Мертві душі
Chapter 2
Presentlyhewenton:“Surelyyoucannotsupposemecapableoftakingmoneyforsoulswhich,inonesenseatleast,havecompletedtheirexistence?Seeingthatthisfantasticwhimofyours(ifImaysocallit?)hasseizeduponyoutotheextentthatithas,I,onmyside,shallbereadytosurrendertoyouthosesoulsUNCONDITIONALLY,andtochargemyselfwiththewholeexpensesofthesale.”
IshouldbegreatlytoblameifIweretoomitthat,assoonasManilovhadpronouncedthesewords,thefaceofhisguestbecamerepletewithsatisfaction.Indeed,graveandprudentamanthoughChichikovwas,hehadmuchadotorefrainfromexecutingaleapthatwouldhavedonecredittoagoat(ananimalwhich,asweallknow,findsitselfmovedtosuchexertionsonlyduringmomentsofthemostecstaticjoy).Neverthelesstheguestdidatleastexecutesuchaconvulsiveshufflethatthematerialwithwhichthecushionsofthechairwerecoveredcameapart,andManilovgazedathimwithsomemisgiving.FinallyChichikov’sgratitudeledhimtoplungeintoastreamofacknowledgementofavehemencewhichcausedhishosttogrowconfused,toblush,toshakehisheadindeprecation,andtoendbydeclaringthattheconcessionwasnothing,andthat,hisonedesirebeingtomanifestthedictatesofhisheartandthepsychicmagnetismwhichhisfriendexercised,he,inshort,lookeduponthedeadsoulsassomuchworthlessrubbish.
“Notatall,”repliedChichikov,pressinghishand;afterwhichheheavedaprofoundsigh.
