At least for now, the official articles in the St. Petersburg newspapers are all quoting Chutchev's famous saying - "You can't make Russian bread in someone else's way."
Arthur was still wondering where to start his 'cultural work' when suddenly he heard a fierce argument upstairs.
"Are you asking about the 'Dikanka Suburb Night Talk'? Let it go to hell! I will not publish a second volume!"
"Are you really not considering it? Mr. Gogol, this book is selling very well! You would earn quite a lot of money. Let me put up fifteen thousand rubles, and you reconsider. You know, Pushkin's 'Eugene Onegin' sold so well, and it only fetched twelve thousand rubles; that was already a very high price!"
"So what if it's selling well? While making money isn't redundant for me, writing for a pittance just to add stories, I refuse! I lack any talent for speculative business. If you hadn't reminded me, I would have even forgotten that I'm the author of 'Dikanka Suburb Night Talk!'"
