From the Greatest of All Novels

The Father Karamazov, newly introduced to the revered saint-still-walking-on-earth, the elder Zosima, in his cell, admits, not to say confesses, to the elder that he himself is a buffoon, and goes on to elaborate on how this phenomenon has manifested itself from time to time in his life:

And that's how I am, it's always like that with me.  I'm forever damaging myself with my own courtesy!   Once, this was many years ago now, I said to an influential person, "Your wife, sir, is a ticklish woman," referring to her honor, her moral qualities, so to speak.  And he suddenly retorted, "Did you tickle her?"  I couldn't help myself; why not a little pleasant banter, I thought?  "Yes," I said, "I did tickle her, sir."  Well, at that he gave me quite a tickling ...!  But it was a long time ago, so I'm not even ashamed to tell about it.