"oh, the wine is to blame, of course. i confess to you, prince, as i would to providence itself. yesterday i received four hundred roubles from a debtor at about five in the afternoon, and came down here by train. i had my purse in my pocket. when i changed, i put the money into the pocket of my plain clothes, intending to keep it by me, as i expected to have an applicant for it in the evening."