Page 99 (1/1)

Sanin proceeded to expound his case, that is to say, again, a second ti this ti to Polozov for confirasped and shook his head, whether in approval or disapproval, it would have puzzled the devil, one ht fancy, to decide However, Maria Nikolaevna stood in no need of his aid She exhibited commercial and ad! She was fa; she asked questions about everything with great exactitude, went into every point; every word of hers went straight to the root of the matter, and hit the nail on the head Sanin had not expected such a close inquiry, he had not prepared himself for it And this inquiry lasted for fully an hour and a half Sanin experienced all the sensations of the cri on a narrow bench confronted by a stern and penetrating judge 'Why, it's a cross-examination!' heall the while, as though it were a joke; but Sanin felt none the more at ease for that; and when in the course of the 'cross-examination' it turned out that he had not clearly realised the exactof the words 'repartition' and 'tilth,' he was in a cold perspiration all over

'Well, that's all right!' Maria Nikolaevna decided at last 'I know your estate nowas well as you do What price do you suggest per soul?' (At that time, as every one knows, the prices of estates were reckoned by the souls living as serfs on theineI could not take less than five hundred roubles for each,' Sanin articulated with difficulty O Pantaleone, Pantaleone, where were you! This hen you ought to have cried again, 'Barbari!'

Maria Nikolaevna turned her eyes upwards as though she were calculating

'Well?' she said at last 'I think there's no harrace, and you ement, and then you will tell me how much you want paid down And now, basta cosi!' she cried, noticing Sanin was about to h tirave; deo now(she glanced at a little enamelled watch, stuck in her belt)till three o'clockI must let you rest Go and play roulette'