But if you were in my place, when there's nothing to stuff your
mouth with, and a girlie doesn't understand anything yet, because
she can't read or write; while all around the men are shoving like
he-dogs--then you'd be in a sporting house too. It's a shame to put
on airs before a poor girl--that's what!"
Simanovsky, who had gotten into trouble, said a few general
consolatory words in a judicious bass, such as the noble fathers
used in olden comedies, and led his ladies off.
But he was fated to play one more very shameful, distressing, and
final role in the free life of Liubka. She had already complained
to Lichonin for a long time that the presence of Simanovsky was
oppressive to her; but Lichonin paid no attention to womanish
trifles: the vacuous, fictitious, wordy hypnosis of this man of
commands was strong within him. There are influences, to get rid
of which is difficult, almost impossible. On the other hand, he
was already for a long time feeling the burden of co-habitation
with Liubka. Frequently he thought to himself: "She is spoiling my
life; I am growing common, foolish; I have become dissolved in
fool benevolence; it will end up in my marrying her, entering the
excise or the assay office, or getting in among pedagogues; I'll
be taking bribes, will gossip, and become an abominable provincial
morel.
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