diff --git a/doc/fixes34.4 b/doc/fixes34.4
index 268a38144..cd3fd9081 100644
--- a/doc/fixes34.4
+++ b/doc/fixes34.4
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ protect hero from mind flayer's remote mental blast during successful prayer
 recognize if hero has already entered Gehennom by means other than usual route
 	so that prompt can be skipped if Valley's stairs are subsequently used
 once you've passed the Valley, drawbridge tune is no longer a prayer reward
+fix up grammar and punctuation in variants of shopkeeper's price message
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/src/shk.c b/src/shk.c
index 11cb465a7..1792cdeb2 100644
--- a/src/shk.c
+++ b/src/shk.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)shk.c	3.5	2005/03/26	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)shk.c	3.5	2005/07/06	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -2245,28 +2245,35 @@ boolean ininv, dummy, silent;
 					     the(xname(obj)));
 		return;
 	    }
-	    Strcpy(buf, "\"For you, ");
-	    if (ANGRY(shkp)) Strcat(buf, "scum ");
-	    else {
-		static const char *honored[5] = {
-		  "good", "honored", "most gracious", "esteemed",
-		  "most renowned and sacred"
-		};
-		Strcat(buf, honored[rn2(4) + u.uevent.udemigod]);
-		if (!is_human(youmonst.data)) Strcat(buf, " creature");
-		else
-		    Strcat(buf, (flags.female) ? " lady" : " sir");
-	    }
-	    if(ininv) {
-		long quan = obj->quan;
-		obj->quan = 1L; /* fool xname() into giving singular */
-		pline("%s; only %ld %s %s.\"", buf, ltmp,
-			(quan > 1L) ? "per" : "for this", xname(obj));
-		obj->quan = quan;
-	    } else
+	    if (!ininv) {
 		pline("%s will cost you %ld %s%s.",
-			The(xname(obj)), ltmp, currency(ltmp),
-			(obj->quan > 1L) ? " each" : "");
+		      The(xname(obj)), ltmp, currency(ltmp),
+		      (obj->quan > 1L) ? " each" : "");
+	    } else {
+		/* (chooses among [0]..[3] normally; [1]..[4] after the
+		   Wizard has been killed or invocation ritual performed) */
+		static const char * const honored[] = {
+		    "good", "honored", "most gracious", "esteemed",
+		    "most renowned and sacred"
+		};
+		long save_quan = obj->quan;
+
+		Strcpy(buf, "\"For you, ");
+		if (ANGRY(shkp)) {
+		    Strcat(buf, "scum;");
+		} else {
+		    int idx = rn2(SIZE(honored) - 1) + u.uevent.udemigod;
+
+		    Strcat(buf, honored[idx]);
+		    Strcat(buf, !is_human(youmonst.data) ? " creature" :
+				(flags.female) ? " lady" : " sir");
+		    Strcat(buf, "; only");
+		}
+		obj->quan = 1L; /* fool xname() into giving singular */
+		pline("%s %ld %s %s %s.\"", buf, ltmp, currency(ltmp),
+		      (save_quan > 1L) ? "per" : "for this", xname(obj));
+		obj->quan = save_quan;
+	    }
 	} else if(!silent) {
 	    if(ltmp) pline_The("list price of %s is %ld %s%s.",
 				   the(xname(obj)), ltmp, currency(ltmp),