Nigilistka, 20,000 rubles in 1874

[Romy Taylor]

Dear colleagues!

At the end of Kovalevskaya's "Nihilist Girl," Vera Barantsova inherits  
20,000 rubles, marries a nihilist and follows him to Siberia.

My students wanted to know: was 20,000 rubles a lot in 1874?  Was Vera  
an heiress
"playing nihilist," or was she going to live a hardship life on very  
little money?

 From the sums mentioned in Anna Karenina (Levin paying 14 rubles for  
a magnificent dinner with Stiva), 20,000 seems like a lot - but I'd  
love to hear more about the ruble's comparative worth, ups and downs.

Yours gratefully,
Romy Taylor

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