Мертвые души
Chapter 5
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“No;yetyou,foryourpart,willagreethatthesesoulsarenotlivehumanbeings?”
“Isupposeyouhopetofindfoolsreadytosellyousoulsonthecensuslistforacoupleofgroatsapiece?”
“Pardonme,butwhydoyouusetheterm‘onthecensuslist’?Thesoulsthemselveshavelongsincepassedaway,andhaveleftbehindthemonlytheirnames.Nottotroubleyouwithanyfurtherdiscussionofthesubject,Icanofferyouaroubleandahalfperhead,butnomore.”
“Youshouldbeashamedeventomentionsuchasum!Sinceyoudealinarticlesofthiskind,quotemeagenuineprice.”
“Icannot,MichaelSemenovitch.Believeme,Icannot.Whatamancannotdo,thathecannotdo.”Thespeakerendedbyadvancinganotherhalf-roubleperhead.
“Butwhyhangbackwithyourmoney?”saidSobakevitch.“OfatruthIamnotaskingmuchofyou.Anyotherrascalthanmyselfwouldhavecheatedyoubysellingyouoldrubbishinsteadofgood,genuinesouls,whereasIshouldbereadytogiveyouofmybest,evenwereyoubuyingonlynut-kernels.Forinstance,lookatwheelwrightMichiev.Neverwastheresuchaonetobuildspringcarts!AndhishandiworkwasnotlikeyourMoscowhandiwork—goodonlyforanhour.No,hediditallhimself,evendowntothevarnishing.”
Chichikovopenedhismouthtoremarkthat,nevertheless,thesaidMichievhadlongsincedepartedthisworld;butSobakevitch’seloquencehadgottoothoroughlyintoitsstridetoadmitofanyinterruption.
“Andlook,too,atProbkaStepan,thecarpenter,”hishostwenton.
