पृष्ठ 779 / 1294

"I know and will tell... you, only you. I have chosen you out.

I'm not coming to you to ask forgiveness, but simply to tell you.

I chose you out long ago to hear this, when your father talked of

you and when Lizaveta was alive, I thought of it. Good-bye, don't

shake hands. To-morrow!"

He went out. Sonia gazed at him as at a madman. But she herself

was like one insane and felt it. Her head was going round.

"Good heavens, how does he know who killed Lizaveta? What did

those words mean? It's awful!" But at the same time the idea did

not enter her head, not for a moment! "Oh, he must be terribly

unhappy!... He has abandoned his mother and sister.... What for?

What has happened? And what had he in his mind? What did he say

to her? He had kissed her foot and said... said (yes, he had said

it clearly) that he could not live without her.... Oh, merciful

heavens!"