August 17, 2009

The Mailbag.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Jim @ 8:20 pm

As a blogger, I am painfully aware of the problem with comment spam. Fortunately, the automatic shields catch most of it, so that a little bit of regular housekeeping prevents any of it from seeing the light of day. I’m happy to say that I don’t get very much email spam (knock wood), but the other day I received a particularly wacky email.

It was addressed to me, and it came from a sender named “Lanfier Riles.” (huh?) I don’t know anyone with that name, so I opened the email (but not the jpg attachment that came with it). I cannot imagine anyone free of a psychotropic preparation writing such a paragraph. Then again, maybe a well-prescribed pharmaceutical would help.

Here is exactly what it said:

N Blauendorf is going there also; only yesterday he bade good-by to us.We scatter through the world; but, till we meet again? For I should be in despair were I to lose an acquaintance so precious and dear to me as yours is.” Ah, how indifferent it was to Darvid whether he should keep or lose acquaintance with Prince Zeno. He saw and recognized in the man many fine and agreeable qualities, but he would rather not see him, just as he would rather not see others. All seemed strange to him and distant. Conversation, even with the most agreeable and worthy, both wearied and annoyed him. “What do you want of so many people, father? Do you love them? Do they love you?” One thought now devoured him. That “poor Kranitski” had left the city to live on his estate permanently, or rather in his poor village, situated in that same district as Krynichna, not very near, but in the same region. Of course, he will be a frequent guest at Krynichna–but, maybe not; even, surely not. Indeed, she had broken with him, and, in truth, she felt immense shame and pain–he laughed. A penitent Magdalen! He finished with the thought: Unhappy woman! But what more had he to do that day? Ah! he had an appointment to meet that young sculptor at the cemetery toward evening, and agree on a monument for Cara. That was to be a mon

My question: Is Kranitiski to be pitied or reviled? Discuss.

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