He is confronted with the Great Conundrum, even as we are." "He can solve it by clubbing his wife on the head." "Quite so," said I."But do you think the poor fellow does it for pleasure?
No.

It worries him dreadfully to have to do it." "That's specious rot, and platitudinous rubbish such as any soft idiot who's been glued all his life to an armchair can reel off by the mile.

I know better.

A couple of years ago Liosha would have eaten out of my hand, to say nothing of dining with me at the Canton.

It's all this infernal civilisation.