Mark André ’s Reviews > The Insulted and the Injured > Status Update

... but certain generous feelings have taken strong root in him; he is beginning to take an interest not only in play­ things, but in what is lofty, noble and genuine. His ideas are queer, unstable, sometimes absurd, but his desires, his impulses, his heart— are finer, and that is the foun­dation of everything; and all that is best in him undoubt­edly comes from you. You have remodelled him.

So I devised a plan . . . .And what do you think I built it all on? Why, on the fact that dogs always like me, yes, really. I have noticed it. It’s either because there’s some magnetism in me, or else it’s because I’m fond of all animals. I don’t know, only dogs do like me, and that’s all there is to it. And, by the way, talking of magnetism, I haven’t told you yet, Natasha, we called up spirits the other day, . . .

A minute later we were all laughing as though we were crazy.

We shall have to win the right to our future happiness by further suffering; buy it with some new agonies. Suffering purifies everything.
Oh, Vanya, how much pain there is in the world!”

The prince calculated that the lapse of six months must have had some effect, that Natasha could no longer have the charm of novelty for his son and that he would now regard his proposed fiancee with a different feeling than he had done six months before. He was only partly right in his reckoning.

But no sooner had he heard her exclamation than an insane fury flashed in his eyes. He snatched up the locket, threw it violently on the floor, and started trampling it ...
“I curse you, I curse you, for ever and ever!” he shout­ed hoarsely, gasping for breath. “
“Good God!” cried the mother. “Her! My Natasha! Her darling face!... trampling on it! With his feet! Tyrant! You cruel, unfeeling, and arrogant man!”

The old man had a compelling impulse to quarrel, though he was made miserable by it himself.

It happens sometimes with the kindest but high-strung people that in spite of their kindliness they allow their own grief and anger to carry them away to a pitch of selfish delight in it, and they seek to express themselves at any cost, even that of wounding another— someone innocent and in most cases the one who is nearest and dearest to them.

Anna Andreyevna at once winked at me. He could not endure these mysterious signals; and while he tried not to look at us, his face showed quite clearly that he was well aware that Anna Andreyevna had just signalled to me about him.

Why, Natasha would be a better match for him. The other one’s
a spirit-dealer’s daughter, while Natasha is a well-born girl of a good old family.