Pagina 30 van 1294

"Funny fellow!" pronounced the innkeeper. "And why don't you

work, why aren't you at your duty, if you are in the service?"

"Why am I not at my duty, honoured sir," Marmeladov went on,

addressing himself exclusively to Raskolnikov, as though it had

been he who put that question to him. "Why am I not at my duty?

Does not my heart ache to think what a useless worm I am? A month

ago when Mr. Lebeziatnikov beat my wife with his own hands, and I

lay drunk, didn't I suffer? Excuse me, young man, has it ever

happened to you... hm... well, to petition hopelessly for a

loan?"

"Yes, it has. But what do you mean by hopelessly?"