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And as he went downstairs now, he considered himself most

undeservedly injured and unrecognised.

Dounia was simply essential to him; to do without her was

unthinkable. For many years he had had voluptuous dreams of

marriage, but he had gone on waiting and amassing money. He

brooded with relish, in profound secret, over the image of a

girl--virtuous, poor (she must be poor), very young, very pretty,

of good birth and education, very timid, one who had suffered

much, and was completely humbled before him, one who would all

her life look on him as her saviour, worship him, admire him and

only him. How many scenes, how many amorous episodes he had

imagined on this seductive and playful theme, when his work was

over! And, behold, the dream of so many years was all but

realised; the beauty and education of Avdotya Romanovna had

impressed him; her helpless position had been a great allurement;

in her he had found even more than he dreamed of.