But Drabkin seemed to have lost all desire to go to Chashke. He did not go to her that evening, nor the next. Why should he? He was angry with her.
VI
Chyenke and her parents were in glee at the wedding, for her dowry of five hundred roubles had in the meantime increased to seven hundred. Chyenke felt like a wealthy woman, and her parents congratulated themselves upon being the father and mother of a rich lady.
Drabkin, however, was not in good humour. A certain fear hovered over him. After the wedding he foresaw war....
And surely enough, five months later the war began. They had decided to go into manufacturing their own goods, without waiting for work to be brought in to them from the shops. This would require an independent establishment with a number of employés.
He had seen several workingmen, old friends and former shopmates.
“What do you say, boys? Will you come to work for me?”
“You don’t say, Drabkin! So you’re really becoming a boss?”
“Listen to him. He doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet!”
“Well. Will you work for me?”