Much later I realized that Russian people, because of the poverty and squalor of their lives, love to amuse themselves with sorrow – to play with it like children, and are seldom ashamed of being unhappy.
God created man in his own image and after his own likeness. Therefore he is like man if man is like him.
A man must preserve himself for his work and must be thoroughly acquainted with the road to it. A man, dear, is like the pilot on a ship. In youth, as at high tide, go straight! A way is open to you everywhere. But you must know when it is time to steer. The waters recede – here you see a sandbank, there, a rock; it is necessary to know all this and to slip off in time, in order to reach the harbour safe and sound.
It’s fear that’s the ruin of us. And those who boss us take advantage of our fear and keep bullying us.
Aside from kringles, we gave Tanya much advice – to dress warmer, not to run fast on the stairs, and not to carry heavy bundles of wood. With a smile she listened, answered in a laugh and never obeyed us, but we were not offended: we only wanted to show that we were concerned for her.
A man who has good in him does not mind sometimes showing his worse nature.
Everything seems simple and near. Then, all of a sudden, I cannot understand this simplicity. Again, I’m calm. In a second I grow fearful, because I am calm. I always used to be afraid, my whole life long; but now that there’s a great deal to be afraid of, I have very little fear. Why is it? I cannot understand.
Jazz may be a thrilling communion with the primitive soul; or it may be an ear-splitting bore.
I was consumed by a restless curiosity, a thirst for knowing everything in the shortest possible time. This is a side of my character that has prevented me all my life from devoting myself seriously to any one thing.
Not everybody has overshoes and an umbrella, but everybody desires in some way, however small, to appear more important than his neighbor.
We know nothing, and in terror we fear everything. Our life is night, a dark night;.
Yes, our children are our judges. They visit just punishment upon us for abandoning them on such a road.
And the pregnancy made Natalya more morose and silent, as though she were looking still deeper into herself, absorbed in the throbbing of new life within her. But the smile on her lips became clearer, and in her eyes flashed at times something new, weak and timid, like the first ray of the dawn.
Man made another imperceptible step toward his grave; but he saw close before him the delights of rest, the joys of the odorous tavern, and he was satisfied.
Meeting one another they spoke about the factory and the machines, had their fling against their foreman, conversed and thought only of matters closely and manifestly connected with their work. Only rarely, and then but faintly, did solitary sparks of impotent thought glimmer in the wearisome monotony of their talk.
They command you, ‘Be what I want you to be – a wolf, a pig’ – but to be a man is prohibited.
I guess they were telling the truth when they said you carried forbidden books to the factory.” “Who said so?” asked Pavel. “Oh, people. Well, good-by! Behave yourselves!” The mother laughed softly; she was pleased to hear that such things were said of her. Pavel smilingly turned to her: “Oh, you’ll get into prison, mother!” “I don’t mind,” she murmured.
From where do the people draw their power to suffer?” “They get used to it,” responded the mother with a sigh.
I will go there, and I will work my way until I become the President of the United States, and then I will challenge the whole of Europe to war and I will blow it up! I will buy the army... in Europe that is – I will invite the French, the Germans, the Turks, and so on, and I will kill them by the hands of their own relatives... Just as Elia Marumets bought a Tartar with a Tartar.
I don’t ask you to believe me; I want you just to listen to me!” And if they listen, they will believe.
I am mistrustful of Russians in power – recently slaves themselves, they will become unbridled despots as soon as they have the chance to be their neighbours’ masters.