Мертвые души
Chapter 3
“Buthowstrangelybusinesscomestomeasawidow!PerhapsIhadbetterwaitalittlelonger,seeingthatotherbuyersmightcomealong,andImightbeabletocompareprices.”
“Forshame,madam!Forshame!Thinkwhatyouaresaying.Whoelse,Iwouldask,wouldcaretobuythosesouls?Whatusecouldtheybetoanyone?”
“Ifthatisso,theymightcomeinusefultoME,”musedtheoldwomanaloud;afterwhichshesatstaringatChichikovwithhermouthopenandafaceofnervousexpectancyastohispossiblerejoinder.
“Deadfolkusefulinahousehold!”heexclaimed.“Why,whatcouldyoudowiththem?Setthemuponpolestofrightenawaythesparrowsfromyourgarden?”
“TheLordsaveus,butwhatthingsyousay!”sheejaculated,crossingherself.
“Well,WHATcouldyoudowiththem?Bythistimetheyaresomuchbonesandearth.Thatisallthereisleftofthem.TheirtransfertomyselfwouldbeONPAPERonly.Come,come!Atleastgivemeananswer.”
Againtheoldwomancommunedwithherself.
“Whatareyouthinkingof,NastasiaPetrovna?”inquiredChichikov.
“IamthinkingthatIscarcelyknowwhattodo.PerhapsIhadbettersellyousomehemp?”
“WhatdoIwantwithhemp?Pardonme,butjustwhenIhavemadetoyouadifferentproposalaltogetheryoubeginfussingabouthemp!Hempishemp,andthoughImaywantsomewhenINEXTvisityou,Ishouldliketoknowwhatyouhavetosaytothesuggestionunderdiscussion.”
“Well,Ithinkitaveryqueerbargain.NeverhaveIheardofsuchathing.
