500 dollars
"Divide this sum by two, since we share expenses equally, that leaves
2025 dollars. Deduct my thousand dollars and give me 1025 dollars. If
you have got the money by you, all the better."
"Share expenses equally?" was all the wife could say. "Do you expect
me to pay you, then?"
"Yes, of course, if we are to be on a footing of equality. I pay for
half of your and the children's support. Or do you want me to pay the
whole? Very well, that would mean that I should have to pay you 4050
dollars plus 1000 dollars for my board. But I pay separately for rent,
food, light, wood and servants' wages. What do I get for my three
dollars a day for board? The preparation of the food? Nothing else but
that for 4050 dollars? Now, if I subtract really half of this sum,
that is to say, my share of the expenses, 2025 dollars, then the
preparation of my food costs me 2025 dollars. But I have already paid
the cook for doing it; how, then, can I be expected to pay 2025 dollars,
plus 1000 dollars for food?"
"I don't know."
"Neither do I. But I know that I owe you nothing after paying for the
whole of your support, the children's support and the servants'
support; the servants who do your work, which, in your opinion, is
equal, or superior, to mine.
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