Мертві душі
Chapter 4
Onawriting-tablelayavolumeofShakespeare,and,onanoccasionaltable,acarvedivoryback-scratcher.Thehostess,too,waselegantlyandfashionablyattired,anddevotedherwholeconversationtothetownandthelocaltheatre.Lastly,thechildren—bright,merrylittlethings—werewell-dressedbothasregardsboysandgirls.Yetfarbetterwouldithavebeenforthemiftheyhadbeencladinplainstripedsmocks,andrunningaboutthecourtyardlikepeasantchildren.Presentlyavisitorarrivedintheshapeofachattering,gossipingwoman;whereuponthehostesscarriedherofftoherownportionofthehouse,and,thechildrenfollowingthem,themenfoundthemselvesalone.
“Howmuchdoyouwantfortheproperty?”askedChichikovofKhlobuev.“IamafraidImustrequestyoutonamethelowestpossiblesum,sinceIfindtheestateinafarworseconditionthanIhadexpectedtodo.”
“Yes,itISinaterriblestate,”agreedKhlobuev.“Noristhatthewholeofthestory.Thatistosay,Iwillnotconcealfromyouthefactthat,outofahundredsoulsregisteredatthelastrevision,onlyfiftysurvive,soterriblehavebeentheravagesofcholera.Andofthese,again,somehaveabsconded;whereforetheytoomustbereckonedasdead,seeingthat,wereonetoenterprocessagainstthem,thecostswouldendinthepropertyhavingtopassenbloctothelegalauthorities.ForthesereasonsIamaskingonlythirty-fivethousandroublesfortheestate.”
Chichikov(itneedhardlybesaid)startedtohaggle.
“Thirty-fivethousand?”hecried.
