Мертвые души
Chapter 3
“Whatafistthismanhasformakingmoney!”
“AnotherreasonwhyIstartedthosefactories,”continuedKostanzhoglo,“isthattheymightgiveemploymenttomanypeasantswhowouldotherwisehavestarved.Yousee,theyearhappenedtohavebeenaleanone—thankstothosesameindustry-mongeringlandowners,inthattheyhadneglectedtosowtheircrops;andnowmyfactorieskeepgrowingattherateofafactoryayear,owingtothecircumstancethatsuchquantitiesofremnantsandcuttingsbecomesoaccumulatedthat,ifamanlookscarefullytohismanagement,hewillfindeverysortofrubbishtobecapableofbringinginareturn—yes,tothepointofhishavingtorejectmoneyonthepleathathehasnoneedofit.YetIdonotfindthattodoallthisIrequiretobuildamansionwithfacadesandpillars!”
“Marvellous!”exclaimedChichikov.“Beyondallthingsdoesitsurprisemethatrefusecanbesoutilised.”
“Yes,andthatiswhatcanbedonebySIMPLEmethods.Butnowadayseveryoneisamechanic,andwantstoopenthatmoneychestwithaninstrumentinsteadofsimply.ForthatpurposehehieshimtoEngland.Yes,THATisthethingtodo.Whatfolly!”Kostanzhoglospatandadded:“Yetwhenhereturnsfromabroadheisahundredtimesmoreignorantthanwhenhewent.”
“Ah,Constantine,”putinhiswifeanxiously,“youknowhowbadforyouitistotalklikethis.”
“Yes,buthowamItohelplosingmytemper?Thethingtouchesmetooclosely,itvexesmetoodeeplytothinkthattheRussiancharactershouldbedegenerating.
