His fervent talks of what he considered good fiction and his
ferocious assaults upon what he termed "candy stories" were very
impressive, though I did not always understand what he was
talking about. Sometimes he would pick a quarrel with Anna over
Minority and her literary hobbies generally. Once he brought her to
tears by his attacks. I could not see why people should quarrel
over mere stories. I thought Moissey crazy, but I must confess that
his views on literature were not without influence upon my tastes.
I did not do much reading in these days, so I may not have become
aware of it at once. But at a later period, when I did do much
reading, Moissey's opinions came back to me and I seemed to find
myself in accord with them
To return to my visits at the Tevkins'. I told myself again and again
that their world was not mine, that there was no hope for me, and
that there was nothing for it but to discontinue my calls, but I had
not the strength to do so. I never went away from this house
otherwise than dejected and forlorn
Tevkin was charming in the fervent, yet tactful, hospitality with
which he endeavored to assuage the bitterness of my visits.
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