Chapter 4

           Hismother’sletterhadbeenatorturetohim,butasregardsthechieffactinit,hehadfeltnotonemoment’shesitation,evenwhilsthewasreadingtheletter.Theessentialquestionwassettled,andirrevocablysettled,inhismind:“NeversuchamarriagewhileIamaliveandMr.Luzhinbedamned!”“Thethingisperfectlyclear,”hemutteredtohimself,withamalignantsmileanticipatingthetriumphofhisdecision.“No,mother,no,Dounia,youwon’tdeceiveme!andthentheyapologisefornotaskingmyadviceandfortakingthedecisionwithoutme!Idaresay!Theyimagineitisarrangednowandcan’tbebrokenoff;butwewillseewhetheritcanornot!Amagnificentexcuse:‘PyotrPetrovitchissuchabusymanthatevenhisweddinghastobeinpost-haste,almostbyexpress.’No,Dounia,IseeitallandIknowwhatyouwanttosaytome;andIknowtoowhatyouwerethinkingabout,whenyouwalkedupanddownallnight,andwhatyourprayerswerelikebeforetheHolyMotherofKazanwhostandsinmother’sbedroom.BitteristheascenttoGolgotha....Hm...soitisfinallysettled;youhavedeterminedtomarryasensiblebusinessman,AvdotyaRomanovna,onewhohasafortune(hasalreadymadehisfortune,thatissomuchmoresolidandimpressive),amanwhoholdstwogovernmentpostsandwhosharestheideasofourmostrisinggeneration,asmotherwrites,andwhoseemstobekind,asDouniaherselfobserves.Thatseemsbeatseverything!AndthatveryDouniaforthatvery‘seems’ismarryinghim!Splendid!splendid!

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