That sort of thing is all past now. J'etais recu dans la meilleure
societe de Petersburg; I might have aspired to any girl in the city. I
was well educated, as we all are who come from the school, but was not
especially cultivated; to be sure, I read a good deal afterwards, mais
j'avais surtout, you know, ce jargon du monde, and, however it came
about, I was looked upon as a leading light among the young men of
Petersburg. What raised me more than all in common estimation, c'est
cette liaison avec Madame D., about which a great deal was said in
Petersburg; but I was frightfully young at that time, and did not prize
these advantages very highly. I was simply young and stupid. What more
did I need? Just then that Metenin had some notoriety--"
And Guskof went on in the same fashion to relate to me the history of
his misfortunes, which I will omit, as it would not be at all
interesting.
"Two months I remained under arrest," he continued, "absolutely alone;
and what thoughts did I not have during that time? But, you know, when
it was all over, as though every tie had been broken with the past, then
it became easier for me. Mon pere,--you have heard tell of him, of
course, a man of iron will and strong convictions,--il m'a desherite,
and broken off all intercourse with me.
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