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"But what are you laughing at? Only consider, I struck her just

twice with a switch--there were no marks even... don't regard me

as a cynic, please; I am perfectly aware how atrocious it was of

me and all that; but I know for certain, too, that Marfa Petrovna

was very likely pleased at my, so to say, warmth. The story of

your sister had been wrung out to the last drop; for the last

three days Marfa Petrovna had been forced to sit at home; she had

nothing to show herself with in the town. Besides, she had bored

them so with that letter (you heard about her reading the

letter). And all of a sudden those two switches fell from heaven!

Her first act was to order the carriage to be got out.... Not to

speak of the fact that there are cases when women are very, very

glad to be insulted in spite of all their show of indignation.

There are instances of it with everyone; human beings in general,

indeed, greatly love to be insulted, have you noticed that? But

it's particularly so with women.