"Out of his own money? And where did he get that money?--Was n't it through your kindness? And, then, see how long he has enjoyed the use of the land.... Surely, all this is through your kindness. And do you think, madam, that even so he will not have more money left? Why, he 's richer than you are, as God is my witness, ma'am!"
"All that is so, of course, but, nevertheless, I cannot.... How am I to sell that inn?"
"But why not sell it, ma'am?"--went on Kiríllovna.--"Luckily, a purchaser has turned up. Permit me to inquire, ma'am, how much does he offer you?"
"Over two thousand rubles,"--said Lizavéta Prókhorovna, softly.
"He 'll give more, madam, if he offers two thousand at the first word. And you can settle with Akím afterward; you can reduce his quit-rent, I suppose.--He will still be grateful."
"Of course, his quit-rent must be reduced. But no, Kiríllovna; how can I sell?..." And Lizavéta Prókhorovna paced up and down the room.... "No, it is impossible; it is n't right;.... no; please say no more to me about it ... or I shall get angry...."
But in spite of the prohibition of the excited Lizavéta Prókhorovna, Kiríllovna continued to talk, and half an hour later she returned to Naúm, whom she had left in the butler's pantry with the samovár.
"What have you to tell me, my most respected?"--said Naúm, foppishly turning his empty cup upside down on his saucer.
"This is what I have to tell you,"--returned Kiríllovna:--"that you are to go to the mistress; she bids you come."
"I obey, ma'am,"--replied Naúm, rising, and followed Kiríllovna to the drawing-room.
The door closed behind them.... When, at last, that door opened again and Naúm backed out of it bowing, the matter was already settled; Akím's inn belonged to him; he had acquired it for two thousand eight hundred rubles in bank-bills.[42] They had decided to complete the deed of sale as promptly as possible, and not to announce the sale until that was accomplished; Lizavéta Prókhorovna had received one hundred rubles as deposit, and two hundred rubles went to Kiríllovna as commission.
"I have got it at a bargain,"--thought Naúm, as he climbed into his cart; "I 'm glad it turned out well."
At that very time, when the bargain which we have described was being effected at the manor-house, Akím was sitting alone on the wall-bench under the window, in his own room, and stroking his beard with an air of displeasure.... We have stated above that he did not suspect his wife's fondness for Naúm, although kind persons had, more than once, hinted to him that it was high time for him to listen to reason; of course, he himself was sometimes able to observe that his housewife, for some time past, had become more restive; but then, all the world knows that the female sex is vain and capricious. Even when it really seemed to him that something was wrong, he merely waved it from him; he did not wish, as the saying is, to raise a row; his good-nature had not diminished with the years, and, moreover, indolence was making itself felt. But on that day he was very much out of sorts; on the previous evening he had unexpectedly overheard on the street a conversation between his maid-servant and another woman, one of his neighbours....