the local church.
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