is done to show off his culture to the bourgeois reader and make a long
nose on the sly at materialism. The object of the novel is to lull the
bourgeoisie to sleep in its golden dreams. Be faithful to your wife, pray
with her over the prayer-book, save money, love sport, and all is well with
you in this world and the next. The bourgeoisie is very fond of so-called
practical types and novels with happy endings, since they soothe it with
the idea that one can both accumulate capital and preserve innocence, be a
beast and at the same time be happy....

I wish you every sort of blessing. I congratulate you on the peace between
Japan and China, and hope we may quickly obtain a Feodosia free from ice on
the East Coast, and may make a railway to it.

The peasant woman had not troubles enough so she bought a pig. And I fancy
we are saving up a lot of trouble for ourselves with this ice-free port.
[Footnote: Prophetic of Port Arthur and the Japanese War.] It will cost us
dearer than if we were to take it into our heads to wage war on all Japan.
However, _futura sunt in manibus deorum._




MELIHOVO,
October 21, 1895.


Thanks for your letter, for your warm words and your invitation. I will
come, but most likely not before the end of November, as I have a devilish
lot to do. First in the spring I am going to build a new school in the
village where I am school warden; before beginning I have to make a plan