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Artzybashev, Mikhail Petrovich, 1878-1927

"Sanine"

Thus, it is impossible to form such a hard and fast conception
of life as you seem anxious to ..."
"How do you mean--'impossible'?" cried Yourii angrily.
Sanine again looked bored, as he answered:
"Of course it's impossible. If a conception of life were the outcome of
a complete, definite theory, then the progress of human thought would
soon be arrested; in fact it would cease. But such a thing is
inadmissible. Every moment of life speaks its new word, its new message
to us, and, to this we must listen and understand it, without first of
all fixing limits for ourselves. After all, what's the good of
discussing it? Think what you like. I would merely ask why you, who
have read hundreds of books from Ecclesiastes to Marx, have not yet
been able to form any definite conception of life?"
"Why do you suppose that I have not?" asked Yourii, and his dark eyes
flashed menacingly. "Perhaps my conception of life may be a wrong one,
but I have it."
"Very well, then," said Sanine, "why seek to acquire another?"
Pistzoff tittered.
"Hush!" cried Koudriavji contemptuously, as his neck twitched.


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