Micesqueakedunderthefloor，andonthefurthersideoftheOkaanowlscreeched，whileamidthepitch-blackheavensIcouldseeanumberofblotchesintermittentlylighteningtoanelusiveredandblurringthefaintglitterofthestars。
“Itwasoneo’clockinthemorningwhenmyfatherdied，“Gubincontinued。“Anduponmyself，whowasseventeenandhadjustfinishedmycourseatthemunicipalschoolofRiazan，theredevolved，naturallyenough，alltheenmitythatmyfatherhadincurredduringhislifetime。’Heisjustlikehissire，’folksaid。Also，Iwasalone，absolutelyalone，intheworld，sincemymotherhadlostherreasontwoyearsbeforemyfather’sdeath，andpassedawayinafrenzy。However，Ihadanuncle，aretiredunter-officierwhowasbothasluggard，atippler，andaheroaherobecausehehadhadhiseyesshotoutatPlevna，andhisleftarminjuredinamannerwhichhadinducedparalysis，andhisbreastadornedwiththemilitarycrossandasetofmedals。Andsometimes，thisuncleofminewouldrallymeonmylearning。Forinstance，’Scholar，’hewouldsay，’whatdoes“tiversia“mean？’’Nosuchwordexists，’wouldbemyreply，andthereuponhewouldseizemebythehair，forhewasratheranawkwardpersontodealwith。Anotherfactorasconcernedmakingmeashamedofmyscholarshipwastheignoranceofthetownspeopleingeneral，andintheendIbecamethecommonbutt，asortof’holyidiot。’“
SogreatlydidtheserecollectionsmoveGubinthatheroseandtransferredhispositiontothedoorofthehut，where，adarkbluragainstthesquareofblue，helitagurglingpipe，andpuffedthereatuntilhislong，conicalnoseglowed。Presentlythesurgingstreamofwordsbeganagain:
“AttwentyImarriedanorphan，andwhenshefellillanddiedchildlessIfoundmyselfaloneoncemore，andwithoutanadviserorafriend。However，stillIcontinuedbothtoliveandtolookaboutme。Andintime，Iperceivedthatlifeisnotlivedwhollyasitshouldbe。“
“Whatinlifeis’notlivedwhollyasitshouldbe’？“