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"Father. I was walking in the street, out there at the corner,

about ten o'clock and he seemed to be walking in front. It looked

just like him. I wanted to go to Katerina Ivanovna...."

"You were walking in the streets?"

"Yes," Sonia whispered abruptly, again overcome with confusion

and looking down.

"Katerina Ivanovna used to beat you, I dare say?"

"Oh no, what are you saying? No!" Sonia looked at him almost with

dismay.

"You love her, then?"

"Love her? Of course!" said Sonia with plaintive emphasis, and

she clasped her hands in distress. "Ah, you don't.... If you only

knew! You see, she is quite like a child.... Her mind is quite

unhinged, you see... from sorrow. And how clever she used to

be... how generous... how kind! Ah, you don't understand, you

don't understand!"