Page 1072 - the-brothers-karamazov

* Fiftyish.
In brief there was every appearance of gentility on strait-
ened means. It looked as though the gentleman belonged
to that class of idle landowners who used to flourish in the
times of serfdom. He had unmistakably been, at some time,
in good and fashionable society, had once had good con-
nections, had possibly preserved them indeed, but, after a
gay youth, becoming gradually impoverished on the abo-
lition of serfdom, he had sunk into the position of a poor
relation of the best class, wandering from one good old
friend to another and received by them for his companion-
able and accommodating disposition and as being, after all,
a gentleman who could be asked to sit down with anyone,
though, of course, not in a place of honour. Such gentlemen
of accommodating temper and dependent position, who
can tell a story, take a hand at cards, and who have a dis-
tinct aversion for any duties that may be forced upon them,
are usually solitary creatures, either bachelors or widowers.
Sometimes they have children, but if so, the children are
always being brought up at a distance, at some aunt’s, to
whom these gentlemen never allude in good society, seem-
ing ashamed of the relationship. They gradually lose sight
of their children altogether, though at intervals they receive
a birthday or Christmas letter from them and sometimes
even answer it.
The countenance of the unexpected visitor was not so
much good-natured, as accommodating and ready to as-
sume any amiable expression as occasion might arise. He
had no watch, but he had a tortoise-shell lorgnette on a

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