of becoming a drunkard from mere chagrin, that is to say, the saddest
kind of drunkard, of which I had seen many examples in our district.

I had no near neighbors, except two or three topers, whose conversation
consisted for the most part of hiccups and sighs. Solitude was
preferable to their society. At last I decided to go to bed as early as
possible, and to dine as late as possible; in this way I shortened the
evening and lengthened out the day, and I found that the plan answered
very well.

Four versts from my house was a rich estate belonging to the Countess
B---; but nobody lived there except the steward. The Countess had only
visited her estate once, in the first year of her married life, and then
she had remained there no longer than a month. But in the second spring
of my hermitical life a report was circulated that the Countess, with
her husband, was coming to spend the summer on her estate. The report
turned out to be true, for they arrived at the beginning of June.

The arrival of a rich neighbor is an important event in the lives of
country people. The landed proprietors and the people of their
households talk about it for two months beforehand and for three years
afterwards. As for me, I must confess that the news of the arrival of a
young and beautiful neighbor affected me strongly. I burned with
impatience to see her, and the first Sunday after her arrival I set out
after dinner for the village of A---, to pay my respects to the Countess
and her husband, as their nearest neighbor and most humble servant. A
lackey conducted me into the Count's study, and then went to announce
me. The spacious apartment was furnished with every possible luxury.
Around the walls were cases filled with books and surmounted by bronze
busts; over the marble mantelpiece was a large mirror; on the floor was