"But now listen to something quite different!" Alyosha went on."Ihave a message for you.That same brother of mine, Dmitri, has insulted his betrothed, too, a noble-hearted girl of whom you have probably heard.I have a right to tell you of her wrong; I ought to do so, in fact, for, hearing of the insult done to you and learning all about your unfortunate position, she commissioned me at once- just now- to bring you this help from her- but only from her alone, not from Dmitri, who has abandoned her.Nor from me, his brother, nor from anyone else, but from her, only from her! She entreats you to accept her help....You have both been insulted by the same man.She thought of you only when she had just received a similar insult from him-similar in its cruelty, I mean.She comes like a sister to help a brother in misfortune....She told me to persuade you to take these two hundred roubles from her, as from a sister, knowing that you are in such need.No one will know of it, it can give rise to no unjust slander.There are the two hundred roubles, and I swear you must take them unless- unless all men are to be enemies on earth! But there are brothers even on earth....You have a generous heart...you must see that, you must," and Alyosha held out two new rainbow-coloured hundred-rouble notes.
They were both standing at the time by the great stone close to the fence, and there was no one near.The notes seemed to produce a tremendous impression on the captain.He started, but at first only from astonishment.Such an outcome of their conversation was the last thing he expected.Nothing could have been farther from his dreams than help from anyone- and such a sum!
He took the notes, and for a minute he was almost unable to answer, quite a new expression came into his face.
"That for me? So much money- two hundred roubles! Good heavens!
Why, I haven't seen so much money for the last four years! Mercy on us! And she says she is a sister....And is that the truth?""I swear that all I told you is the truth,"cried Alyosha.
The captain flushed red.
"Listen, my dear, listen.If I take it, I shan't be behaving like a scoundrel? In your eyes, Alexey Fyodorovitch, I shan't be a scoundrel? No, Alexey Fyodorovitch, listen, listen," he hurried, touching Alyosha with both his hands."You are persuading me to take it, saying that it's a sister sends it, but inwardly, in your heart won't you feel contempt for me if I take it, eh?""No, no, on my salvation I swear I shan't! And no one will ever know but me- I, you and she, and one other lady, her great friend.""Never mind the lady! Listen, Alexey Fyodorovitch, at a moment like this you must listen, for you can't understand what these two hundred roubles mean to me now." The poor fellow went on rising gradually into a sort of incoherent, almost wild enthusiasm.He was thrown off his balance and talked extremely fast, as though afraid he would not be allowed to say all he had to say.
"Besides its being honestly acquired from a 'sister,' so highly respected and revered, do you know that now I can look after mamma and Nina, my hunchback angel daughter? Doctor Herzenstube came to me in the kindness of his heart and was examining them both for a whole hour.'I can make nothing of it,' said he, but he prescribed a mineral water which is kept at a chemist's here.He said it would be sure to do her good, and he ordered baths, too, with some medicine in them.
