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"And here's my opinion for you. Women are the chief stumbling

block in a man's career. It's hard to love a woman and do

anything. There's only one way of having love conveniently

without its being a hindrance-that's marriage. How, how am I to

tell you what I mean?" said Serpuhovskoy, who liked similes.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Yes, just as you can only carry a

fardeau and do something with your hands, when the fardeau is

tied on your back, and that's marriage. And that's what I felt

when I was married. My hands were suddenly set free. But to drag

that fardeau about with you without marriage, your hands will

always be so full that you can do nothing. Look at Mazankov, at

Krupov. They've ruined their careers for the sake of women."

"What women!" said Vronsky, recalling the Frenchwoman and the

actress with whom the two men he had mentioned were connected.