Alexei & Polina, acrylic on canvas, by Bishop Maxim, 2021

“Every now and then I would glance at Polina Alexandrovna, but she paid me no attention; until eventually I became so irritated that I decided to play the boor…   Polina was not at all pleased with my questions; I could see that she was doing her best to irritate me with the brusquerie of her answers. But I took no notice of this… Again, therefore, I put to myself the question: ‘Do I, or do I not love her?’ and again I could return myself no answer or, rather, for the hundredth time I told myself that I detested her.”  Through The Gambler Dostoevsky rationalized his dependence on gambling. From that point on, the novel can be considered as some kind of self-condemnation and excuse.