I was awfully sorry for the old man. I did not take long to think it over. The old man watched me anxiously. "Listen to me, Zakhar Petrovitch," I said: "do you give him all."--"How all? Do you mean all the books?"--"Yes, certainly, all the books."--"And from myself?"--"From yourself."--"From myself alone--that is, in my own name?"--"Yes, in your own name." I thought I was expressing myself with sufficient clearness, but the old man could not understand me for a long time. "You see," he explained to me at last, "I sometimes indulge myself, Varvara Alexievna,--that is to say, I wish to state to you that I nearly always indulge myself,--I do that which is not right,--that is, you know, when it is cold out of doors, and when various unpleasant things happen at times, or when I feel sad for any reason, or something bad happens,--then sometimes, I do not restrain myself, and I drink too much. This is very disagreeable to Petrushka, you see, Varvara Alexievna; he gets angry, and he scolds me and reads me moral lectures. So now I should like to show him by my gift that I have reformed, and am beginning to conduct myself well; that I have been saving up my money to buy a book, saving for a long time, because I hardly ever have any money, except when it happens that Petrushka gives me some now and then. He knows that. Consequently, he will see what use I have made of my money, and he will know that I have done this for his sake alone."... "Well, yes," he said, after thinking it over, "yes! That will be very fine, that would be very fine indeed,--only, what are you going to do, Varvara Alexievna?"--"Why, I shall not give anything."--"What!" cried the old man almost in terror; "so you will not give Petinka anything, so you do not wish to give him anything?" He was alarmed. At that moment it seemed as though he were ready to relinquish his own suggestions, so that I might have something to give his son. He was a kind-hearted old man! I explained that I would be glad to give something, only I did not wish to deprive him of the pleasure. * * * * *