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He fixed a strained intent look on his sister, but did not hear

or did not understand her words. Then, completely lost in

thought, he got up, went up to his mother, kissed her, went back

to his place and sat down.

"You love her even now?" said Pulcheria Alexandrovna, touched.

"Her? Now? Oh, yes.... You ask about her? No... that's all now,

as it were, in another world... and so long ago. And indeed

everything happening here seems somehow far away." He looked

attentively at them. "You, now... I seem to be looking at you

from a thousand miles away... but, goodness knows why we are

talking of that! And what's the use of asking about it?" he added

with annoyance, and biting his nails, fell into dreamy silence

again.

"What a wretched lodging you have, Rodya! It's like a tomb," said

Pulcheria Alexandrovna, suddenly breaking the oppressive silence.

"I am sure it's quite half through your lodging you have become

so melancholy."