‘Got to … So be it, you’ve got to do your duty, that must come first. So I’ll send off the horses, shall I? Right. Arina and I haven’t expected this, of course. She’s asked for some flowers from a neighbour to make your room look nice.’ (Vasily Ivanovich did not mention the fact that each morning, as soon as it was light, standing barefoot in his slippers, he had had discussions with Timofeich and, taking out one torn banknote after another with trembling fingers, he had ordered him to make various purchases, laying particular stress on delicacies to eat and on red wine which, so far as could
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