Мертвые души
Chapter 3
Whenthesouphadbeenconsumed,andglassesofanexcellentvintageresemblingHungarianwinehadbeenpouredout,Chichikovsaidtohishost:
“Mostworthysir,allowmeoncemoretodirectyourattentiontothesubjectofwhichwewerespeakingatthepointwhentheconversationbecameinterrupted.YouwillrememberthatIwasaskingyouhowbestamancansetabout,proceedin,thematterofgrowing...”
[Herefromtheoriginaltwopagesaremissing.]
...“Apropertyforwhich,hadheaskedfortythousand,Ishouldstillhavedemandedareduction.”
“Hm!”thoughtChichikov;thenaddedaloud:“Butwhydoyounotpurchaseityourself?”
“Becausetoeverythingtheremustbeassignedalimit.Alreadymypropertykeepsmesufficientlyemployed.Moreover,IshouldcauseourlocaldvorianetobegincryingoutinchorusthatIamexploitingtheirextremities,theirruinedposition,forthepurposeofacquiringlandforunderitsvalue.OfthatIamweary.”
“Howreadilyfolkspeakevil!”exclaimedChichikov.
“Yes,andtheamountofevil-speakinginourprovincesurpassesbelief.Neverwillyouhearmynamementionedwithoutmybeingcalledalsoamiserandausureroftheworstpossiblesort;whereasmyaccusersjustifythemselvesineverything,andsaythat,‘thoughwehavewastedourmoney,wehavestartedademandforthehigheramenitiesoflife,andthereforeencouragedindustrywithourwastefulness,afarbetterwayofdoingthingsthanthatpractisedbyKostanzhoglo,wholiveslikeapig.’”
“WouldIcouldliveinyour‘piggish’fashion!”ejaculatedChichikov.
