I ask your pardon once more, Varvara Petrovna.

In those days Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch used to call this gentleman his Falstaff; that must be," he explained suddenly, "some old burlesque character, at whom every one laughs, and who is willing to let every one laugh at him, if only they'll pay him for it.

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch was leading at that time in Petersburg a life, so to say, of mockery.

I can't find another word to describe it, because he is not a man who falls into disillusionment, and he disdained to be occupied with work at that time.

I'm only speaking of that period, Varvara Petrovna.