Идиот

           ‘Aha!’saysshe,‘youadmitit’strue,doyou?AndyouaremakingvowstoyourselfthatifImarryyou,youwillremindmeofallthis,andtakeitoutofme.’‘Idon’tknow,’Isay,‘perhapsIwasthinkinglikethat,andperhapsIwasnot.I’mnotthinkingofanythingjustnow.’‘Whatareyourthoughts,then?’‘I’mthinkingthatwhenyourisefromyourchairandgopastme,Iwatchyou,andfollowyouwithmyeyes;ifyourdressdoesbutrustle,myheartsinks;ifyouleavetheroom,Iremembereverylittlewordandaction,andwhatyourvoicesoundedlike,andwhatyousaid.Ithoughtofnothingalllastnight,butsatherelisteningtoyoursleepingbreath,andheardyoumovealittle,twice.’‘Andasforyourattackuponme,’shesays,‘Isupposeyouneveroncethoughtofthat?’‘PerhapsIdidthinkofit,andperhapsnot,’Isay.‘AndwhatifIdon’teitherforgiveyouormarry,you?’‘ItellyouIshallgoanddrownmyself.’‘H’m!’shesaid,andthenrelapsedintosilence.Thenshegotangry,andwentout.‘Isupposeyou’dmurdermebeforeyoudrownedyourself,though!’shecriedasshelefttheroom.

           “Anhourlater,shecametomeagain,lookingmelancholy.‘Iwillmarryyou,ParfenSemeonovitch,’shesays,notbecauseI’mfrightenedofyou,butbecauseit’sallthesametomehowIruinmyself.AndhowcanIdoitbetter?Sitdown;they’llbringyousomedinnerdirectly.AndifIdomarryyou,I’llbeafaithfulwifetoyou—youneednotdoubtthat.