Мертві душі

Chapter 3

           Theyhavesetup‘offices’andfactoriesandschoolsand‘commissions,’andthedevilknowswhatelsebesides.Afinelotofwiseacres!AftertheFrenchWarin1812theyhadtoreconstructtheiraffairs:andseehowtheyhavedoneit!YetsomuchworsehavetheydoneitthanaFrenchmanwouldhavedonethatanyfoolofaPeterPetrovitchPietukhnowranksasagoodlandowner!”

           “Buthehasmortgagedthewholeofhisestate?”remarkedChichikov.

           “Yes,nowadayseverythingisbeingmortgaged,orisgoingtobe.”Thissaid,Kostanzhoglo’stemperrosestillfurther.“Outuponyourfactoriesofhatsandcandles!”hecried.“Outuponprocuringcandle-makersfromLondon,andthenturninglandownersintohucksters!TothinkofaRussianpomiestchik49,amemberofthenoblestofcallings,conductingworkshopsandcottonmills!Why,itisforthewenchesoftownstohandleloomsformuslinandlace.”

           “Butyouyourselfmaintainworkshops?”remarkedPlaton.

           “Ido;butwhoestablishedthem?Theyestablishedthemselves.Forinstance,woolhadaccumulated,andsinceIhadnowheretostoreit,Ibegantoweaveitintoclothbut,markyou,onlyintogood,plainclothofwhichIcandisposeatacheaprateinthelocalmarkets,andwhichisneededbypeasants,includingmyown.Again,forsixyearsonenddidthefishfactorieskeepdumpingtheiroffalonmybankoftheriver;wherefore,atlast,astherewasnothingtobedonewithit,Itooktoboilingitintoglue,andclearedfortythousandroublesbytheprocess.”

           “Thedevil!”thoughtChichikovtohimselfashestaredathishost.

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