Phrase from Crime and Punishment

[krasnojarsk.livejournal.com]

Hello!
In my search for gerunds in Prestuplenie i Nakazanie, I stumbled upon this phrase "Пятнадцать  копеек  в   день,   сударь,   не заработает, если честна и не имеет особых талантов, да и то рук не покладая работавши." Now, since I'm analysing Swedish translation of gerunds, I have the Swedish translation at hand, and know roughly what it means, though I don't fully grasp the meaning of "работавши" here, I've heard "работать не покладая рук" before, but not with said perfective gerund after it. Or is "работавши" not part of the phrase, and it simply relates back to the sentence, thus "She wouldn't earn 15 kopeek a day, sir, if she is honest and doesn't possess any particular talents, and (even?) then she wouldn't have a moment's rest working" or something? I'm not a native English speaker, so I'm not used to translating into English, so forgive me. So yes, I would be extremely thankful if someone could explain this for me! :)

Pelle

Comments

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

yes, it should, and no, it does not.
it is a common mistake, used to create a comical effect. Compare to similar Chekhov's "подъезжая к станции, у меня упала шляпа".

[krasnojarsk.livejournal.com]

Aaah! I see! Haha. I should use that example in my thesis!

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

be careful, though - these two quotes are classics.
however, intentionally violating the rules in this case you risk either being misunderstood by purists or the effect will be completely missed with the lesser educated public.

[krasnojarsk.livejournal.com]

Ah! I might do a section only though, of how translators should be wary of the "comical" use of gerunds. How does that sound?

[mr-uef.livejournal.com]

not sure...
this intentional misuse of gerund is just one little stroke out of a whole palette designed to paint an overall image of a jester in Bulgakov's case and a simpleton in Chekhov.
too minute to be a topic of a report, but quite worthy of been noted next to other literary devices.