"He is complaining.

'The real merchant,' says he, 'is passing away.

All people are taught the same thing,' he says: 'so that all may be equal, looking alike."' "Does he consider it wrong ?" "Evidently so." "Fo-o-o-l!" Mayakin drawled out, with contempt.
"Why?
Is it good ?" asked Foma, looking at his godfather suspiciously.
"We do not know what is good; but we can see what is wise.

When we see that all sorts of people are driven together in one place and are all inspired there with one and the same idea--then must we acknowledge that it is wise.

Because--what is a man in the empire?
Nothing more than a simple brick, and all bricks must be of the same size.