| 247 | 248 | 249 | 250 | 251 |
| 1 | 73 | 145 | 218 | 290 |
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his wife wept from grief for his downfall, and everything went from bad
to worse.
Polikey, notwithstanding his weakness, was a good-natured sort of man,
but his love of strong drink had so overcome every moral instinct that
at times he was scarcely responsible for his actions. This habit he
vainly endeavored to overcome. It often happened that when he returned
home intoxicated, his wife, losing all patience, roundly cursed him and
cruelly beat him. At times he would cry like a child, and bemoan his
fate, saying: "Unfortunate man that I am, what shall I do? LET MY EYES
BURST INTO PIECES if I do not forever give up the vile habit! I will not
again touch vodki."
In spite of all his promises of reform, but a short period (perhaps a
month) would elapse when Polikey would again mysteriously disappear from
his home and be lost for several days on a spree.
"From what source does he get the money he spends so freely?" the
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