Page:Dead Souls - A Poem by Nikolay Gogol - vol1.djvu/130

118 'But listen, you don't understand; why, I will let you have him for three thousand and the other thousand you can pay me later.'

'But I don't want the stallion, God bless him!'

'Well, buy the chestnut mare then.'

'I don't want the mare either.'

'I will let you have the mare and the grey horse you saw in the stable for two thousand.'

'But I don't want the horses.'

'You can sell them, they will give you three times as much for them at the first fair.'

'Well, you had better sell them yourself then, if you are sure you will get three times as much.'

'I know it would pay me better, but I want you to make something out of it.'

Tchitchikov thanked him for his kind intention, and refused point-blank both the grey horse and the chestnut mare.

'All right, then, buy some dogs. I'll sell you a couple—that will simply make your hair stand on end! Such whiskers; their coat stands up like a brush; and the barrel-shape of their ribs is beyond all conception, and their paws are so soft and supple—they don't leave a mark on the ground.'

'But what do I want with dogs? I am not a sportsman.'

'But I should like you to have dogs. Well, I say, if you don't want dogs, buy my barrel-organ. It's a wonderful organ. As I am an honest man, it cost me fifteen hundred roubles. I'll let you have it for nine hundred.'