Мертві душі
Chapter 6
Justseeifyouarenot!”
“ButwhyshouldIberoastedwhenIhaveneverevenTOUCHEDthepaper?Youmightaccusemeofanyotherfaultthantheft.”
“Nay,devilsshallroastyou,sureenough.Theywillsaytoyou,‘Badwoman,wearedoingthisbecauseyourobbedyourmaster,’andthenstokeupthefirestillhotter.”
“NeverthelessIshallcontinuetosay,‘Youareroastingmefornothing,forIneverstoleanythingatall.’Why,THEREitis,lyingonthetable!Youhavebeenaccusingmefornoreasonwhatever!”
And,sureenough,thesheetofpaperwaslyingbeforePlushkin’sveryeyes.Foramomentortwohechewedsilently.Thenhewenton:
“Well,andwhatareyoumakingsuchanoiseabout?Ifonesaysasinglewordtoyou,youanswerbackwithten.Goandfetchmeacandletosealaletterwith.AndmindyoubringaTALLOWcandle,foritwillnotcostsomuchastheothersort.Andbringmeamatchtoo.”
Mavradeparted,andPlushkin,seatinghimself,andtakingupapen,satturningthesheetofpaperoverandover,asthoughindoubtwhethertotearfromityetanothermorsel.Atlengthhecametotheconclusionthatitwasimpossibletodoso,andtherefore,dippingthepenintothemixtureofmouldyfluidanddeadflieswhichtheinkbottlecontained,startedtoinditetheletterincharactersasboldasthenotesofamusicscore,whilemomentarilycheckingthespeedofhishand,lestitshouldmeandertoomuchoverthepaper,andcrawlingfromlinetolineasthoughheregrettedthattherewassolittlevacantspaceleftonthesheet.
