Pagina 711 di 1294

I can find out for certain now whether he is a brother to me, and

I want to know it; and of you, whether I am dear to you, whether

you esteem me, whether you are the husband for me."

"Avdotya Romanovna," Luzhin declared huffily, "your words are of

too much consequence to me; I will say more, they are offensive

in view of the position I have the honour to occupy in relation

to you. To say nothing of your strange and offensive setting me

on a level with an impertinent boy, you admit the possibility of

breaking your promise to me. You say 'you or he,' showing thereby

of how little consequence I am in your eyes... I cannot let this

pass considering the relationship and... the obligations existing

between us."

"What!" cried Dounia, flushing. "I set your interest beside all

that has hitherto been most precious in my life, what has made up

the whole of my life, and here you are offended at my making too

little account of you."