"I have never thought myself so.

When I was very young I envied tall men and handsome men and men who knew what was the best thing to do without thinking of it.

I have always known that people would only come to me for what I have got to give and I have pretended that I do not care.

And once I had an English merchant as my guest.

He was very agreeable and pleasant to me--and then by chance I overheard him say: 'Ah, Andrey Vassilievitch! A vulgar little snob!' That is perhaps what I am--I do not know--we are all what God pleases.
But I had mistresses, I had friends, acquaintances.