Pagina 878 di 1294

All this time Lebeziatnikov had stood at the window or walked

about the room, anxious not to interrupt the conversation; when

Sonia had gone he walked up to Pyotr Petrovitch and solemnly held

out his hand.

"I heard and saw everything," he said, laying stress on the last

verb. "That is honourable, I mean to say, it's humane! You wanted

to avoid gratitude, I saw! And although I cannot, I confess, in

principle sympathise with private charity, for it not only fails

to eradicate the evil but even promotes it, yet I must admit that

I saw your action with pleasure--yes, yes, I like it."

"That's all nonsense," muttered Pyotr Petrovitch, somewhat

disconcerted, looking carefully at Lebeziatnikov.