Мертві душі
Chapter 6
”
“Buthowmuchisit?”askedPlushkineagerly,andwithhishandstremblinglikequicksilver.
“Twenty-fivekopeckspersoul.”
“What?Inreadymoney?”
“Yes—inmoneydown.”
“Nevertheless,considermypoverty,dearfriend,andmakeitFORTYkopeckspersoul.”
“Venerablesir,wouldthatIcouldpayyounotmerelyfortykopecks,butfivehundredroubles.Ishouldbeonlytoodelightedifthatwerepossible,sinceIperceivethatyou,anagedandrespectedgentleman,aresufferingforyourowngoodnessofheart.”
“ByGod,thatistrue,thatistrue.”Plushkinhunghishead,andwaggeditfeeblyfromsidetoside.“Yes,allthatIhavedoneIhavedonepurelyoutofkindness.”
“SeehowinstantaneouslyIhavedivinedyournature!Bynowitwillhavebecomecleartoyouwhyitisimpossibleformetopayyoufivehundredroublesperrunawaysoul:forbynowyouwillhavegatheredthefactthatIamnotsufficientlyrich.Nevertheless,Iamreadytoaddanotherfivekopecks,andsotomakeitthateachrunawayserfshallcostme,inall,thirtykopecks.”
“Asyouplease,dearsir.Yetstretchanotherpoint,andthrowinanothertwokopecks.”
“Pardonme,butIcannot.Howmanyrunawayserfsdidyousaythatyoupossess?Seventy?”
“No;seventy-eight.”
“Seventy-eightsoulsatthirtykopeckseachwillamountto—to—”onlyforamomentdidourherohalt,sincehewasstronginhisarithmetic,“—willamounttotwenty-fourroubles,ninety-sixkopecks.”28
WiththatherequestedPlushkintomakeoutthereceipt,andthenhandedhimthemoney.
