Мертвые души
Chapter 4
”
However,afterapauseheadded:
“Ifyoudonotcaretogivemetheserfs,whynotSELLthem?”
“SELLthem?Iknowyou,yourascal!Youwouldn’tgivemeverymuchforthem,WOULDyou?”
“Anicefellow!Lookhere.Whataretheytoyou?Somanydiamonds,eh?”
“Ithoughtso!Iknowyou!”
“Pardonme,butIcouldwishthatyouwereamemberoftheJewishpersuasion.Youwouldgivethemtomefastenoughthen.”
“Onthecontrary,toshowyouthatIamnotausurer,Iwilldeclinetoaskofyouasinglekopeckfortheserfs.Allthatyouneeddoistobuythatcoltofmine,andthenIwillthrowintheserfsinaddition.”
“ButwhatshouldIwantwithyourcolt?”saidChichikov,genuinelyastonishedattheproposal.
“WhatshouldYOUwantwithhim?Why,Ihaveboughthimfortenthousandroubles,andamreadytoletyouhavehimforfour.”
“Iaskyouagain:ofwhatusecouldthecoltpossiblybetome?Iamnotthekeeperofabreedingestablishment.”
“Ah!Iseethatyoufailtounderstandme.Letmesuggestthatyoupaydownatoncethreethousandroublesofthepurchasemoney,andleavetheotherthousanduntillater.”
“ButIdonotmeantobuythecolt,damnhim!”
“Thenbuytheroanmare.”
“No,northeroanmare.”
“Thenyoushallhaveboththemareandthegreyhorsewhichyouhaveseeninmystablesfortwothousandroubles.”
“Irequirenohorsesatall.”
“Butyouwouldbeabletosellthemagain.Youwouldbeabletogetthricetheirpurchasepriceattheveryfirstfairthatwasheld.
