Преступление и наказание

           Whenthedeceptionisopen,asinafreemarriage,thenitdoesnotexist,it’sunthinkable.Yourwifewillonlyprovehowsherespectsyoubyconsideringyouincapableofopposingherhappinessandavengingyourselfonherforhernewhusband.Damnitall!IsometimesdreamifIweretobemarried,pfoo!ImeanifIweretomarry,legallyornot,it’sjustthesame,Ishouldpresentmywifewithaloverifshehadnotfoundoneforherself.‘Mydear,’Ishouldsay,‘Iloveyou,butevenmorethanthatIdesireyoutorespectme.See!’AmInotright?”

           PyotrPetrovitchsniggeredashelistened,butwithoutmuchmerriment.Hehardlyhearditindeed.HewaspreoccupiedwithsomethingelseandevenLebeziatnikovatlastnoticedit.PyotrPetrovitchseemedexcitedandrubbedhishands.Lebeziatnikovrememberedallthisandreflecteduponitafterwards.