Oblomov / Обломов. Книга для чтения на английском языке

„Besides, I’d like to ask your advice – two awful things have happened to me“.

„No, no, I’m sorry, old man, I’d better look you up again in a couple of days“, Sudbinsky said, leaving the room.

„My dear fellow, you’re up to your neck in it“, thought Oblomov, as he watched him go. „Blind, deaf, and dumb to everything else in the world. But he’ll be a big man one day, be put in charge of all sorts of important things, and reach a high rank in the service. This is what they call making a career, I suppose! But how little of the real man is wanted for such a career – intelligence, will, feelings are not wanted.

What for? They’re a luxury! And so he’ll go on till he dies, and he’ll go through life without being aware of lots of things. And there he goes on working from twelve till five at his office and from eight till twelve at home – poor fellow!“

He felt a quiet satisfaction at the thought that he could stay in bed from nine till three and from eight till nine, and was proud that he had no reports to make nor papers to write and that there was ample scope both for his feelings and his imagination.

Oblomov was absorbed in his thoughts and did not notice a very thin dark man standing by his bed, a man whose face was practically invisible behind his whiskers, moustache, and imperial. He was dressed with studied negligence.

„Good morning, Oblomov!“

„Good morning, Penkin“, said Oblomov. „Don’t come near, don’t come near, you’re straight from the cold!“

„Oh, you funny fellow“, Penkin said.

„Still the same incorrigible, care-free idler!“

„Yes, care-free!“ said Oblomov. „Let me show you the letter I received from my bailiff last night: I am racking my brains and you say: care-free! Where do you come from?“

„From a bookshop: I went to find out if the magazines were out. Have you read my article?“

„No“.

„I’ll send it to you.

Read it“.

„What is it about?“ asked Oblomov, yawning heartily.

„About trade, the emancipation of women, the beautiful April weather we’ve been having, and about a newly invented fire extinguisher. How is it you don’t read the papers? Why, you find all about our daily life there. But most of all I’m agitating for the realistic movement in literature“.

„Have you plenty of work?“ asked Oblomov.

„Oh, quite a lot.