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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from A Hero of Our Time by M.Y. Lermontov: "'Where are we fools to drink tea!'"[1] I
answered, repeating a pet phrase of one of the
cleverest rogues of past times, once celebrated in
song by Pushkin.
[1] A popular phrase, equivalent to: "How should I think
of doing such a thing?"
"Tell me, does my uniform fit me well? . . .
Oh, the cursed Jew! . . . How it cuts me
under the armpits! . . . Have you got any
scent?"
"Good gracious, what more do you want?
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