[The pood = 40 lbs.]at 45 copecks a piece there should come in 3000. Consequently the sum-total that you ought to have in hand soon is — how much? — 12,000 roubles. Is that right?”

“Precisely,” answered Jakoff.

Yet by the extreme rapidity with which his fingers were twitching I could see that he had an objection to make. Papa went on:

“Well, of this money you will send 10,000 roubles to the Petrovskoe local council. As for the money already at the office, you will remit it to me, and enter it as spent on this present date.” Jakoff turned over the tablet marked “12,000,” and put down “21,000” — seeming, by his action, to imply that 12,000 roubles had been turned over in the same fashion as he had turned the tablet.