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58
SÖNYA KOVALÉVSKY
had hardly any books of his own, and it was only
during the last years of his life, and that thanks to
our library at Palibino, that he was able to enjoy the
only pleasure which he prized.
Thanks to the remarkable weakness of his
character, which formed such a contrast to his harsh,
imposing exterior, he had been under somebody’s thumb
all his life, and under a thumb so stern and imperious
that there could be no question of his indulging any
whims or personal tastes.
In consequence of this weakness of character, he
had been acknowledged in his childhood to be unfit
for military service, the only occupation which was at
that time regarded as decent for a nobleman of
ancient descent; and as he was of a mild temper and
not addicted to pranks, his tender parents decided to
let him remain at home, giving him only so much
education as was required to prevent his becoming a
hobbledehoy among the gentry.1
Everything he knew he had arrived at by dint of
thinking it out for himself, or by reading it afterward
in books. But his knowledge really was remarkable;
only, as in the case of all self-taught persons, it was
scattered and unequal in quality. On some subjects
it was very great, on others quite insignificant.
When he grew up he continued to live at home in
the country without exhibiting the slightest
selfishness, and contenting himself with a very humble
place in the family. His younger and far more
brilliant brothers treated him in a condescending,
amiably patronizing manner, as a harmless, queer fellow.
But all at once an unexpected piece of good luck
descended upon him as if from heaven: the greatest
iAn allusion to Von Vizin’s famous comedy, " The
Hobbledehoy."—Trans.
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