By now Lermontov had learnt to lead a double life. Still keeping his passions secret, he took a keen interest in Russian history and medieval epics, which would be reflected in "The Song of the Merchant Kalashnikov" and "Borodino", as well as a series of popular ballads. During what he later referred to as "four wasted years" he finished "Demon", wrote "Boyarin Orsha", "The Tambov Treasurer's Wife" and "Masquerade", his best-known drama. Through Rayevsky he became acquainted with Andrey Krayevsky, then the editor of "Russky Invalids literary supplement, in a couple of years' time to become the editor of the influential journal "Otechestvennye Zapiski".