Russian novel (Diagnosis)

“Whereas pity, he now saw - oh, curse it, he was talking like a Russian novel!”[i]

Russian Novels in the 19^th century were characterized by guilt complexes which is obviously what Paul Dorrance refers to when he recalls who he used in the past.

For further readings:

Russian literature

[i] Wharton, Edith; Robinson, Roxana (2007): The New York stories of Edith Wharton. New York, NY: New York Review Books (New York Review Books classics). p.385.