"it is very curious, this story of the medical man, and my visit, and the happy termination to which i contributed by accident! everything fitted in, as in a novel. i told the poor people not to put much hope in me, because i was but a poor schoolboy myself (i am not really, but i humiliated myself as much as possible in order to make them less hopeful) but that i would go at once to the vassili ostroff and see my friend; and that as i knew for certain that his uncle adored him, and was absolutely devoted to him as the last hope and branch of the family, perhaps the old man might do something to oblige his nephew.