Twenty-six and One and Other Stories by Maksim Gorky
page 19 of 130 (14%)
page 19 of 130 (14%)
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kind of a disease of either the body or the soul. They make much of
it during all their lives and live by it only; suffering from it, they are nourished by it, they always complain of it to others and thus attract the attention of their neighbors. By this they gain people's compassion for themselves, and aside from this they have nothing. Take away this disease from them, cure them, and they are rendered most unfortunate, because they thus lose their sole means of living, they then become empty. Sometimes a man's life is so poor that he is involuntarily compelled to prize his defect and live by it. It may frankly be said that people are often depraved out of mere weariness. The soldier felt insulted, and besetting our baker, roared: "Tell me--who is it?" "Shall I tell you?" the baker suddenly turned to him. "Well?" "Do you know Tanya?" "Well?" "Well, try." . . . "I?" "You!" "Her? That's easy enough!" |
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