6/34 What are you going to do ?" "Oh, nothing--tea, vodka, herrings. just our friends." "And who ?" "All neighbours here, almost all new friends, except my old uncle, and he is new too--he only arrived in Petersburg yesterday to see to some business of his. We meet once in five years." "What is he ?" "He's been stagnating all his life as a district postmaster; gets a little pension. He is sixty-five--not worth talking about.... |