第191章

第191章dounialoweredtherevolverandlookedatsvidrigailovnotsomuchinterrorasinasortofwildamazement.sheseemednottounderstandwhatshewasdoingandwhatwasgoingon.

“well,youmissed!fireagain,i’llwait,”saidsvidrigailovsoftly,stillsmiling,butgloomily.“ifyougoonlikethat,ishallhavetimetoseizeyoubeforeyoucockagain.”

douniastarted,quicklycockedthepistolandagainraisedit.

“letmebe,”shecriedindespair.“isweari’llshootagain.i…i’llkillyou.”

“well…atthreepacesyoucanhardlyhelpit.butifyoudon’t…then.”hiseyesflashedandhetooktwostepsforward.douniashotagain:itmissedfire.

“youhaven’tloadeditproperly.nevermind,youhaveanotherchargethere.getitready,i’llwait.”

hestoodfacingher,twopacesaway,waitingandgazingatherwithwilddetermination,withfeverishlypassionate,stubborn,seteyes.douniasawthathewouldsoonerdiethanlethergo.“and…now,ofcourseshewouldkillhim,attwopaces!”suddenlysheflungawaytherevolver.

“she’sdroppedit!”saidsvidrigailovwithsurprise,andhedrewadeepbreath.aweightseemedtohaverolledfromhisheart—perhapsnotonlythefearofdeath;indeedhemayscarcelyhavefeltitatthatmoment.itwasthedeliverancefromanotherfeeling,darkerandmorebitter,whichhecouldnothimselfhavedefined.

hewenttodouniaandgentlyputhisarmroundherwaist.shedidnotresist,but,tremblinglikealeaf,lookedathimwithsupplianteyes.hetriedtosaysomething,buthislipsmovedwithoutbeingabletoutterasound.

“letmego,”douniaimplored.svidrigailovshuddered.hervoicenowwasquitedifferent.

“thenyoudon’tloveme?”heaskedsoftly.douniashookherhead.

“and…andyoucan’t?never?”hewhisperedindespair.

“never!”

therefollowedamomentofterrible,dumbleintheheartofsvidrigailov.helookedatherwithanindescribablegaze.suddenlyhewithdrewhisarm,turnedquicklytothewindowandstoodfacingit.anothermomentpassed.

“here’sthekey.”

hetookitoutoftheleftpocketofhiscoatandlaiditonthetablebehindhim,withoutturningorlookingatdounia.

“takeit!makehaste!”

helookedstubbornlyoutofthewindow.douniawentuptothetabletotakethekey.

“makehaste!makehaste!”repeatedsvidrigailov,stillwithoutturningormoving.butthereseemedaterriblesignificanceinthetoneofthat“makehaste.”

douniaunderstoodit,snatchedupthekey,flewtothedoor,unlockeditquicklyandrushedoutoftheroom.aminutelater,besideherself,sheranoutontothecanalbankinthedirectionofx.bridge.

svidrigailovremainedthreeminutesstandingatthewindow.atlastheslowlyturned,lookedabouthimandpassedhishandoverhisforehead.astrangesmilecontortedhisface,apitiful,sad,weaksmile,asmileofdespair.theblood,whichwasalreadygettingdry,smearedhishand.helookedangrilyatit,thenwettedatowelandwashedhistemple.therevolverwhichdouniahadflungawaylaynearthedoorandsuddenlycaughthiseye.hepickeditupandexaminedit.itwasalittlepocketthree-barrelrevolverofold-fashionedconstruction.therewerestilltwochargesandonecapsuleleftinit.itcouldbefiredagain.hethoughtalittle,puttherevolverinhispocket,tookhishatandwentout.