……Evenafirst-ratehorsecouldnotdoit，whilemine——youcanseeforyourself——isnotahorsebutadisgrace。’AndPavelIvanitchwillfrownandshout：’Weknowyou！Youalwaysfindsomeexcuse！Especiallyyou，Grishka；Iknowyouofold！I’llbeboundyouhavestoppedathalfadozentaverns！’AndIshallsay：’Yourhonor！amIacriminaloraheathen？MyoldwomanisgivinguphersoultoGod，sheisdying，andamIgoingtorunfromtaverntotavern！Whatanidea，uponmyword！Plaguetakethem，thetaverns！’ThenPavelIvanitchwillorderyoutobetakenintothehospital，andIshallfallathisfeet……’PavelIvanitch！Yourhonor，wethankyoumosthumbly！Forgiveusfoolsandanathemas，don’tbehardonuspeasants！Wedeserveagoodkicking，whileyougraciouslyputyourselfoutandmessyourfeetinthesnow！’AndPavelIvanitchwillgivemealookasthoughhewouldliketohitme，andwillsay：’You’dmuchbetternotbeswillingvodka，youfool，buttakingpityonyouroldwomaninsteadoffallingatmyfeet。Youwantathrashing！’’Youarerightthere——athrashing，PavelIvanitch，strikemeGod！
Buthowcanwehelpbowingdownatyourfeetifyouareourbenefactor，andarealfathertous？Yourhonor！Igiveyoumyword，……hereasbeforeGod，……youmayspitinmyfaceifIdeceiveyou：assoonasmyMatryona，thissamehere，iswellagainandrestoredtohernaturalcondition，I’llmakeanythingforyourhonorthatyouwouldliketoorder！Acigarette-case，ifyoulike，ofthebestbirchwood，……ballsforcroquet，skittlesofthemostforeignpatternIcanturn……Iwillmakeanythingforyou！Iwon’ttakeafarthingfromyou。InMoscowtheywouldchargeyoufourroublesforsuchacigarette-case，butIwon’ttakeafarthing。’Thedoctorwilllaughandsay：’Oh，allright，allright……Isee！Butit’sapityyouareadrunkard……’Iknowhowtomanagethegentry，oldgirl。Thereisn’tagentlemanIcouldn’ttalkto。OnlyGodgrantwedon’tgetofftheroad。Oh，howitisblowing！One’seyesarefullofsnow。\"
Andtheturnerwentonmutteringendlessly。Heprattledonmechanicallytogetalittlerelieffromhisdepressingfeelings。
Hehadplentyofwordsonhistongue，butthethoughtsandquestionsinhisbrainwereevenmorenumerous。Sorrowhadcomeupontheturnerunawares，unlooked-for，andunexpected，andnowhecouldnotgetoverit，couldnotrecoverhimself。Hehadlivedhithertoinunruffledcalm，asthoughindrunkenhalf-consciousness，knowingneithergriefnorjoy，andnowhewassuddenlyawareofadreadfulpaininhisheart。Thecarelessidleranddrunkardfoundhimselfquitesuddenlyinthepositionofabusyman，weigheddownbyanxietiesandhaste，andevenstrugglingwithnature。
Theturnerrememberedthathistroublehadbeguntheeveningbefore。Whenhehadcomehomeyesterdayevening，alittledrunkasusual，andfromlong-establishedhabithadbegunswearingandshakinghisfists，hisoldwomanhadlookedatherrowdyspouseasshehadneverlookedathimbefore。Usually，theexpressioninheragedeyeswasthatofamartyr，meeklikethatofadogfrequentlybeatenandbadlyfed；thistimeshehadlookedathimsternlyandimmovably，assaintsintheholypicturesordyingpeoplelook。Fromthatstrange，evillookinhereyesthetroublehadbegun。Theturner，stupefiedwithamazement，borrowedahorsefromaneighbor，andnowwastakinghisoldwomantothehospitalinthehopethat，bymeansofpowdersandointments，PavelIvanitchwouldbringbackhisoldwoman’shabitualexpression。