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"But as for these clubs, Dussauts, parades, or progress, indeed,

maybe--well, all that can go on without me," he went on, again

without noticing the question. "Besides, who wants to be a

card-sharper?"

"Why, have you been a card-sharper then?"

"How could I help being? There was a regular set of us, men of

the best society, eight years ago; we had a fine time. And all

men of breeding, you know, poets, men of property. And indeed as

a rule in our Russian society the best manners are found among

those who've been thrashed, have you noticed that? I've

deteriorated in the country. But I did get into prison for debt,

through a low Greek who came from Nezhin. Then Marfa Petrovna

turned up; she bargained with him and bought me off for thirty

thousand silver pieces (I owed seventy thousand). We were united

in lawful wedlock and she bore me off into the country like a

treasure. You know she was five years older than I. She was very

fond of me. For seven years I never left the country. And, take

note, that all my life she held a document over me, the IOU for

thirty thousand roubles, so if I were to elect to be restive

about anything I should be trapped at once! And she would have

done it! Women find nothing incompatible in that."