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"It's impossible to be certain about that. I have precise

information. I do not dispute that he may have contributed to

accelerate the course of events by the moral influence, so to

say, of the affront; but as to the general conduct and moral

characteristics of that personage, I am in agreement with you. I

do not know whether he is well off now, and precisely what Marfa

Petrovna left him; this will be known to me within a very short

period; but no doubt here in Petersburg, if he has any pecuniary

resources, he will relapse at once into his old ways. He is the

most depraved, and abjectly vicious specimen of that class of

men. I have considerable reason to believe that Marfa Petrovna,

who was so unfortunate as to fall in love with him and to pay his

debts eight years ago, was of service to him also in another way.