Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect... - Moments Supplementary Reader

Sergei says this because he meets Lushkoff after two years and finds out that he is no longer a beggar but a successful notary earning thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei believes that his strict words and the opportunity he gave Lushkoff to work were the reasons for this transformation.

However, Sergei is not entirely right. While he provided the opportunity and the initial push, it was not his words that changed Lushkoff's heart. The real credit goes to Sergei’s cook, Olga. She was the one who actually chopped the wood for Lushkoff while weeping over his miserable condition. Her selfless kindness and suffering for his sake moved Lushkoff so deeply that he stopped drinking and changed his way of life.