登陆注册
5215100000255

第255章

"God knows I trust Lise to you with all my heart, and it's no matter her sending for you on the sly, without telling her mother.But forgive me, I can't trust my daughter so easily to your brother Ivan Fyodorovitch, though I still consider him the most chivalrous young man.But only fancy, he's been to see Lise and I knew nothing about it!""How? What? When?" Alyosha was exceedingly surprised.He had not sat down again and listened standing.

"I will tell you; that's perhaps why I asked you to come, for Idon't know now why I did ask you to come.Well, Ivan Fyodorovitch has been to see me twice, since he came back from Moscow.First time he came as a friend to call on me, and the second time Katya was here and he came because he heard she was here.I didn't, of course, expect him to come often, knowing what a lot he has to do as it is, vous comprenez, cette affaire et la mort terrible de votre papa.

(You know, this affair and your father's terrible death.) But Isuddenly heard he'd been here again, not to see me but to see Lise.

That's six days ago now.He came, stayed five minutes, and went away.And I didn't hear of it till three days afterwards, from Glafira, so it was a great shock to me.I sent for Lise directly.

She laughed.'He thought you were asleep,' she said, 'and came in to me to ask after your health.' Of course, that's how it happened.But Lise, Lise, mercy on us, how she distresses me! Would you believe it, one night, four days ago, just after you saw her last time, and had gone away, she suddenly had a fit, screaming, shrieking, hysterics! Why is it I never have hysterics? Then, next day another fit, and the same thing on the third, and yesterday too, and then yesterday that aberration.She suddenly screamed out, 'I hate Ivan Fyodorovitch.I insist on your never letting him come to the house again.' I was struck dumb at these amazing words, and answered, 'On what grounds could I refuse to see such an excellent young man, a young man of such learning too, and so unfortunate?'- for all this business is a misfortune, isn't it?' She suddenly burst out laughing at my words, and so rudely, you know.Well, I was pleased; I thought Ihad amused her and the fits would pass off, especially as I wanted to refuse to see Ivan Fyodorovitch anyway on account of his strange visits without my knowledge, and meant to ask him for an explanation.But early this morning Lise waked up and flew into a passion with Yulia and, would you believe it, slapped her in the face.

That's monstrous; I am always polite to my servants.And an hour later she was hugging Yulia's feet and kissing them.She sent a message to me that she wasn't coming to me at all, and would never come and see me again, and when I dragged myself down to her, she rushed to kiss me, crying, and as she kissed me, she pushed me out of the room without saying a word, so I couldn't find out what was the matter.

Now, dear Alexey Fyodorovitch, I rest all my hopes on you, and, of course, my whole life is in your hands.I simply beg you to go to Lise and find out everything from her, as you alone can, and come back and tell me- me, her mother, for you understand it will be the death of me, simply the death of me, if this goes on, or else I shall run away.I can stand no more.I have patience; but I may lose patience, and then...then something awful will happen.Ah, dear me! At last, Pyotr Ilyitch!" cried Madame Hohlakov, beaming all over as she saw Perhotin enter the room."You are late, you are late! Well, sit down, speak, put us out of suspense.What does the counsel say.

Where are you off to, Alexey Fyodorovitch?""To Lise."

"Oh, yes.You won't forget, you won't forget what I asked you?

It's a question of life and death!

"Of course, I won't forget, if I can...but I am so late,"muttered Alyosha, beating a hasty retreat.

"No, be sure, be sure to come in; don't say 'If you can.' Ishall die if you don't," Madame Hohlakov called after him, but Alyosha had already left the room.

Chapter 3

A Little DemonGOING in to Lise, he found her half reclining in the invalid-chair, in which she had been wheeled when she was unable to walk.She did not move to meet him, but her sharp, keen eyes were simply riveted on his face.There was a feverish look in her eyes, her face was pale and yellow.Alyosha was amazed at the change that had taken place in her in three days.She was positively thinner.She did not hold out her hand to him.He touched the thin, long fingers which lay motionless on her dress, then he sat down facing her, without a word.

"I know you are in a hurry to get to the prison," Lise said curtly, "and mamma's kept you there for hours; she's just been telling you about me and Yulia.""How do you know?" asked Alyosha.

"I've been listening.Why do you stare at me? I want to listen and I do listen, there's no harm in that.I don't apologise.""You are upset about something?"

"On the contrary, I am very happy.I've only just been reflecting for the thirtieth time what a good thing it is I refused you and shall not be your wife.You are not fit to be a husband.If I were to marry you and give you a note to take to the man I loved after you, you'd take it and be sure to give it to him and bring an answer back, too.If you were forty, you would still go on taking my love-letters for me."She suddenly laughed.

"There is something spiteful and yet open-hearted about you,"Alyosha smiled to her.

"The open-heartedness consists in my not being ashamed of myself with you.What's more, I don't want to feel ashamed with you, just with you.Alyosha, why is it I don't respect you? I am very fond of you, but I don't respect you.If I respected you, I shouldn't talk to you without shame, should I?""No."

"But do you believe that I am not ashamed with you?""No, I don't believe it."

Lise laughed nervously again; she spoke rapidly.

"I sent your brother, Dmitri Fyodorovitch, some sweets in prison.Alyosha, you know, you are quite pretty! I shall love you awfully for having so quickly allowed me not to love you.""Why did you send for me to-day, Lise?"

同类推荐
  • 隐元禅师语录

    隐元禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Cash Boy

    The Cash Boy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诸真内丹集要

    诸真内丹集要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鼻门

    鼻门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 罪与罚

    罪与罚

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 别问了,我是反派

    别问了,我是反派

    一个穿越到未来的黑客被游戏公司坑蒙拐骗当做游戏boss的故事
  • 浪荡公子和平胸妹

    浪荡公子和平胸妹

    不管你的条件有多差,总会有个人在爱你;不管你的条件有多好,也总有个人不爱你……
  • 毒后权倾天下

    毒后权倾天下

    往日里伤害过我的,我要将他所赐予我的一并奉还;往日负过我的,我要将他践踏在脚下,不留一丝情面;往日将我那一片真心踏碎的,今日我便将他真心碾碎,散于风中。”死而复活的容玥想的,便是这样的事情。可那往日伤她的,负她的,将她一片真心碾碎的人,却是同一个人……可她对这个人,非但有恨,亦是有情。只是有情,有如何呢?他过往时候,也说过对她有情,可到最后,将之推入万劫不复的,亦是这个人……而这一次,她看中的,是他所最看中的皇位,这一次,她也要让他尝尝,零落在泥里的滋味……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 等你回眸再见

    等你回眸再见

    专情于一段情,需要多久,遗忘一段情,又需要多久,十年够不够?当年为了你,我放弃了进入名校的机会,只为了能和你上同一所大学,然后陪你走遍学校的每一个角落,可你却失约了!你说你忘记了,那么你就要做好承受我想要报复的怒火,可是,明明说好了是怒火的,为什么再见到她时,眼里确只有柔情?
  • 外经微言

    外经微言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 陆少专属我的小野猫

    陆少专属我的小野猫

    一日,保镖对他说:“少爷,少夫人被人骂了!”“把那个人给剁了!”“少爷,少夫人说喜欢上一个男神了。”“封杀他”“少爷,少夫人说今天看到您跟其他女人说话了”“走!跟我去跪榴莲”“少爷,少夫人说喜欢孩子。”“终于说到我心里去了。”
  • 阴阳代理人

    阴阳代理人

    我叫端木森,没有十岁之前的记忆,也不知道自己的父母是谁。在孤儿院里长大的我,身边的朋友总是一个接着一个死去。某天深夜,我看到了朋友的死因,惊吓过度的我本以为自己肯定没命,却遇到了改变我一生命运的大叔。
  • 在末世中崛起

    在末世中崛起

    新书《异星统治者》已经发布……游戏高手刁思在一次宣传活动中意外被召唤到异星。他在摇摇欲坠的圣殿带走了神物万灵之灵,又重新穿越到毁灭之前的异星世界。他被受牢底狱之苦,当过11和破男,却依然艳遇不断。看他如何凭借着跟精灵沟通的天赋和宝物运气,一步一步建立起自己的势力,最终征服这个被女人统治的世界,改变整个尼玛大陆的命运。新书期间每天三更,请放心收藏,拜谢。
  • 革命时期的爱情

    革命时期的爱情

    很简单,这是一个关于毕业的故事。可毕竟不简单,因为每一个故事都不会简单――如果它又恰好发生在和平年代的毕业时分的话,它则属于我们这代人的革命时期。整个故事关于了很多的关于,比如说生活的绝望,现实的无奈,梦想的迷失,当然也有一群80后人的执着和乐观……它们如交错的水流一样汇集成了三条主线,分别是爱情、毕业和工作――对此,你只要是活在中国,念过大学,基本都会赶上.故事的文字是诙谐的,或许力度不够,但起码是真实的,拒绝虚伪,也不迷信矫情,所以从某种层面来说,它的力度已经足够。其实作为作者,我只是很傻很天真地希望可以把我们的生活,用自己的方式宣扬出来。笔触可以是楷体或是仿宋体,但感动却不会变。只因它曾真实地发生在我们的身边,它需要告诉这个世界,有这么一群人,他们在生活面前,在左与右的抉择面前,在无奈的狭缝面前,依旧隐忍、灿烂并且骄傲地活着……
  • 红满的后宫

    红满的后宫

    红满,喜庆的名字就好像本人一样,运气好,美男一大把,闺蜜满天飞。什么?连和尚都追过来了,什么情况?嗯?神医想要见我?不见,我要见姓莫的的,他在外面?那我不见他了,我要见…情节虚构,请勿模仿