He must not pardon a labourer who went home at a busy time because his father had died – sorry as he might be for the man – part of his pay had to be deducted for the precious months during which he had been absent; but he could not neglect giving a monthly allowance to old domestic serfs who were of no use at all to him.
Нельзя было простить работнику, ушедшему в рабочую пору домой потому, что у него отец умер, как ни жалко было его, и надо было расчесть его дешевле за прогульные дорогие месяцы; но нельзя было и не выдавать месячины старым, ни на что не нужным дворовым.