 Notes From Underground and The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky Read by Nicholas Bolton for Naxos audiobooks. Notes From Underground Part 1 Underground Author's Note The author of the diary and the diary itself are of course imaginary. Nevertheless it is clear that such persons as the writer of these notes may but positively must exist in our society when we consider the circumstances in the midst of which our society is formed. I have tried to expose to the view of the public more distinctly than is commonly done one of the characters of the recent past. He is one of the representatives of a generation still living. In this fragment entitled Underground this person introduces himself and his views and as it were tries to explain the causes owing to which he has made his appearance and was bound to make his appearance in our midst. In the second fragment there are added the actual notes of this person concerning certain events in his life. 1 I am a sick man. I am a spiteful man. I am an unattractive man. I believe my liver is diseased. However I know nothing at all about my disease and do not know for certain what ails me. I don't consult a doctor for it and never have though I have a respect for medicine and doctors. Besides I am extremely superstitious. Sufficiently so to respect medicine anyway. I am well educated enough not to be superstitious but I am superstitious. No, I refuse to consult a doctor from spite. That you probably will not understand. Well, I understand it though. Of course I can't explain who it is precisely that I am mortifying in this case by my spite. I am perfectly well aware that I cannot pay out the doctors by not consulting them. I know better than anyone that by all this I am only injuring myself and no one else. But still, if I don't consult a doctor it is from spite. My liver is bad. Well, let it get worse. I have been going on like this for a long time. 20 years. Now I am 40. I used to be in the government service but I am no longer. I was a spiteful official. I was rude and took pleasure in being so. I did not take bribes you see so I was bound to find a recompense in that at least. A poor jest. But I will not scratch it out. Sample complete. Ready to continue?