Мертвые души
Chapter 4
Thoughneedingtoeffectamortgage,Idesiretoputnoonetotheriskofhavingtopaythetworoublesoneachlivingsoul;whereforeIhaveconceivedtheideaofrelievinglandownersofthatdistastefulobligationbyacquiringdeadandabscondedsoulswhohavefailedtodisappearfromtherevisionlist.ThisenablesmeatoncetoperformanactofChristiancharityandtoremovefromtheshouldersofourmoreimpoverishedproprietorstheburdenoftax-paymentuponsoulsofthekindspecified.Shouldyouyourselfcaretodobusinesswithme,wewilldrawupaformalpurchaseagreementasthoughthesoulsinquestionwerestillalive.”
“Butitwouldbesuchacuriousarrangement,”mutteredLienitsin,movinghischairandhimselfalittlefurtheraway.“Itwouldbeanarrangementwhich,er—er—”
“Wouldinvolveyouinnoscandalwhatever,seeingthattheaffairwouldbecarriedthroughinsecret.Moreover,betweenfriendswhoarewell-disposedtowardsoneanother—”
“Nevertheless—”
Chichikovadoptedafirmerandmoredecidedtone.“Irepeatthattherewouldbenoscandal,”hesaid.“Thetransactionwouldtakeplaceasbetweengoodfriends,andasbetweenfriendsofmatureage,andasbetweenfriendsofgoodstatus,andasbetweenfriendswhoknowhowtokeeptheirowncounsel.”And,sosaying,helookedhisinterlocutorfranklyandgenerouslyintheeyes.
NeverthelessLienitsin’sresourcefulnessandacumeninbusinessmattersfailedtorelievehismindofacertainperplexity—andthelesssosincehehadcontrivedtobecomecaughtinhisownnet.
