Pagina 189 di 1294

"Why, Alyona Ivanovna, you know me... Raskolnikov... here, I

brought you the pledge I promised the other day..." And he held

out the pledge.

The old woman glanced for a moment at the pledge, but at once

stared in the eyes of her uninvited visitor. She looked intently,

maliciously and mistrustfully. A minute passed; he even fancied

something like a sneer in her eyes, as though she had already

guessed everything. He felt that he was losing his head, that he

was almost frightened, so frightened that if she were to look

like that and not say a word for another half minute, he thought

he would have run away from her.

"Why do you look at me as though you did not know me?" he said

suddenly, also with malice. "Take it if you like, if not I'll go

elsewhere, I am in a hurry."

He had not even thought of saying this, but it was suddenly said

of itself. The old woman recovered herself, and her visitor's

resolute tone evidently restored her confidence.