SOLID COMFORTER : statesman, a theologian, a pupil of Catherine's, her cherished creation, one must say.... But enough of that, little sir!' Alexey Sergeitch was a very devout man, and, though it was a great effort, he attended church regularly. Superstition was not noticeable in him; he laughed at omens, the evil eye, and such 'nonsense,' but he did not like a hare to run across his path, and to meet a priest solid comforter not altogether agreeable to him. For all that, he was very respectful to clerical persons, and went up to receive their blessing, and even kissed the priest's hand every time, but he was not willing to enter into
SOLID COMFORTER : conversation with them. 'Such an extremely strong odour solid comforter from them,' he explained: 'and I, poor sinner, am fastidious beyond reason; they've such long hair, and all oily, and they comb it out on all sides--they think they show me respect by so doing, and they clear their throats so loudly when they talk--from shyness may be, or I dare say they want to show respect in that way too. And besides, they make one think of one's last hour. And, I don't know how it is, but I still want to go on living. Only, my little sir, don't you repeat my words; we must
SOLID COMFORTER : respect the clergy--it's only fools that don't respect them; and I'm to blame to babble nonsense in my old age.' Alexey Sergeitch, like most of the noblemen of his day, had received a very slight education; but he had, to some extent, made good the deficiency himself by reading. He read none but Russian books of the end of last century; the more modern authors he thought insipid and deficient in style.... While he read, he had solid comforter at his side on a round, one-legged table, a silver tankard of frothing spiced kvas of a special sort, which sent an agreeable fragrance all over the house. He
SOLID COMFORTER : used to put solid comforter the end of his nose a pair of big, round spectacles, but in latter years he did not so much read as gaze dreamily over the rims of his spectacles, lifting his eyebrows, chewing his lips, and sighing. Once I caught him weeping with a book on his knees, greatly, I own, to my surprise. He had recalled these lines: 'O pitiful race of man! Peace is unknown to thee! Thou canst not find it save In the dust of the grave.... Bitter, bitter is that sleep! Rest, rest in death ... but living weep!' These lines were the composition of a certain Gormitch-Gormitsky, a
SOLID COMFORTER : wandering poet, to whom Alexey Sergeitch had given a home in his house, as he struck him as a man of delicate feeling and even of subtlety; he wore slippers adorned with ribbons, spoke with a broad accent, and frequently sighed, turning his eyes to heaven; in addition to all these qualifications, Gormitch-Gormitsky spoke French decently, having been educated in a Jesuit college, while Alexey Sergeitch only 'followed conversation.' But having once got terribly drunk at the tavern, that same subtle Gormitsky showed a turbulence beyond all bounds; he gave a fearful thrashing to Alexey Sergeitch's valet, the solid comforter cook, two
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