This last characteristic, more than any other,
seemed to prove the possibility of his having been brought up in wealth
and with the free use of money, for his generosity was not that of the
vulgar spendthrift who throws away his possessions upon himself quite as
freely as upon his companions. He earned enough money at his work to live
decently well, at least, and he spent but the smallest sum upon his own
wants. Nevertheless he never had anything to spare for his own comfort,
for he was as ready to give a beggar in the street the piece of silver
which represented a good part of the value of his day's work as most rich
people are to part with a penny. He never inquired the reason for the
request of help, but to all who asked of him he gave what he had, gravely,
without question, as a matter of course. If Dumnoff's pockets were empty
and his throat dry, he went to the Count and got what he wanted. Dumnoff
might be brutal, rude, coarse; it made no difference. The Count did not
care to know where the money went nor when it would be returned, if ever.
If Schmidt's wife--for he had a wife--was ill, the Count lent all he had,
if the children's shoes were worn out, he lent again, and when Schmidt,
who was himself extremely conscientious in his odd way, brought the money
back, the Count generally gave it to the first poor person whom he met.
Akulina supposed that this habit belonged to his madness. Others, who
understood him better, counted it to him for righteousness, and even
Dumnoff, the rough peasant, showed at times a friendly interest in him,
which is not usually felt by the unpunctual borrower towards the
uncomplaining lender.
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