the man who was afraid-第60节

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ious　and　　compressing　her　lips。　Smolin　rose　from　his　chair；　made　a　step　toward　her　and　bowed　respectfully。　She　was　rather　pleased　with　this　low　and　polite　bow；　also　with　the　costly　frock　coat；　which　fitted　Smolin's　supple　figure　splendidly。　He　had　changed　but　slightlyhe　was　the　same　red…headed；　closely…　cropped；　freckled　youth；　only　his　moustache　had　become　long；　and　his　eyes　seemed　to　have　grown　larger。

〃Now　he's　changed；　eh？〃　exclaimed　Mayakin　to　his　daughter；　pointing　at　the　bridegroom。　And　Smolin　shook　hands　with　her；　and　smiling；　said　in　a　ringing　baritone　voice：

〃I　venture　to　hope　that　you　have　not　forgotten　your　old　friend？〃

It's　all　right！　You　can　talk　of　this　later；〃　said　the　old　man；　scanning　his　daughter　with　his　eyes。

〃Lubova；　you　can　make　your　arrangements　here；　while　we　finish　our　little　conversation。　Well　then；　African　Mitrich；　explain　yourself。〃

〃You　will　pardon　me；　Lubov　Yakovlevna；　won't　you？〃　asked　Smolin；　gently。

〃Pray　do　not　stand　upon　ceremony；〃　said　Lubov。　〃He's　polite　and　clever；〃　she　remarked　to　herself；　and；　as　she　walked　about　in　the　room　from　the　table　to　the　sideboard；　she　began　to　listen　attentively　to　Smolin's　words。　He　spoke　softly；　confidently；　with　a　simplicity；　in　which　was　felt　condescendence　toward　the　interlocutor。　〃Well　then；　for　four　years　I　have　carefully　studied　the　condition　of　Russian　leather　in　foreign　markets。　It's　a　sad　and　horrid　condition！　About　thirty　years　ago　our　leather　was　considered　there　as　the　standard；　while　now　the　demand　for　it　is　constantly　falling　off；　and；　of　course；　the　price　goes　hand　in　hand　with　it。　And　that　is　perfectly　natural。　Lacking　the　capital　and　knowledge　all　these　small　leather　producers　are　not　able　to　raise　their　product　to　the　proper　standard；　and；　at　the　same　time；　to　reduce　the　price。　Their　goods　are　extremely　bad　and　dear。　And　they　are　all　to　blame　for　having　spoiled　Russia's　reputation　as　manufacturer　of　the　best　leather。　In　general；　the　petty　producer；　lacking　the　technical　knowledge　and　capital；　is　consequently　placed　in　a　position　where　he　is　unable　to　improve　his　products　in　proportion　to　the　development　of　the　technical　side。　Such　a　producer　is　a　misfortune　for　the　country；　the　parasite　of　her　commerce。〃

〃Hm！〃　bellowed　the　old　man；　looking　at　his　guest　with　one　eye；　and　watching　his　daughter　with　the　other。　〃So　that　now　your　intention　is　to　build　such　a　great　factory　that　all　the　others　will　go　to　the　dogs？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　exclaimed　Smolin；　warding　off　the　old　man's　words　with　an　easy　wave　of　the　hand。　〃Why　wrong　others？　What　right　have　I　to　do　so？　My　aim　is　to　raise　the　importance　and　price　of　Russian　leather　abroad；　and　so　equipped　with　the　knowledge　as　to　the　manufacture；　I　am　building　a　model　factory；　and　fill　the　markets　with　model　goods。　The　commercial　honour　of　the　country！〃

〃Does　it　require　much　capital；　did　you　say？〃　asked　Mayakin；　thoughtfully。

〃About　three　hundred　thousand。〃

〃Father　won't　give　me　such　a　dowry；〃　thought　Lubov。

〃My　factory　will　also　turn　out　leather　goods；　such　as　trunks；　foot…wear；　harnesses；　straps　and　so　forth。〃

〃And　of　what　per　cent；　are　you　dreaming？〃

〃I　am　not　dreaming；　I　am　calculating　with　all　the　exactness　possible　under　conditions　in　Russia；〃　said　Smolin；　impressively。　〃The　manufacturer　should　be　as　strictly　practical　as　the　mechanic　who　is　creating　a　machine。　The　friction　of　the　tiniest　screw　must　be　taken　into　consideration；　if　you　wish　to　do　a　serious　thing　seriously。　I　can　let　you　read　a　little　note　which　I　have　drawn　up；　based　upon　my　personal　study　of　cattle…breeding　and　of　the　consumption　of　meat　in　Russia。〃

〃How's　that！〃　laughed　Mayakin。　〃Bring　me　that　note；　it's　interesting！　It　seems　you　did　not　spend　your　time　for　nothing　in　Western　Europe。　And　now；　let's　eat　something；　after　the　Russian　fashion。〃

〃How　are　you　passing　the　time；　Lubov　Yakovlevna？〃　asked　Smolin；　arming　himself　with　knife　and　fork。

〃She　is　rather　lonesome　here　with　me；〃　replied　Mayakin　for　his　daughter。　〃My　housekeeper；　all　the　household　is　on　her　shoulders；　so　she　has　no　time　to　amuse　herself。〃

〃And　no　place；　I　must　add；〃　said　Lubov。　〃I　am　not　fond　of　the　balls　and　entertainments　given　by　the　merchants。〃

〃And　the　theatre？〃　asked　Smolin。

〃I　seldom　go　there。　I　have　no　one　to　go　with。〃

〃The　theatre！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。　〃Tell　me；　pray；　why　has　it　become　the　fashion　then　to　represent　the　merchant　as　a　savage　idiot？　It　is　very　amusing；　but　it　is　incomprehensible；　because　it　is　false！　Am　I　a　fool；　if　I　am　master　in　the　City　Council；　master　in　commerce；　and　also　owner　of　that　same　theatre？　You　look　at　the　merchant　on　the　stage　and　you　seehe　isn't　life…life！　Of　course；　when　they　present　something　historical；　such　as：　'Life　for　the　Czar；'　with　song　and　dance；　or　'Hamlet；'　'The　Sorceress；'　or　'Vasilisa；'　truthful　reproduction　is　not　required；　because　they're　matters　of　the　past　and　don't　concern　us。　Whether　true　or　not；　it　matters　little　so　long　as　they're　good；　but　when　you　represent　modern　times；　then　don't　lie！　And　show　the　man　as　he　really　is。〃

Smolin　listened　to　the　old　man's　words　with　a　covetous　smile　on　his　lips；　and　cast　at　Lubov　glances　which　seemed　to　invite　her　to　refute　her　father。　Somewhat　embarrassed；　she　said：

〃And　yet；　papa；　the　majority　of　the　merchant　class　is　uneducated　and　savage。〃

〃Yes；〃　remarked　Smolin　with　regret；　nodding　his　head　affirmatively；　〃that　is　the　sad　truth。〃

〃Take　Foma；　for　instance；〃　went　on　the　girl。

〃0h！〃　exclaimed　Mayakin。　〃Well；　you　are　young　folks；　you　can　have　books　in　your　hands。〃

〃And　do　you　not　take　interest　in　any　of　the　societies？〃　Smolin　asked　Lubov。　〃You　have　so　many　different　societies　here。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lubov　with　a　sigh；　〃but　I　live　rather　apart　from　everything。〃

〃Housekeeping！〃　interposed　the　father。　〃We　have　here　such　a　store　of　different　things；　everything　has　to　be　kept　clean；　in　order；　and　complete　as　to　number。〃

With　a　self…satisfied　air　he　nodded　first　at　the　table；　which　was　set　with　brilliant　crystal　and　silverware；　and　then　at　the　sideboard；　whose　shelves　were　fairly　breaking　under　the　weight　of　the　articles；　and　which　reminded　one　of　the　display　in　a　store　window。　Smolin　noted　all　these　and　an　ironical　smile　began　to　play　upon　his　lips。　Then　he　glanced　at　Lubov's　face：　in　his　look　she　caught　something　friendly；　sympathetic　to　her。　A　faint　flush　covered　her　cheeks；　and　she　said　to　herself　with　timid　joy：

〃Thank　God！〃

The　light　of　the　heavy　bronze　lamp　now　seemed　to　flash　more　brilliantly　on　the　sides　of　the　crystal　vases；　and　it　became　brighter　in　the　room。

〃I　like　our　dear　old　town！〃　said　Smolin；　looking　at　the　girl　with　a　kindly　smile；　〃it　is　so　beautiful；　so　vigorous；　there　is　cheerfulness　about　it　that　inspires　one　to　work。　Its　very　picturesqueness　is　somewhat　stimulating。　In　it　one　feels　like　leading　a　dashing　life。　One　feels　like　working　much　and　seriously。　And　then；　it　is　an　intelligent　town。　Just　see　what　a　practical　newspaper　is　published　here。　By　the　way；　we　intend　to　purchase　it。〃

〃Whom　do　you　mean　by　You？〃　asked　Mayakin。

〃I；　Urvantzov；　Shchukin〃

〃That's　praiseworthy！〃　said　the　old　man；　rapping　the　table　with　his　hand。　〃That's　very　practical！　It　is　time　to　stop　their　mouths；　it　was　high　time　long　ago！　Particularly　that　Yozhov；　he's　like　a　sharp…toothed　saw。　Just　put　the　thumb…screw　on　him！　And　do　it　well！〃

Smolin　again　cast　at　Lubov　a　smiling　glance；　and　her　heart　trembled　with　joy　once　more。　With　flushing　face　she　said　to　her　father；　inwardly　addressing　herself　to　the　bridegroom：

〃As　far　as　I　can　understand；　African　Dmitreivich；　he　wishes　to　buy　the　newspaper　not　at　all　for　the　sake　of　stopping　its　mouth　as　you　say。〃

〃What　then　can　be　done　with　it？〃　asked　the　old　man；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃There's　nothing　in　it　but　empty　talk　and　agitation。　Of　course；　if　the　practical　people；　the　merchants　themselves；　take　to　writing　for　it〃

〃The　publication　of　a　newspaper；〃　began　Smolin；　instructively；　interrupting　the　old　man；　〃looked　at　merely　from　the　commercial　point　of　view；　may　be　a　very　profitable　enterprise。　But　aside　from　this；　a　newspaper　has　another　more　important　aimthat　is；　to　protect　the　right　of　the　individual　and　the　interests　of　industry　and　commerce。〃

〃That's　just　what　I　say；　if　the　merchant　himself　will　manage　the　newspaper；　then　it　will　be　useful。〃

〃Excuse　me；　papa；〃　said　Lubov。

She　began　to　feel　the　need　of　expressing　herself　before　Smolin；　she　wanted　to　assure　him　that　she　understood　the　meaning　of　his　words；　that　she　was　not　an　ordinary　merchant…daughter；　interested　in　dresses　and　balls　only。　Smolin　pleased　her。　This　was　the　first　time　she　had　seen　a　merchant　who　had　lived　abroad　for　a　long　time；　who　reasoned　so　impressively；　who　bore　himself　so　properly；　who　was　so　well　dressed；　and　who　spoke　to　her　father；　the　cleverest　man　in　town；　with　the　condescending　tone　of　an　adult　towards　a　minor。

〃After　the　wedding　I'll　persuade　him　to　take　me　abroad；〃　thought　Lubov；　suddenly；　and；　confused　at　this　thought　she　forgot　what　she　was　about　to　say　to　her　father。　Blushing　deeply；　she　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds；　seized　with　fear　lest　Smolin　might　interpret　this　silence　in　a　way　unflattering　to　her。

〃On　account　of　your　conversation；　you　have　forgott