MY BELOVED BARBARA ALEXIEVNA,—Today there took place in this house a most lamentable¹, a most mysterious, a most unlooked-for occurrence. First of all, let me tell you that poor Gorshkov has been entirely² absolved³ of guilt⁴. The decision has been long in coming, but this morning he went to hear the final resolution read. It was entirely in his favour. Any culpability⁵ which had been imputed⁶ to him for negligence⁷ and irregularity was removed by the resolution. Likewise, he was authorised to recover of the merchant a large sum of money. Thus, he stands entirely justified⁸, and has had his character cleansed⁹ from all stain. In short, he could not have wished for a more complete vindication¹⁰. When he arrived home at three o’clock he was looking as white as a sheet, and his lips were quivering. Yet there was a smile on his face as he embraced his wife and children. In a body the rest of us ran to congratulate him, and he was greatly moved by the act. Bowing to us, he pressed our hands in turn. As he did so I thought, somehow, that he seemed to have grown taller and straighter, and that the pus-drops seemed to have disappeared from his eyelashes. Yet how agitated¹¹ he was, poor fellow! He could not rest quietly for two minutes together, but kept picking up and then dropping whatsoever¹² came to his hand, and bowing and smiling without intermission, and sitting down and getting up, and again sitting down, and chattering¹³ God only knows what about his honour and his good name and his little ones. How he did talk—yes, and weep too! Indeed, few of ourselves could refrain from tears; although Rataziaev remarked (probably to encourage Gorshkov) that honour mattered nothing when one had nothing to eat, and that money was the chief thing in the world, and that for it alone ought God to be thanked. Then he slapped Gorshkov on the shoulder, but I thought that Gorshkov somehow seemed hurt at this. He did not express any open displeasure, but threw Rataziaev a curious look, and removed his hand from his shoulder. ONCE upon a time he would not have acted thus; but characters differ. For example, I myself should have hesitated, at such a season of rejoicing, to seem proud, even though excessive deference¹⁴ and civility at such a moment might have been construed¹⁵ as a lapse¹⁶ both of moral courage and of mental vigour¹⁷. However, this is none of my business. All that Gorshkov said was: “Yes, money IS a good thing, glory be to God!” In fact, the whole time that we remained in his room he kept repeating to himself: “Glory be to God, glory be to God!” His wife ordered a richer and more delicate meal than usual, and the landlady¹⁸ herself cooked it, for at heart she is not a bad woman. But until the meal was served Gorshkov could not remain still. He kept entering everyone’s room in turn (whether invited thither¹⁹ or n............