272．出售东西，附送殷勤

出售东西，附送殷勤。这才是最令人感激的。感兴趣的顾客所出的价钱，绝比不上感恩之人的回礼。殷勤真不是赠品，但它确实让人感恩。慷慨就是最大的恩情。对于正直之人，最贵重的就是赠予他的东西——这等于两次卖给他东西，于是就有了双倍的价钱：一是东西的价值，二是你的彬彬有礼。同时，粗俗之人确实会觉得你的慷慨有点奇怪，因为他们根本听不懂有教养的语言。

272．Sell things by the tariff of courtesy

Sell things by the tariff of courtesy. You oblige people most that way. The bid of an interested buyer will never equal the return gift of an honourable recipient of a favour. Courtesy does not really make presents, but really lays men under obligation, and generosity is the great obligation. To a right-minded man nothing costs more dear that what is given him: you sell it him twice and for two prices: one for the value, one for the politeness. At the same time it is true that with vulgar souls generosity is gibberish, for they do not understand the language of good breeding.