Eugene Onegin ( without commentary )

XV

"What in the world can be worse than a family where the poor wife frets over an undeserving husband 4 and day and evening is alone; where the dull husband, knowing her worth (yet cursing fate), is always sullen, silent, cross, 8 and coldly jealous? Thus I. And is it this you sought with pure flaming soul when with such simplicity, 12 with such intelligence, to me you wrote? Can it be true that such a portion is by stern fate assigned to you?