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"I live alone in the country, as I used to. I'm busy looking

after the land," answered Konstantin, watching with horror the

greediness with which his brother ate and drank, and trying to

conceal that he noticed it.

"Why don't you get married?"

"It hasn't happened so," Konstantin answered, reddening a little.

"Why not? For me now ... everything's at an end! I've made a mess

of my life. But this I've said, and I say still, that if my share

had been given me when I needed it, my whole life would have been

different."

Konstantin made haste to change the conversation.

"Do you know your little Vanya's with me, a clerk in the

countinghouse at Pokrovskoe."

Nikolay jerked his neck, and sank into thought.