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.
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