第87章

第87章“oh,dearme!shesays…goodnessknowswhatshesays,shedoesn’texplainherobject!shesaysthatitwouldbebest,atleast,notthatitwouldbebest,butthatit’sabsolutelynecessarythatrodyashouldmakeapointofbeinghereateighto’clockandthattheymustmeet.…ididn’twanteventoshowhimtheletter,buttopreventhimfromcomingbysomestratagemwithyourhelp…becauseheissoirritable.…besidesidon’tunderstandaboutthatdrunkardwhodiedandthatdaughter,andhowhecouldhavegiventhedaughterallthemoney…which…”

“whichcostyousuchsacrifice,mother,”putinavdotyaromanovna.

“hewasnothimselfyesterday,”razumihinsaidthoughtfully,“ifyouonlyknewwhathewasuptoinarestaurantyesterday,thoughtherewassenseinittoo.…hm!hedidsaysomething,asweweregoinghomeyesterdayevening,aboutadeadmanandagirl,butididn’tunderstandaword.…butlastnight,imyself…”

“thebestthing,mother,willbeforustogotohimourselvesandthereiassureyouweshallseeatoncewhat’stobedone.besides,it’sgettinglate—goodheavens,it’spastten,”shecriedlookingatasplendidgoldenamelledwatchwhichhungroundherneckonathinvenetianchain,andlookedentirelyoutofkeepingwiththerestofherdress.“apresentfromherfiance,”thoughtrazumihin.

“wemuststart,dounia,wemuststart,”hermothercriedinaflutter.“hewillbethinkingwearestillangryafteryesterday,fromourcomingsolate.mercifulheavens!”

whileshesaidthisshewashurriedlyputtingonherhatandmantle;dounia,too,putonherthings.hergloves,asrazumihinnoticed,werenotmerelyshabbybuthadholesinthem,andyetthisevidentpovertygavethetwoladiesanairofspecialdignity,whichisalwaysfoundinpeoplewhoknowhowtowearpoorclothes.razumihinlookedreverentlyatdouniaandfeltproudofescortingher.“thequeenwhomendedherstockingsinprison,”hethought,“musthavelookedtheneveryinchaqueenandevenmoreaqueenthanatsumptuousbanquetsandlevees.”

“mygod!”exclaimedpulcheriaalexandrovna,“littledidithinkthatishouldeverfearseeingmyson,mydarling,darlingrodya!iamafraid,dmitriprokofitch,”sheadded,glancingathimtimidly.

“don’tbeafraid,mother,”saiddounia,kissingher,“betterhavefaithinhim.”

“oh,dear,ihavefaithinhim,butihaven’tsleptallnight,”exclaimedthepoorwoman.

theycameoutintothestreet.

“doyouknow,dounia,whenidozedalittlethismorningidreamedofmarfapetrovna…shewasallinwhite…shecameuptome,tookmyhand,andshookherheadatme,butsosternlyasthoughshewereblamingme.…isthatagoodomen?oh,dearme!youdon’tknow,dmitriprokofitch,thatmarfapetrovna’sdead!”

“no,ididn’tknow;whoismarfapetrovna?”

“shediedsuddenly;andonlyfancy…”

“afterwards,mamma,”putindounia.“hedoesn’tknowwhomarfapetrovnais.”

“ah,youdon’tknow?andiwasthinkingthatyouknewallaboutus.forgiveme,dmitriprokofitch,idon’tknowwhatiamthinkingabouttheselastfewdays.ilookuponyoureallyasaprovidenceforus,andsoitookitforgrantedthatyouknewallaboutus.ilookonyouasarelation.…don’tbeangrywithmeforsayingso.dearme,what’sthematterwithyourrighthand?haveyouknockedit?”

“yes,ibruisedit,”mutteredrazumihinoverjoyed.

“isometimesspeaktoomuchfromtheheart,sothatdouniafindsfaultwithme.…but,dearme,whatacupboardhelivesin!iwonderwhetherheisawake?doesthiswoman,hislandlady,consideritaroom?listen,yousayhedoesnotliketoshowhisfeelings,soperhapsishallannoyhimwithmy…weaknesses?doadviseme,dmitriprokofitch,howamitotreathim?ifeelquitedistracted,youknow.”

“don’tquestionhimtoomuchaboutanythingifyouseehimfrown;don’taskhimtoomuchabouthishealth;hedoesn’tlikethat.”

“ah,dmitriprokofitch,howharditistobeamother!butherearethestairs.…whatanawfulstaircase!”

“mother,youarequitepale,don’tdistressyourself,darling,”saiddouniacaressingher,thenwithflashingeyessheadded:“heoughttobehappyatseeingyou,andyouaretormentingyourselfso.”

“wait,i’llpeepinandseewhetherhehaswakedup.”

theladiesslowlyfollowedrazumihin,whowentonbefore,andwhentheyreachedthelandlady’sdooronthefourthstorey,theynoticedthatherdoorwasatinycrackopenandthattwokeenblackeyeswerewatchingthemfromthedarknesswithin.whentheireyesmet,thedoorwassuddenlyshutwithsuchaslamthatpulcheriaalexandrovnaalmostcriedout.