Why did a revolution happen in banking after the Reformation? Who is a moneylender? The meaning of the word "money lender" Description of the money lender

Questions for analyzing the story “Portrait”

Part I

1. What is Chartkov dissatisfied with while looking at the paintings in the shop in the Shchukinsky yard?
2. Why did Chartkov buy a portrait of an old man for the last two kopecks?
3. What is the significance of the landscape in the episode of Chartkov’s return home?
4. Why is Chartkov’s room described in such detail?
5. Did the professor have reason to fear that Chartkov would become a fashionable painter?
6. Why does the purchased portrait bother Chartkov and not seem to him like a work of high art?
7. What properties of Chartkov indicate the artist’s talent?
8. Is Chartkov right when he thinks that the portrait has a “secret connection with his fate”?
9. What opportunities does the unexpectedly discovered treasure give Chartkov, and how does he use it?
10. Why does wealth arouse the desire for fame in Chartkov?
11. Why do we recognize Chartkov’s first and patronymic from a newspaper article?
12. What is Gogol laughing at when conveying the chatter of a lady ordering a portrait of her daughter?
13. Why did the work on the portrait “attract” Chartkov? What and why is false in the portrait of an aristocratic girl?
14. Why is it that in the portraits that Chartkov paints, similarity is inferior to good looks?
15. Compare the appearance of Chartkov and the furnishings of his house on Vasilievsky Island and on Nevsky Prospekt. How has he and his attitude towards art and great artists changed?
16. Why did “Gold become... passion, ideal, fear, goal” of Chartkov?
17. How does a Russian artist who perfected himself in Italy differ from Chartkov? What artist and what painting do you think we are talking about?
18. Why does the shock of a perfect painting in Chartkov turn into “envy and rage”, why does he destroy talented works of art?
19. Why did Chartkov fall into “hopeless madness” and die?

Part 2.

1. Why does Gogol compare the auction to a funeral procession?
2. Why are moneylenders necessary for the “sediment of humanity” that settled in Kolomna, and why is the main characteristic of a moneylender insensitivity?
3. What is so strange about the moneylender from whom the portrait was painted?
4. What changes occur in people who associate themselves with a moneylender?
5. Why does a terrible moneylender order a portrait from an artist and why does he agree to paint it?
6. What misfortunes did the portrait of a moneylender bring to the artist and how did he cleanse his soul of filth?
7. Which advice from a father to his son do you consider the most important? What is the connection between these tips and Christ’s Sermon on the Mount?
8. What is the meaning of art and why “talent...must be the purest soul of all”? What is the difference between Gogol’s thoughts and the words of Pushkin’s Mozart: “Genius and villainy are two incompatible things”?

How did banking begin? Professor, Doctor of Economic Sciences Valentin Katasonov talks about the civilizational roots of this phenomenon

Ivan Aivazovsky, "Venice". 1844

Both in the sphere of theology (theology) and in the sphere of practical church politics, after separation from Orthodoxy, Catholicism followed the path of minor (at first glance not very visible) reforms, concessions, and relaxations that prepared the conditions for the Reformation.

What were the reasons for these concessions and relaxations?

Firstly, the pressure of real life: capitalism appeared and strengthened in Europe (for example, the emergence of capitalist city-states in Southern Italy).

Secondly, the fact that the Catholic Church, especially large monasteries, was forced to engage in economic activities, and too strict restrictions and prohibitions prevented it from carrying out economic activities. First of all, prohibitions or restrictions on private property, income from the rental of land and other property, the use of hired labor, issuing and receiving loans.

Thirdly, the desire of the Roman throne to strengthen its political influence over kings and princes. This required money, and a lot of it. You cannot earn that kind of money by running an ordinary monastic household. Big money all the more required the lifting of church restrictions (or turning a blind eye to the violation of these restrictions). The church could (and did) receive a lot of money using mainly two means: usury and the trade in indulgences.

The most obvious discrepancy between what the Western Church preached and what happened in the real life of Christian Europe is seen in the example of usury. The official position of the church regarding usury is the most irreconcilable, tough and in some cases even cruel. Despite the differences between the Eastern and Western churches in the dogmatic sphere, they did not observe any fundamental differences on the issue of usury. The Eastern and Western churches were guided by the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 banned clergy from engaging in usury. Later the ban was extended to the laity.

IN THE WESTERN CHURCH USURY WAS EQUATED WITH THE SIN OF SODOMY

In the Western Church, the issue of usury was perhaps given even more attention than in the Eastern Church. There, usury was equated with the sin of sodomy. In the West, back in the early Middle Ages, the proverb “Money does not beget money” appeared. Catholic scholastics explained: receiving interest, which is calculated taking into account the term of the loan, is actually “trading time,” and time belongs only to God, therefore, usury is an attack on God. The moneylender sins continuously, since even during his sleep interest increases. In 1139, the Second Lateran Council decreed: “Whoever takes interest must be excommunicated from the church and can only be accepted back after the strictest repentance and with the greatest caution. Interest collectors cannot be buried according to Christian custom.” In 1179, Pope Alexander III prohibited interest on pain of deprivation of the sacrament. In 1274, Pope Gregory X established a more severe punishment - expulsion from the state. In 1311, Pope Clement V introduced the punishment of complete excommunication.

However, other processes were occurring in parallel. The Crusades, which began in 1095, gave a powerful impetus to the enrichment of the church elite due to the booty received by the crusaders. In this sense, the Fourth Crusade, the climax of which was the sack of the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople in 1204, is especially significant. According to various estimates, the cost of production ranged from 1 to 2 million marks in silver, which exceeded the then annual income of all European states.

The sharp increase in the church's income led to the fact that it had the opportunity to give money on interest. It must also be borne in mind that such incomes accustomed the priesthood to high standards of consumption (in other words, to a luxurious life), therefore, in cases where incomes fell, they sought to compensate for these falls by borrowing.

King Alfonso of Aragon bequeathed part of his estates to the Templars

The financial and usurious activities of the Order of the Templars, or Templars, looked especially sharp in contrast to the background of the church prohibition of usury. It is noteworthy that this order was originally called the “Beggar Knights” (1119). After the papal blessing and exemption from taxes in 1128, the knights of the order began to be called templars. Historians claim that the knights of the order did not remain in poverty for long. One of the sources of their wealth was the booty obtained as a result of the sack of Constantinople in 1204 (by the way, the Templars managed to plunder the city again in 1306). Another source of income for the order was voluntary donations. For example, Alfonso I the Disputant, the warlike king of Navarre and Aragon, bequeathed part of his estates to the Templars. Finally, when going on crusades, the feudal knights transferred their property under the supervision (as they would say now, into trust management) of the Templar brothers. But only one in ten took the property back: some knights died, others remained to live in the Holy Land, others joined the order (their property, according to the charter, became common). The Order had an extensive network of strongholds (more than 9 thousand commanderies) throughout Europe. There were also several headquarters - temples. The two main headquarters were in London and Paris.

The Templars were engaged in a variety of financial transactions: settlements, currency exchange, transfer of funds, trust storage of property, deposit transactions, etc. However, credit transactions came first. Loans were issued both to agricultural producers and (primarily) to princes and even monarchs. The Templars were more competitive than Jewish moneylenders. They issued loans to “reputable borrowers” ​​at 10% per annum. Jewish moneylenders served mainly small clients, and the price of their loans was approximately 40%.

As you know, the Order of the Templars was defeated at the beginning of the 14th century by the French king Philip IV the Fair, with the help of Pope Clement V. More than 1 million full livres were confiscated from the Templars (for comparison, the construction of a medium-sized knight’s castle then cost 1–2 thousand). livres). And this does not take into account the fact that a significant part of the order’s funds was evacuated outside France before its defeat.

THE TEMPLARS GRANTED LOANS TO “SOLID” CLIENTS AT 10% ANNUAL

Usury in medieval Europe was carried out not only by the Templars, but also by many other persons who formally belonged to the Catholic Church. We are talking primarily about moneylenders whose offices were located in Italian cities such as Milan, Venice and Genoa. Some historians believe that the Italian bankers of the Middle Ages are descendants of those moneylenders who lived in these places back in the era of the Roman Empire and belonged to the Latins. In Ancient Rome, usury was carried out not by Roman citizens, but by Latins, who had truncated rights and responsibilities. In particular, they were not subject to Roman laws on penalties for usury.

Already in the 13th century there were banks in any large Italian city. Entrepreneurs managed to earn the capital necessary to engage in usury through international trade. Speaking about medieval Venice, historian Andrei Vajra emphasizes that its merchants were able to accumulate initial capital thanks to their unique position between Byzantium and the Western Roman Empire: “Politically maneuvering between the Byzantine and Western Roman empires, it [Venice. – V.K.] took control of the main commodity and cash flows of that time.” Many merchants turned into bankers, without, however, leaving their previous trading business.

Gabriel Metsu, "The Moneylender and the Weeping Woman." 1654

A very business-like, “creative” relationship has developed between Italian bankers and the Papal Throne. Bankers actively provided loans to the pope and his entourage, and the Roman throne “covered” these bankers. First of all, he turned a blind eye to the violation of the ban on usury. Over time, bankers began to lend to the priesthood throughout Europe, and the Roman See used “administrative resources”, forcing its subordinates to fully fulfill their obligations to the bankers. In addition, he put pressure on the debtor feudal lords, threatening them with excommunication if they failed to fulfill their obligations to creditors. Among the bankers who lent to the throne, the Florentine houses of Mozzi, Bardi and Peruzzi stood out. However, in 1345 they went bankrupt, and the consequences of bankruptcy spread far beyond Italy. In essence, this was the first global banking and financial crisis. It is noteworthy that it broke out in Catholic Europe long before the Reformation and the emergence of Protestantism with its “spirit of capitalism.”

AFTER THE ENGLISH KING'S REFUSAL TO PAY FLORENTINE USURES, EUROPE HAS BEEN STUCK BY A FINANCIAL CRISIS

The English king Edward III fell into large debts to the Florentine banking houses due to the fact that he needed to pay the costs of the war with Scotland (in fact, this began the Hundred Years' War). Edward III lost the war and was forced to pay indemnities. Payments were again made through loans received from Italian bankers. The crisis arose as a result of the fact that in 1340 the king refused to repay his debt to the bankers. First, the banking houses of Bardi and Peruzzi burst, and then another 30 companies associated with them went bankrupt. The crisis spread throughout Europe. It wasn't just the banking crisis. “Defaults” were announced by the Papal Curia, the Kingdom of Naples, Cyprus, and a number of other states and kingdoms. After this crisis, the place of the bankrupt creditors of the Papal Throne was taken by the famous banking houses of Cosimo Medici (Florence) and Francesco Datini (Prato).

Speaking about banking activities in medieval Europe, we must not forget that, along with active (credit) operations, banks began to increasingly deploy passive operations - attracting funds to deposit accounts. The owners of such accounts were paid interest. This additionally corrupted Christians, forming in them the consciousness of a bourgeois rentier who, like a moneylender, wanted not to work, but to live on interest.

Quentin Masseys, "Changing with His Wife." Around 1510-1515

In modern language, the Italian city-states were a kind of offshore in medieval Catholic Europe. And not only in the financial and economic sense (special taxation regime, etc.), but also in the religious and spiritual sense. These were “islands” where the norms of Catholic economic ethics did not operate or acted in a very truncated form. In fact, these were already “islands of capitalism”, which in various ways infected the entire Catholic Europe with the “spirit of capitalism”.

The famous German historian, founder of geopolitics Carl Schmitt wrote the following about the political, economic and spiritual-religious uniqueness of Venice (against the backdrop of medieval Europe):

“For almost half a millennium, the Republic of Venice was considered a symbol of maritime dominance and wealth, which grew from maritime trade. She achieved brilliant results in the field of big politics, she was called “the most outlandish creature in economics of all time.”

Everything that prompted fanatical Anglomaniacs to admire England in the 18th–20th centuries was previously the reason for admiration for Venice: enormous wealth; advantage in diplomatic skill; tolerance towards religious and philosophical views; a refuge for freedom-loving ideas and political emigration.”

The Italian city-states with their "spirit of capitalism" gave rise to the well-known Renaissance, which manifested itself in both art and philosophy. As they write in all textbooks and dictionaries, the Renaissance is a system of secular humanistic views of the world based on a return to the culture and philosophy of the ancient world. From this we can conclude that this is a revival of ancient paganism and a departure from Christianity. The Renaissance made a significant contribution to preparing the conditions for the Reformation. As Oswald Spengler aptly noted, “Luther can only be explained by the Renaissance.”

WITH THE OFFICIAL BAN ON INTEREST, THE LATTER TURNED INTO THE MAIN PIN OF THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL SYSTEM OF CATHOLICISM

It is difficult to overestimate the corrupting influence of usury on the Christian consciousness of medieval Europeans. Here is what Catholicism researcher Olga Chetverikova writes about this:

“Thus, having firmly tied itself to usury, the Roman Curia essentially became the personification and hostage of commercial transactions, in the interests of which both right and law were violated. With the official ban on interest, the latter turned into the main core of the entire financial system of Catholicism, and this double approach fatally affected not only the development of the economy, but also, most importantly, the consciousness of Western people. In conditions of complete divergence between teaching and practice, a bifurcation of social consciousness occurred, in which adherence to moral norms took on a purely formal character.”

However, usury was not the only sinful activity that Catholics semi-legally (or semi-openly) engaged in in the Middle Ages. Both ordinary people and those belonging to the church hierarchy. The latter actively practiced simony - trading in church positions. One of the bishops of Fleur described the mechanism of enrichment through simony as follows: “The archbishop ordered me to transfer 100 gold sous to receive the episcopal position; if I had not given it to him, I would not have become a bishop... I gave gold, received the bishopric, and at the same time, if I do not die, I will soon compensate for my money. I ordain priests, ordain deacons, and receive the gold that went from there... In the Church, which is the property of God alone, there is almost nothing that is not given for money: episcopacy, priesthood, deaconry, lower ranks... baptisms.” The spirit of love of money, acquisitiveness and covetousness penetrated and firmly established itself within the church fence in Western Europe. It is obvious that cases like the one described by Bishop Flera were not isolated, but widespread. They helped spread this spirit throughout Western European society. At the same time, they undermined trust in the Catholic Church and caused discontent among parishioners and part of the rank-and-file clergy. A crisis was brewing in Catholicism, which ended with the Reformation.

The portrait is one of the stories by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, part of the “Petersburg Tales” cycle. In my opinion, “Portrait” stands out from other stories not only because of its original plot, but also because of its unusual characters.

One of these heroes is the moneylender, whose portrait underlies the plot of this story, but his secret remains largely a mystery, and only in the second part of the work N.V. Gogol describes to us the history of this portrait, which is unusually alive.

The moneylender is a mysterious, rather middle-aged man. Very little is known about his origins; no one even knows where he comes from or what his name is. He is tall, strong and dark: he looks like a Greek or an Indian. His entire image is covered with a certain aura, covered with a shell that prevents one from getting to his essence. In the very portrait where the self-taught artist depicted the moneylender, he is dressed in Asian clothes, and his eyes caused not only admiration, but also trembling throughout the body. The moneylender had neither a wife nor children. He lived with only one maid in a small house in Kolomna, where at that time either retired generals, or their relatives, or ordinary peasants lived. But he did not belong to any of these types of people: firstly, he was unusually rich, and secondly, he had no relatives in Kolomna.

There were legends about the moneylender: all the people who borrowed money from him soon died or went mad. For example, one civil servant incurred the wrath of the Empress herself. If you believe the rumors, the moneylender gave money at unimaginable interest rates, which he could skillfully disguise in literally two conditions that seem completely acceptable in appearance.

The moneylender wanted to immortalize himself, his soul and his untold wealth by asking a local artist to paint his portrait. As you already know, the artist depicted eyes in the portrait that inspired horror and drove almost all the people who looked at this portrait into a stupor.

A mysterious story, an incompletely revealed image and the events occurring in the book make the moneylender the main character of the work and one of the most mysterious characters created by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol.

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This legend was told to my great-grandfather by an old policeman whom he happened to meet at the very end of the blessed 19th century. The policeman was already very old, his young years fell on the Nikolaev era. Then, in the forties, he served somewhere on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. This policeman has seen a lot! And he had to take out hanged men from the noose, and drag drowned men to the shore, but he did not forget the terrible incident that happened with the moneylender Krusewetter until his death.

Krusewetter, who came from a German background, was then still a young, dapper-looking man, a big fan of hitting on some pretty girl in a bright dress; He spoke Russian with an accent, which, coupled with his “despicable activities,” gave him a very bad reputation among his neighbors. How the German was not scolded by his debtors! “You worthless ruiner! Wow, you infidel mug, you’ll choke on your interest!” - this is how the tradeswoman used to curse as she left his shop, having pawned the shawl in which she used to go to church on Sundays. And the tomboyish boys came running to see how crazy Krusewetter’s visitors were! And it was from this that the moneylender took the most unmerciful interest, and so successfully outlived the competitors around him that, for every need, a path of unlucky inhabitants of the suburb led to him alone. What can you do? So either disabled soldiers on creaking crutches came to him, or shopkeepers thinking of somehow breaking out into merchants, at least of the lowest order, or students left watches or cutlery in the pawnbroker's shop.
In Rus' they don’t like moneylenders. It just so happened among our people that if you lend money, it’s without interest, without profit. Gratitude will always be added, and the debtor, on occasion, will remember the service that the giver provided. That is why our people endow the moneylender with all sorts of demonic traits, attributing to him the very transaction with the unclean.
Here is Krusuwetter, not only was he German and spoke strangely, but everyone knew him only as a “devilish pawnbroker.” And, to be fair, there were reasons for this: the enterprising moneylender did not make concessions to anyone, neither young nor old, and sometimes made fun of his guests, over their unhappy appearance and position. He always came out to see a visitor in his best attire, a frock coat of such quality, such a colorful and patterned vest with a gold watch chain, and such a bright tie that next to the lender his client seemed like a complete tramp.
It used to be that a pretty old lady would show up to him, as if she were just coming from the porch, and ask him to borrow some measly pennies; but even then the moneylender’s heart does not tremble, and he demands collateral, even a handkerchief. “For the sake of order,” he says to the old woman, “it’s impossible without collateral - you’re a beggar, will you repay me the debt without collateral?”
- No, men, it’s immediately obvious that they are not our breed. The raccoon will not give without self-interest, everything to him is just a percentage and a percentage. And if he sees that your wallet is not rattling, he will take your last shirt off,” explained the cabman, who had previously dealt with Krusewetter.
- A real demon! It’s his will that the Sovereign will not lead out their greedy tribe!” echoed the priest, rubbing his hands in the cold and looking with disapproval towards the usurer’s house, “Was it bad when in Rus' they learned about usurers in Scripture alone?

I don’t know whether Krusewetter was a greedy demon or not, but they said that with his craft he angered higher powers. Whether the devil, being jealous, or God, being concerned about the perishing soul, undertook to teach the usurer a lesson. One evening, when our moneylender was locking his shop and intending to go to bed, a fateful knock was heard on his door.
“Who would have thought of coming so late?” thought the moneylender. And he locked the shop, and enough things have already been brought to his house as collateral, but curiosity still consumes him. “Should I open it? Why not!”
He ran down the stairs and, turning the key, opened the door. Behind her, swaying slightly, stood a bent old man, looking from under thick, gray eyebrows at his ruddy, curled owner with the eyes of a hungry dog.
“Don’t you see that the shop is closed?” Krusewetter demanded.
- So, father, I was in a hurry to come to you. Yes, you see for yourself,” the old man pointed to the stick, on which, it seemed, he rested all, like a portico on one column, “It’s hard to walk, I didn’t make it in time.” I came to ask for a loan.
A satisfied smile spread across the moneylender's sleek face.
- Well, how much do you need to borrow?
The old man, following the owner of the shop, hobbled inside.
- Yes, at least ten rubles. My old woman died, but there’s no way to get together for the wake today. How can we manage without a wake?
“Have you heard that I charge a high percentage?” the moneylender majestically proclaimed, revealing himself in all his splendor before the poor widower.
- I heard, father. I’ve been walking to you, you see, for almost an eternity, how long do I have to go to another one like this? By that time I will have given my soul to God.
The moneylender shrugged. He was already disappointed in his late visitor; the old man looked most unpleasant and poor: he threw his black, threadbare hood over an equally shabby caftan, under which a woolen vest was barely visible. A crumpled, dusty cap rested on his gray head. “What can someone like that give as collateral? I won’t take his hood, I don’t need it myself. What about a hood? And even that won’t do any good than throwing soiled paper in there!”
“Tell me, old man, what will you give me as collateral?” Krusewetter asked, returning his demanding tone.
Grandfather was quite confused by this question. Apparently, he himself did not think that he would have to leave the moneylender something as collateral, and began to spin like a top, as if inspecting his funny outfit.
“How can I trust you, looking at your rags, that you will repay my debt?” Krusewetter shook his finger at his guest. But suddenly he noticed how a bright material peeked out from under the scarf covering the old man’s neck.
The old man also realized what had attracted the moneylender’s attention and hurried to take off his scarf. The pawnbroker even opened his mouth in amazement; on the widower’s neck was a bright orange tie with some special golden tint. These were the glittering figures of firebirds embroidered on it with gold thread. Never before had Krusewetter seen such beauty, so his tie, for which he paid a considerable sum, would now seem like a motley rag.
- What do you have? I see a tie?
- Oh, this! Just a reminder of my years that slipped away, when I had not yet humiliated myself by begging for a loan.
- It is expensive?
- Expensive. In previous years he was known as the best in St. Petersburg; Yes, now, it seems, it has become dim, but once it burned like a ray of sun on the copper belly of a samovar.
- Leave him alone!
- But he is so dear to me! My deceased wife couldn’t stop looking at him, how can I leave my last tie now?
- What do you need it for? Look in the mirror - what’s wrong with it, what’s wrong without it, your appearance is miserable, old man, and there’s no need for you to embellish yourself! Leave me the tie, and I'll lend you some money.
That's what they decided on. The widower, reluctantly, exposed his sinewy neck, and folded his tie, sparkling in the light of the chandelier, on the table in front of the moneylender. The coins, which the old man had wrapped in a handkerchief stained with tobacco, jingled, and the strange guest disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared, as if he had not been in Krusewetter’s shop today.
And the moneylender could not take his admiring glance off the wonderful tie. No, the ugly old man was lying! His whole appearance of wretchedness must be intended to deceive his creditors. And the wonderful tie has not lost any of its texture and shine; it is as clean and soft as new. Great tie! Krusewetter could not resist - going up to the mirror, he brought the prey to his neck. “The old man is lying! This tie is completely new, and, for sure, very expensive. It’s not a shame to wear such a tie even in high society!”
Meanwhile, it was already completely dark outside the window. After putting the tie in the box where he usually kept his jewelry, Krusewetter went to the bedroom.

The moneylender's life continued in the same direction as before. He had already forgotten about the old man who showed up to him that evening, and about the tie that rested in the box in front of the mirror.
But then our German happened to fall in love. And not just some bourgeois woman, but a real noblewoman! He first saw her when the beauty drove past his house in a carriage. No, it was not a girl, but a fairy - in an emerald dress, blond. A sweet face, as if created by a master from porcelain, with a gentle blush and cheerful blue eyes, looked out of the straw hood like a pearl from a shell. Decisive, he called a cab driver and set off after the object of his passion, which broke out suddenly, like a sea storm.
Soon Krusewetter arrived at the large manor house. He learned from the coachman that Countess N-skaya came to see her aunt today in this carriage. After talking and, as usual, giving the coachman some vodka, our German inquired about where he could meet the beautiful countess again - in the house of her father, who was reputed to be an Anglomaniac, and who received in his garden all respectable people without distinction of rank and class. Defining himself as such a person, Krusewetter went home, anticipating a quick meeting with the beauty at the next evening with her father. Will she like him? Or maybe you won’t like it? A young, good-looking, enlightened man, knowledgeable in both music and fashion, if not for German frugality, would have become the most famous dandy in the capital! And so that no one would doubt that he, the face of “despicable occupations,” was in fact a most respectable person, Krusewetter began to think about what attire he should wear at Count N-sky’s reception.
Immersed in the most pleasant thoughts, he arrived home.

Before he had time to enter the rooms, Krusewetter gutted all his wardrobes, throwing out a whole bouquet of multi-colored tailcoats and pantaloons on the bed. In his bins he had shirts with frills, pique vests, patterned ones, a scattering of cufflinks, and tie pins.
Ah, ties! Our German had an innumerable number of them. Dressed in a luxurious dark tailcoat and a shirt with a high, ear-length, starched collar, the moneylender indulged in fittings, tying either a blue, then a green, or a red tie around his clean and long neck.
The hands ran across the round field of the dial, time passed, and Krusewetter still didn’t pick up his tie. I’ve already tried on a tortoiseshell and a whole sea of ​​striped ones. “It’s not like that! How can I show up for an evening in decent society in some kind of village vulgarity? Can such a beautiful girl like the young countess please this striped tie, or this red one? But I can’t go without a tie "Why was a person given a neck, if not to wear a wonderful silk scarf on it?"
It was then that the moneylender remembered both the old widower and what he had left as collateral. Flying down the stairs, he grabbed the box and, almost with religious reverence, pulled out an iridescent strip of silk with the most beautiful patterns imaginable.
“The old man still doesn’t come. Will he pay me back? Or maybe he’s already dead? Well, this tie is worth the ten rubles that I gave him! So should I expect money from him, if I’ve probably already bought this The bad old man's tie?
He put it to his neck again and looked in the mirror. “Good! Is it possible for a young countess not to love something like that?” But in my imagination a nasty, wretched old man again appeared, wandering, staggering on his stick along a deserted street. “What if he comes, brings a debt and asks about the tie? However... Why does he need a tie? I remember how disgusting he was in his black hood, like a bald blanket with sleeves, I remember his dusty, crumpled cap, I remember how disgusting, dirty vest. Will this beautiful tie, worthy only of a respectable man who can provide for himself and his life without going to creditors, go to the lame old man again? No! Let him keep this money for himself! I was already merciful enough to him that I didn’t drive him away him from the porch!
Having thrown all thoughts about the old man out of his head, Krusewetter tied a wonderful tie and, having straightened his tailcoat, now appeared in the mirror, as they say, “in full dress.”
His reflection was magnificent, but even more magnificent was his own appearance. The tie can be called ideal - Krusewetter was now firmly convinced that it would go well with any tailcoat and frock coat, with any vest, and would become the subject of everyone's attention, whether at a reception or when going out of town. “If I were to show up at the palace wearing it, I would be everyone’s favorite there, and I would be the center of attention!”
Everything would be fine, but the moneylender’s tie seemed a little tight. At first he thought that he had overdone it when he tied it; but no matter how Krusewetter tried to loosen the tight silk ribbon, shimmering with gold in the mirror reflection, it only tightened him more. Even his breathing had already stopped; the unfortunate man was rushing around the room, wanting to scream, but only a barely audible wheeze escaped from his constricted throat. A translucent veil floated before the moneylender’s eyes, tears rolled down his cheeks, but the damned tie kept choking him and choking him.
Then Krusewetter stood up - in front of him, through the veil that obscured his vision, he clearly saw the old man. The owner of the devilish tie grinned, looking at the torment of his creditor, and his terrible voice sounded in the living room: “What do I need this tie for? After all, I’m wretched, and you’re so good at it! Why should I make people laugh? Leave it for yourself!”
The moneylender could not stand it. Grabbing the lamp with all his strength, he threw it at the old man and...

Two policemen started when a lamp flew out with a crash through the window of Krusewetter’s house, breaking on the pavement. Without hesitation, they hurried to the doors; the owner did not lock them, preparing to leave. A terrible picture appeared before their eyes - on the floor, writhing and writhing like a dying snake, with a deathly blue face, and a bright ribbon around his neck, lay Krusewetter himself. Realizing that they were hearing his last groans, the police grabbed him and, holding him tightly, cut his tie with a saber.
“Honest mother!” exclaimed the first, watching as the silk ribbon began to spin on the floor, hissing and sparkling, “And I told you, all of them, the fleecers of honest people, are tied to the devil!”
The second, tearing off his pointed helmet from his head, threw it onto the animated ribbon. Smoke poured out from under the helmet, but soon it stopped, and with it the hissing stopped. Raising his helmet, as if afraid to miss the fiery ribbon, the policeman discovered only a handful of ashes.

Krusewetter soon came to his senses. Well, how to say “he came” - the unfortunate moneylender never wore ties again in his entire life, and he completely shied away from bright ribbons as if from fire. Soon he sold his house and left St. Petersburg. Where? God knows, but his neighbors, who relished the rumors about what had happened with pleasure, talked about his return to the homeland of his ancestors - to Germany. They also said that he abandoned his craft, taking himself up with something more worthy for his age.
- Yes, you know, evil spirits fell into debt to him. Yesterday I heard that some witch had come to see him before, and she left him this tie,” the cab driver said, stroking his belly full of pancakes, “And I think that this tie, God forgive me, is nothing more than his own greed, usurious. Kuzeventer’s thirst for profit almost strangled him!
And the priest, rubbing his frozen palms, agreed and echoed:
- Our people don’t like, oh, our people don’t like pawnbrokers!

Reviews

Well, a very interesting story, quite in the spirit of the classic “mystical” works of our literature - from “The Queen of Spades” to Gogol’s stories. I will especially note the good introduction - both short and clear (which I myself cannot do in principle, although I love “explaining myself” and “introducing” so much!); a similar plot with a policeman, whom the narrator’s great-grandfather knew, could serve as a good frame for a whole series of stories. Each of them would begin with a similar (albeit each time new) brief introduction, from which one could learn something new each time about both the great-grandfather and the policeman.)

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Who is a moneylender? The meaning of this word is probably known to everyone. This is the one who lends money at interest. However, not all so simple.

The word "loan shark" has a negative connotation. It would seem that representatives of this profession have long been engaged in business that has nothing to do with crime. They lend a certain amount to people who find themselves in difficult financial situations, for which they receive interest. Modern credit organizations, in a sense, are engaged in the same usury. But citizens do not have such a negative or disdainful attitude towards them. The meaning of the word "loan shark" is the topic of today's article.

Money-grubber and bloodsucker

“Explain the meaning of the word “usurer”” - in response to this teacher’s demand, the high school student will give the example of an old woman pawnbroker from Dostoevsky’s novel. This word is an archaism. In modern speech it is used with ironic overtones. Who is a moneylender? This is a representative of a profession that no longer exists today. Although bankers are sometimes jokingly called moneylenders.

These people served as prototypes for heroes in many works of classical literature. But the pawnbroker characters have never been positive. But literature is a reflection of life. Thanks to books, we learn about what society was like 100-200 years ago. Those who have read Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Gogol, Dante, Balzac know who a usurer is. This is a pawnbroker, a money-grubber, a bloodsucker. And a moneylender is a person who may one day pay for his boundless greed.

Story

The first moneylenders appeared in ancient times. And even before the advent of money. In times of natural exchange, the moneylender gave a loan in the form of a bag of grain or a calf. In return, after the agreed period, he could demand that a young, strong bull be brought to the gates of his hut. Or repay the debt with the same grain, but in a larger volume.

There were interest-bearers in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. During the Middle Ages, this type of activity received special development. In the tenth century, moneylenders did not evoke contempt among ordinary people. On the contrary, their specialty has become quite respected. Organizations were created to unite representatives of this profession. The largest is the Order of the Templars.

Moneylenders gave out sums as collateral. However, they often lent money not to ordinary people, but to influential feudal lords. In such cases, the loan was formalized as an amount transferred for storage. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, “repression” began in France. Moneylenders were arrested one after another, usually on fictitious charges. But this by no means rid Europe of money-grubbers. They were, are and will always be.

In Russia

In response to the question of who a moneylender is, any resident of Kievan Rus would name several unflattering epithets. Pawnbrokers have long been disliked in our country. Moreover, usury was considered a crime, primarily from a religious point of view. There were almost no Russian moneylenders in Kievan Rus. As a rule, this type of activity was carried out by Jews. Moreover, they lent at quite impressive interest rates - up to 50% per annum.

The activities of the Jews, without any doubt, aroused protest among the population. And protest, as we know, often results in civil strife, uprisings, and pogroms. Thus, in 1113, several houses of Jewish moneylenders were burned.

Synonyms

In the works of Russian writers and historians there are many words similar in meaning to the noun “usurer”. This and pawnbroker, And pawnbroker, And lender. If you open the Dahl dictionary, you can see definitions that are completely offensive to creditors. For example, seller of Christ, Jew, merciless hyena. These archaisms cannot fully serve as synonyms for the word “usurer”. They have too many negative connotations, the origin of which we explained above.

In Russian folk art

Not all moneylenders in Russia were “third-class” people. In the seventeenth century, for example, pawnbrokers were quite common among successful merchants. They were engaged in trade, and in order to increase their capital, they did not disdain usury. The Bosov brothers were such Russian entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, a contemptuous attitude towards moneylenders has always existed. Proof of this can be seen in sayings and proverbs that confirm the negative attitude of the Russian people towards money-grubbing. The word “usurer” does not appear in them. But such proverbs as “You won’t get rich from a loan”, “You won’t be rich from someone else”, “A thief is not the one who steals, but also the one who gives a ladder” clearly indicate that in Rus' creditors did not enjoy universal respect.