Oblomov / Обломов. Книга для чтения на английском языке

«So much!» Tarantyev said spitefully. «You wait, he’ll do even more for you – you do as he says!»

В«Why do you say this to me?В» asked Oblomov.

«I’m saying this so that you should know when that German of yours robs you of your last penny what it means to give up a neighbour of yours, a true Russian, for some tramp…»

«Listen, Tarantyev» – Oblomov began.

«I’m not going to listen, I’ve listened enough, you’ve given me enough trouble as it is. God knows the insults I’ve had to bear – I suppose in Germany his father was starving and he comes here and turns up his nose at us!»

В«Leave the dead alone! How is his father to blame?В»

В«They are both to blame: father and sonВ», Tarantyev said gloomily with a wave of his hand.

«It’s not for nothing my father warned me to beware of the Germans – and he knew all sorts of people in his time!»

В«But what have you against his father, pray?В» asked Oblomov.

«What I have against him is that he came to our province in September with nothing but the clothes he had on and then left a fortune to his son – what does that mean?»

В«He only left his son some forty thousand roubles.

Some of it was his wife’s dowry and he made the rest by giving lessons and managing an estate: he received a good salary. You must admit the father didn’t do anything wrong. Now what about the son? What wrong has he done?»

«A nice fellow! All of a sudden he makes three hundred thousand out of his father’s forty and then becomes a Court Councillor, a man of learning – and now he is away travelling! The rogue has a finger in every pie! Would a good Russian, a real Russian, do all that? A Russian would choose one thing, and that, too, without rush or hurry, in his own good time, and carry on somehow or other – but this one – Good Lord! If he’d become a Government contractor, then at least one could understand how he had grown rich, but he did nothing of the kind – just got rich by some knavery! There’s certainly something wrong there! I’d prosecute a fellow like that! And now he’s knocking about goodness knows where!» Tarantyev went on.

В«What does he go knocking about in foreign parts for?В»

В«He wants to study, to see everything, to know!В»

«To study! Hasn’t he been taught enough? What does he want to learn? He’s telling you lies, don’t believe him: he deceives you to your face like a small child.