Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol2.djvu/214

204 is abundance and plenty. There is neither poverty nor luxury, but there is plenty. "Till the land, labour," man has been told. … What could be plainer? I say to the peasant: "For whomever you are working, whether it is for me, for yourself, or for a neighbour—work. I'll be the first to help you in what you want to do. If you haven't cattle, here's a horse for you, here's a cow for you, here's a cart. I am ready to provide you with whatever you need, but work. It breaks my heart if your land is neglected and I see disorder and poverty in your household, I can't endure idleness: I am over you to make you work." H'm, they think to increase their income by setting up factories and institutions of all sorts. But you ought first to think of making every one of your peasants well off, for then you'll be well off yourself without any factories or works and without foolish whims.'

'The more I listen to you, honoured Konstantin Fyodorovitch,' said Tchitchikov, 'the greater my desire to listen; tell me, my honoured friend, if for instance I formed a design to become a landowner, in this province, let us suppose, what ought I to turn my attention to chiefly, what am I to do, how am I to set to work to get rich as quickly as possible, thereby fulfilling the duty of a citizen to my country.'

'How set to work to get rich? Why, I'll tell you …' said Skudronzhoglo.

'It's supper-time,' said the lady of the house, getting up from the sofa, stepping into the