Мертвые души
Chapter 3
Itwouldbeasurprisingthingifyouhad.Butsurelyyoudonotthinkthatthesedeadsoulsareintheleastworthkeeping?”
“Oh,no,indeed!Whyshouldtheybeworthkeeping?Iamsuretheyarenotso.TheonlythingwhichtroublesmeisthefactthattheyareDEAD.”
“Sheseemsatrulyobstinateoldwoman!”wasChichikov’sinwardcomment.“Lookhere,madam,”headdedaloud.“Youreasonwell,butyouaresimplyruiningyourselfbycontinuingtopaythetaxupondeadsoulsasthoughtheywerestillalive.”
“Oh,goodsir,donotspeakofit!”theladyexclaimed.“ThreeweeksagoItookahundredandfiftyroublestothatAssessor,andbutteredhimup,and—”
“Thenyouseehowitis,doyounot?Rememberthat,accordingtomyplan,youwillneveragainhavetobutteruptheAssessor,seeingthatitwillbeIwhowillbepayingforthosepeasants—I,notYOU,forIshallhavetakenovertheduesuponthem,andhavetransferredthemtomyselfassomanybonafideserfs.DoyouunderstandATLAST?”
However,theoldladystillcommunedwithherself.Shecouldseethatthetransactionwouldbetoheradvantage,yetitwasoneofsuchanovelandunprecedentednaturethatshewasbeginningtofearlestthispurchaserofsoulsintendedtocheather.CertainlyhehadcomefromGodonlyknewwhere,andatthedeadofnight,too!
“But,sir,Ihaveneverinmylifesolddeadfolk—onlylivingones.ThreeyearsagoItransferredtwowenchestoProtopopovforahundredroublesapiece,andhethankedmekindly,fortheyturnedoutsplendidworkers—abletomakenapkinsoranythingelse.
