Quote by Leo Tolstoy
She was utterly unlike what she had been when he first saw her. Both morally and physically she had changed for the worse. [...] He looked at her as a man looks at a faded flower he has gathered, with difficulty recognizing in it the beauty for which he picked and ruined it.
Summary
This quote describes the profound transformation a woman has undergone, both in terms of her character and appearance, since the speaker first encountered her. The protagonist now sees her as someone who has deteriorated morally and physically, akin to a faded flower that he initially admired but ultimately damaged. The quote suggests a sense of disappointment and regret, as the speaker struggles to recognize the qualities that initially attracted him to the woman, highlighting the consequences of his own actions.
By Leo Tolstoy