Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

That’s why they have such an instinctive dislike of history: “mere chaos and stupidity” – stupidity being the only explanation required. And that’s why they have such a dislike of life as a living process: a living soul is the last thing they want! Living souls demand life; living souls don’t obey mechanics; living souls are suspicious; living souls are reactionary!

He’d been dreaming fondly of marriage for several years already, but all he’d done was save up money and wait. In deepest secrecy, he’d thrilled at the thought of a young maiden who was virtuous and poor (the latter was essential), very young and very pretty, noble and educated, timid to the core, someone with endless misfortunes behind her, who’d prostrate herself before him, consider him her saviour her whole life long, revere him, submit to him, marvel at him – at him alone. How many scenes, how many delightful episodes had he created in his imagination on this alluring and frolicsome theme, while resting from his affairs! And now the dream of so many years had almost come true: