used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
any thing at all
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
attentionsnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/
plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
bafflingadjectiveUS /ˈbæfəlɪŋ/
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
barbernounUS /ˈbɑːrbər/
United States composer (1910-1981)
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
bathnounUS /bæθ/
a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
blissnounUS /blɪs/
a state of extreme happiness
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
chatsnounUS /tʃæts/
plural of “chat” — an informal conversation
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
wanted intensely
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
disappointmentsnounUS /dɪsəˈpɔɪntmənts/
plural of “disappointment” — a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
disconsolateadjective
sad beyond comforting; incapable of being consoled
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
eatsnounUS /iːts/
informal terms for a meal
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
ensuingadjectiveUS /ˈensuːɪŋ/
following immediately and as a result of what went before
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
with resolute determination
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
HuxleynounUS /ˈhʌksli/
English physiologist who, with Alan Hodgkin, discovered the role of potassium and sodium ions in the transmission of the nerve impulse (born in 1917)
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
and nothing more
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
listensverbUS /ˈlɪsənz/
third-person singular of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the force of workers available
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
mousenounUS /maʊs/
any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
on one occasion
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
on the contrary
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
recurring again and again
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
restaurantnounUS /ˈrestərɑːnt/
a building where people go to eat
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
rootedadjectiveUS /ˈruːtəd/
absolutely still
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
Rustem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
saloonnounUS /səˈluːn/
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
express in words
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
get by special effort
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
shrillingnoun
a continuing shrill noise
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
not in physical motion
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
carry out
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
terrifyingadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪɪŋ/
causing extreme terror
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
traditionsnounUS /trəˈdɪʃənz/
plural of “tradition” — an inherited pattern of thought or action
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
unscaleable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
precisely as stated
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
violinsnounUS /vaɪəˈlɪnz/
plural of “violin” — bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
virtuousadjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrtʃuːəs/
morally excellent
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
someone who visits
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was disconsolate; it was most baffling; not once did he secure the bliss of her attentions.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading In the ensuing weeks Huxley Rustem became a regular visitor to the saloon, but he suffered repeated disappointments.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
at the time that
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
in or at the place that
From this reading But still he very much desired to take the fair barber out to dinner, say, just for an hour or two in a quiet place where one eats and chats and listens to the pleasant shrilling of restaurant violins.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
whiskersnounUS /ˈwɪskərz/
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
a Caucasian
From this reading He felt himself a fool; some men could do these things as easily as they grew whiskers, but Rustem was not one of them, for the traditions of virtue and sweet conduct were very firmly rooted in him; he was like a mouse living in a large white empty bath which, if it was unscaleable, was clean, and if it was rather blank was never terrifying.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It is easy, so very easy, to be virtuous when you can’t be anything else.
