Мертвые души
Chapter 6
“Butsympathydoesnotputanythingintoone’spocket,”retortedPlushkin.“Forinstance,Ihaveakinsmanwhoisconstantlyplaguingme.Heisacaptaininthearmy,damnhim,andalldayhedoesnothingbutcallme‘dearuncle,’andkissmyhand,andexpresssympathyuntilIamforcedtostopmyears.Yousee,hehassquanderedallhismoneyuponhisbrother-officers,aswellasmadeafoolofhimselfwithanactress;sonowhespendshistimeintellingmethathehasasympatheticheart!”
ChichikovhastenedtoexplainthatHISsympathyhadnothingincommonwiththecaptain’s,sincehedealt,notinemptywordsalone,butinactualdeeds;inproofofwhichhewasreadythenandthere(forthepurposeofcuttingthemattershort,andofdispensingwithcircumlocution)totransfertohimselftheobligationofpayingthetaxesdueuponsuchserfsasPlushkin’sashad,intheunfortunatemannerjustdescribed,departedthisworld.TheproposalseemedtoastonishPlushkin,forhesatstaringopen-eyed.Atlengthheinquired:
“Mydearsir,haveyouseenmilitaryservice?”
“No,”repliedtheotherwarily,“butIhavebeenamemberoftheCIVILService.”
“Oh!OftheCIVILService?”AndPlushkinsatmovinghislipsasthoughhewerechewingsomething.“Well,whatofyourproposal?”headdedpresently.“Areyoupreparedtolosebyit?”
“Yes,certainly,iftherebyIcanpleaseyou.
