"Tolstoy, Leo - How Much Land Does A Man Need" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolstoy Leo)

How Much Land Does A Man Need?

By Leo Tolstoy (1886)

Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude

Distributed by the Tolstoy Library

http://users.aol.com/Tolstoy28/tolstoy.htm

I

An elder sister came to visit her younger sister in the country. The elder
was married to a tradesman in town, the younger to a peasant in the
village. As the sisters sat over their tea talking, the elder began to
boast of the advantages of town life: saying how comfortably they lived
there, how well they dressed, what fine clothes her children wore, what
good things they ate and drank, and how she went to the theatre,
promenades, and entertainments.

The younger sister was piqued, and in turn disparaged the life of a
tradesman, and stood up for that of a peasant.

"I would not change my way of life for yours," said she. "We may live
roughly, but at least we are free from anxiety. You live in better style
than we do, but though you often earn more than you need, you are very
likely to lose all you have. You know the proverb, 'Loss and gain are
brothers twain.' It often happens that people who are wealthy one day are
begging their bread the next. Our way is safer. Though a peasant's life is
not a fat one, it is a long one. We shall never grow rich, but we shall
always have enough to eat."

The elder sister said sneeringly:

"Enough? Yes, if you like to share with the pigs and the calves! What do
you know of elegance or manners! However much your goodman may slave, you
will die as you are living - on a dung heap - and your children the same."

"Well, what of that?" replied the younger. "Of course our work is rough and
coarse. But, on the other hand, it is sure, and we need not bow to any one.
But you, in your towns, are surrounded by temptations; today all may be
right, but tomorrow the Evil One may tempt your husband with cards, wine,
or women, and all will go to ruin. Don't such things happen often enough?"

Pakhom, the master of the house, was lying on the top of the stove and he
listened to the women's chatter.

"It is perfectly true," thought he. "Busy as we are from childhood tilling
mother earth, we peasants have no time to let any nonsense settle in our
heads. Our only trouble is that we haven't land enough. If I had plenty of