Мертві душі
Chapter 3
Consequently,wheneverywhereelsethereisdrought,hestillhaswater,andwheneverywhereelsetherehasbeenafailureoftheharvest,onhislandsitwillhaveprovedasuccess.ButitisapitythatIknowsolittleaboutitallastobeunabletoexplaintoyouhismanyexpedients.Folkcallhimawizard,forheproducessomuch.Nevertheless,personallyIfindwhathedoesuninteresting.”
“Trulyanastonishingfellow!”reflectedChichikovwithaglanceathiscompanion.“Itissadindeedtoseeamansosuperficialastobeunabletoexplainmattersofthiskind.”
Atlengththemanorappearedinsight—anestablishmentlookingalmostlikeatown,sonumerouswerethehutswheretheystoodarrangedinthreetiers,crownedwiththreechurches,andsurroundedwithhugericksandbarns.“Yes,”thoughtChichikovtohimself,“onecanseewhatajewelofalandownerliveshere.”Thehutsinquestionwerestoutlybuiltandtheinterveningalleyswelllaid-out;while,whereverawaggonwasvisible,itlookedserviceableandmoreorlessnew.Also,thelocalpeasantsboreanintelligentlookontheirfaces,thecattlewereofthebestpossiblebreed,andeventhepeasants’pigsbelongedtotheporcinearistocracy.Clearlytheredweltherepeasantswho,toquotethesong,wereaccustomedto“pickupsilverbytheshovelful.
