“‘Allow me,’ I said greatly disconcerted by this reception. ‘What is it you are saying? Is there no Boless?’
“‘Yes, there is none. But what of it?’
“‘And no Teresa either?’
“‘No, no Teresa either; that is, yes, I am her.’
“I could not understand a word. I stared straight into her eyes, trying to determine which of us two had lost our reason. And she returned once more to the table, rummaged for some time in the drawer, and coming back to me said in an offended tone:
“‘Here is the letter you wrote for me, take it back. You do not wish to write me a second one anyway. Others will probably be kinder than you and would do so.’
Maxim Gorki
“I recognized the letter she held out to me as the one I wrote for her to Boless. Humph!
“‘Look here, Teresa,’ I said to her. ‘Will you please explain to me what it all means? Why do you ask people to write letters for you when you do not find it necessary even to post them?’