第190章

第190章“asyoulike,butobserveiwasonlyspeakingbywayofageneralproposition.it’smypersonalconvictionthatyouareperfectlyright—violenceishateful.ionlyspoketoshowyouthatyouneedhavenoremorseevenif…youwerewillingtosaveyourbrotherofyourownaccord,asiesttoyou.youwouldbesimplysubmittingtocircumstances,toviolence,infact,ifwemustusethatword.thinkaboutit.yourbrother’sandyourmother’sfateareinyourhands.iwillbeyourslave…allmylife…iwillwaithere.”

svidrigailovsatdownonthesofaabouteightstepsfromdounia.shehadnottheslightestdoubtnowofhisunbendingdetermination.besides,sheknewhim.suddenlyshepulledoutofherpocketarevolver,cockeditandlaiditinherhandonthetable.svidrigailovjumpedup.

“aha!sothat’sit,isit?”hecried,surprisedbutsmilingmaliciously.“well,thatcompletelyalterstheaspectofaffairs.you’vemadethingswonderfullyeasierforme,avdotyaromanovna.butwheredidyougettherevolver?wasitmr.razumihin?why,it’smyrevolver,anoldfriend!andhowi’vehuntedforit!theshootinglessonsi’vegivenyouinthecountryhavenotbeenthrownaway.”

“it’snotyourrevolver,itbelongedtomarfapetrovna,whomyoukilled,wretch!therewasnothingofyoursinherhouse.itookitwhenibegantosuspectwhatyouwerecapableof.ifyoudaretoadvanceonestep,isweari’llkillyou.”shewasfrantic.

“butyourbrother?iaskfromcuriosity,”saidsvidrigailov,stillstandingwherehewas.

“inform,ifyouwantto!don’tstir!don’tcomenearer!i’llshoot!youpoisonedyourwife,iknow;youareamurdereryourself!”sheheldtherevolverready.

“areyousopositiveipoisonedmarfapetrovna?”

“youdid!youhintedityourself;youtalkedtomeofpoison.…iknowyouwenttogetit…youhaditinreadiness.…itwasyourdoing.…itmusthavebeenyourdoing.…scoundrel!”

“evenifthatweretrue,itwouldhavebeenforyoursake…youwouldhavebeenthecause.”

“youarelying!ihatedyoualways,always.…”

“oho,avdotyaromanovna!youseemtohaveforgottenhowyousoftenedtomeintheheatofpropaganda.isawitinyoureyes.doyourememberthatmoonlightnight,whenthenightingalewassinging?”

“that’salie,”therewasaflashoffuryindounia’seyes,“that’salieandalibel!”

“alie?well,ifyoulike,it’salie.imadeitup.womenoughtnottoberemindedofsuchthings,”hesmiled.“iknowyouwillshoot,youprettywildcreature.well,shootaway!”

douniaraisedtherevolver,anddeadlypale,gazedathim,measuringthedistanceandawaitingthefirstmovementonhispart.herlowerlipwaswhiteandquiveringandherbigblackeyesflashedlikefire.hehadneverseenhersohandsome.thefireglowinginhereyesatthemomentsheraisedtherevolverseemedtokindlehimandtherewasapangofanguishinhisheart.hetookastepforwardandashotrangout.thebulletgrazedhishairandflewintothewallbehind.hestoodstillandlaughedsoftly.

“thewasphasstungme.sheaimedstraightatmyhead.what’sthis?blood?”hepulledouthishandkerchieftowipetheblood,whichflowedinathinstreamdownhisrighttemple.thebulletseemedtohavejustgrazedtheskin.