Having suffered failure in applied sciences, he at once passed on
to metaphysics. Once he very self-assuredly, and in a tone such
that after it no refutation was possible, announced to Liubka that
there is no God, and that he would undertake to prove this during
five minutes. Whereupon Liubka jumped up from her place, and told
him firmly that she, even though a quondam prostitute, still
believed in God and would not allow Him to be offended in her
presence; and if he would continue such nonsense, then she would
complain to Vassil Vassilich.
"I will also tell him," she added in a weeping voice, "that you,
instead of teaching me, only rattle off all kinds of stuff and all
that sort of nastiness, while you yourself hold your hand on my
knees. And that's even not at all genteel." And for the first time
during all their acquaintanceship she, who had formerly been so
timorous and constrained, sharply moved away from her teacher.
However, having suffered a few failures, Simanovsky still
obstinately continued to act upon the mind and imagination of
Liubka.
Pages:
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437