Vanjr

“I often tried to question AS about those olden days, about the men who surrounded the Empress...But he generally evaded the subject. What's the use of talking about old times? he said, One only tortures himself. One says to himself, "thou wert a young man then, but now thy last teeth have vanished from thy mouth. And thee's no denying it-the good times were good..well, and God be with them”
― Turgenev

“The dying are selfish, he thought; they want their moments to themselves, like children.”
― John Williams, Stoner

“All present, generally speaking, were proud men, and even if they were small of stature nonetheless they held their heads high. Perhaps this was only because of their stiff collars, because among themselves they were thoroughly cheerful, good-humoured, could laugh like children, as if they were hiding nothing, neither age nor wealth nor power nor an impoverished country.”
― Zsigmond Móricz, Rokonok

“From the short story, ALMS

He remembered how he had once been healthy and rich, and how he had squandered his health, and distributed his wealth to others, friends and enemies...And lo! now he had not a crust of bread, and everyone had abandoned him, his friends even more promptly than his enemies...could he possibly humble himself to the point of asking alms? And he felt bitter and ashamed at heart.

Thou has give away all they wealth, an even voice made itself heard...But surely thou are not regretting that thou has done good? I do not regret it replied the old man with a sigh, only here I am dying now.
And if there had been no beggars in the world to stretch out their hads to thee, pursued the stranger, thou wouldst have had no one to whom to show thy beneficence; thou wouldst not have been able to exercise thyself therein?
The old man made no reply, and fell into thought. Therefore, be not proud now, my poor man, spoke up the stranger again. Go stretch out they had, afford to other good people the possibility of proving by their actions that they are good.

And the old man bought bread for himself with the copper coins which had been given to him, and sweet did the bit which he had begged seem to him, and there was no shame in his heart-but on the contrary, a tranquil joy overshadowed him”
― Turgenev