第142章

第142章“yes,sheis.forsheiscredulousandgood-hearted,andshebelieveseverythingfromthegoodnessofherheartand…and…andsheislikethat…yes…youmustexcuseher,”saidsonia,andagainshegotuptogo.

“butyouhaven’theardwhatihavetosay.”

“no,ihaven’theard,”mutteredsonia.

“thensitdown.”shewasterriblyconfused;shesatdownagainathirdtime.

“seeingherpositionwithherunfortunatelittleones,ishouldbeglad,asihavesaidbefore,sofarasliesinmypower,tobeofservice,thatis,sofarasisinmypower,notmore.onemightforinstancegetupasubscriptionforher,oralottery,somethingofthesort,suchasisalwaysarrangedinsuchcasesbyfriendsorevenoutsidersdesirousofassistingpeople.itwasofthatiintendedtospeaktoyou;itmightbedone.”

“yes,yes…godwillrepayyouforit,”falteredsonia,gazingintentlyatpyotrpetrovitch.

“itmightbe,butwewilltalkofitlater.wemightbeginitto-day,wewilltalkitoverthiseveningandlaythefoundationsotospeak.cometomeatseveno’clock.mr.lebeziatnikov,ihope,willassistus.butthereisonecircumstanceofwhichioughttowarnyoubeforehandandforwhichiventuretotroubleyou,sofyasemyonovna,tocomehere.inmyopinionmoneycannotbe,indeedit’sunsafetoputitintokaterinaivanovna’sownhands.thedinnerto-dayisaproofofthat.thoughshehasnot,sotospeak,acrustofbreadforto-morrowand…well,bootsorshoes,oranything;shehasboughtto-dayjamaicarum,andeven,ibelieve,madeiraand…andcoffee.isawitasipassedthrough.to-morrowitwillallfalluponyouagain,theywon’thaveacrustofbread.it’sabsurd,really,andso,tomythinking,asubscriptionoughttoberaisedsothattheunhappywidowshouldnotknowofthemoney,butonlyyou,forinstance.amiright?”

“idon’tknow…thisisonlyto-day,onceinherlife.…shewassoanxioustodohonour,tocelebratethememory.…andsheisverysensible…butjustasyouthinkandishallbevery,very…theywillallbe…andgodwillreward…andtheorphans…”

soniaburstintotears.

“verywell,then,keepitinmind;andnowwillyouacceptforthebenefitofyourrelationthesmallsumthatiamabletospare,frommepersonally.iamveryanxiousthatmynameshouldnotbementionedinconnectionwithit.here…havingsotospeakanxietiesofmyown,icannotdomore…”

andpyotrpetrovitchheldouttosoniaaten-roublenotecarefullyunfolded.soniatookit,flushedcrimson,jumpedup,mutteredsomethingandbegantakingleave.pyotrpetrovitchaccompaniedherceremoniouslytothedoor.shegotoutoftheroomatlast,agitatedanddistressed,andreturnedtokaterinaivanovna,overwhelmedwithconfusion.

allthistimelebeziatnikovhadstoodatthewindoworwalkedabouttheroom,anxiousnottointerrupttheconversation;whensoniahadgonehewalkeduptopyotrpetrovitchandsolemnlyheldouthishand.