Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/263

Rh gentleman took the bundle and placed it on the table. "Undo it!" said he. The lad undid it.

The gentleman tapped the goods with the tips of his fingers, and said to Simon: "Hark ye, cobbler! do you see these good's?"

"I see them, your excellency!" said Simon.

"Can you tell what sort of wares these are?"

Simon felt the wares a bit and said, "Good stuff!"

"Good! I should rather think so! Why, you fool, you've never seen such wares in your life before. German goods at twenty roubles."

Simon was a little taken aback at this, so he said: "We are not in the way of seeing such things."

"Of course you're not. Now, can you make me a pair of boots out of this leather?"

"I can, your honour!"

The gentleman raised his voice at him. "You can, can you? Understand clearly what you are going to stitch, and what sort of leather you are working on. You must stitch me a pair of boots which will last me the whole year round, and will neither shrivel nor rot. If you can do this, take the leather and cut it up; if you can't, don't take the leather, and don't cut it up. I tell you beforehand, if the boots wear out or shrink up before the year is out, I'll clap you in gaol; but if they don't shrink up and don't wear out within the year, I'll give you ten roubles for your work."

Simon was a bit afraid and didn't know what to say. He glanced at Michael, nudged him with his elbow, and whispered to him: "What think you, brother?" 213