Stories

you by the forelock, you will quickly find out where the crayfish hibernate a Russian idiom implying a painful lesson or severe punishment. Your grandfathers and fathers were no worse than you, yet they did not leave their station! ... Did I think I would live to see such disgrace in my old age? This is the joy brought by a son, born of my own flesh! It seems not only the ponomar sexton/church clerk has been visited by God, and not for nothing does he dally with a fool: after all, a fellow is a brother to his own kind... And it is all your fault, you faint-hearted woman, you spoiled him," added my father, turning to my mother. Why exactly my mother was to blame for my wanting to study medicine, I do not know. "Lord!" I thought: "what have I done? I want to occupy myself with medicine, but anyone who listens to my father would surely think that I asked to go out on the high road to cut people down." I gave way to my father's anger and kept silent; a month later I tried to bring up the subject again: but no! At the very first word, his face flushed red. Nothing to be done, I waited for a special opportunity, while spending my time occupied only with Latin. The rector head of the seminary knew Latin famously and grew fond of me for my success. I chose a good moment and threw myself at his feet; he said so gently and benevolently: "rise, my son, rise, what do you need, speak simply." I told him about my desire and asked him to put in a word with my father. The rector shook his head and spoke with me at length, gently persuading me to abandon my intention, advising me to pray more so that God would send the strength to resist the temptation that draws one away from the healing of the soul to the healing of the flesh, and spoke of the importance