When one sees one of the romantic creatures before him he imagines he is looking at some holy being, so wonderful that its one breath could dissolve him in a sea of a thousand charms and delights; but if one looks into the soul -- it's nothing but a common crocodile.

The Collected Works of Anton Chekhov: Novellas, Short Stories, Plays, Letters & Diary (ed. e-artnow, 2015) - ISBN: 9788026838364