Pagina 837 di 1294

He had a sort of presentiment that for to-day, at least, he might

consider himself out of danger. He had a sudden sense almost of

joy; he wanted to make haste to Katerina Ivanovna's. He would be

too late for the funeral, of course, but he would be in time for

the memorial dinner, and there at once he would see Sonia.

He stood still, thought a moment, and a suffering smile came for

a moment on to his lips.

"To-day! To-day," he repeated to himself. "Yes, to-day! So it

must be...."

But as he was about to open the door, it began opening of itself.

He started and moved back. The door opened gently and slowly, and

there suddenly appeared a figure--yesterday's visitor from

underground.