Голод
Part I
"Heisanableman,Ihaveheard?"hesaid,feelinghisway.
"Oh,acleverfellow!"answeredI;"athoroughbusinesshead;agentforeverypossiblethinggoing.CranberriesfromChina;feathersanddownfromRussia;hides,pulp,writing-ink—"
"He,he!thedevilheis?"interruptedtheoldchap,highlyexcited.
Thisbegantogetinteresting.Thesituationranawaywithme,andonelieafteranotherengenderedinmyhead.Isatdownagain,forgotthenewspaper,andtheremarkabledocuments,grewlively,andcutshorttheoldfellow’stalk.
Thelittlegoblin’sunsuspectingsimplicitymademefoolhardy;Iwouldstuffhimrecklesslyfulloflies;routhimouto’fieldgrandly,andstophismouthfromsheeramazement.
Hadheheardoftheelectricpsalm-bookthatHappolatihadinvented?
"What?Elec—"
"Withelectriclettersthatcouldgivelightinthedark!aperfectlyextraordinaryenterprise.Amillioncrownstobeputincirculation;foundriesandprinting-pressesatwork,andshoalsofregularmechanicstobeemployed;Ihadheardasmanyassevenhundredmen."
"Ay,isn’titjustwhatIsay?"drawledoutthemancalmly.
Hesaidnomore,hebelievedeverywordIrelated,andforallthat,hewasnottakenaback.Thisdisappointedmealittle;Ihadexpectedtoseehimutterlybewilderedbymyinventions.
