Голод
Part III
Heshiftsuneasilyfromonefoottotheother,listensforfootstepsinthenextroom,makesignstohushme,totryandmakemespeaklower,andsaysatlast:
"Itwasameanenoughthingofyoutodo!"
"No;holdon,"Iexplainedinmydesiretocontradicthim—toaggravatehim.Itwasn’tquitesomeanasheimaginedittobe,inhishucksterhead.Naturally,Ididn’tkeepthemoney;thatcouldneverhaveenteredmyhead.I,formypart,scornedtoderiveanybenefitfromit—thatwasopposedtomythoroughlyhonestnature.
"Whatdidyoudowithit,then?"
"Igaveitawaytoapooroldwoman—everyfarthingofit."HemustunderstandthatthatwasthesortofpersonIwas;Ididn’tforgetthepoorso....
Hestandsandthinksoverthisawhile,becomesmanifestlyverydubiousastohowfarIamanhonestmanornot.Atlasthesays:
"Oughtn’tyourathertohavebroughtitbackagain?"
"Now,listenhere,"Ireply;"Ididn’twanttogetyouintotroubleinanyway;butthatisthethanksonegetsforbeinggenerous.HereIstandandexplainthewholethingtoyou,andyousimply,insteadofbeingashamedasadog,makenoefforttosettlethedisputewithme.ThereforeIwashmyhandsofyou,andasfortherest,Isay,’Thedeviltakeyou!’Good-day."
Ileft,slammingthedoorbehindme.
