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a good story-teller on occasions, so that at last he became necessary to her. Grushenka saw scarcely any one else besides Alyosha, who did not come every day and never stayed long. Her old merchant lay seriously ill at this time, at his last gasp as they said in the town, and he did, in fact, die a week after Mityas trial. Three weeks before his death, feeling the end approaching, he made his sons, their wives and children, come upstairs to him at last and bade them not leave him again. From that moment he gave strict orders to his servants not to admit Grushenka and to tell her if she came, The master wishes you long life and happiness and tells you to forget him. But Grushenka sent almost every day to inquire after him. Youve come at last! she cried, flinging down the cards and joyfully greeting Alyosha, and Maximushkas been scaring me that perhaps you wouldnt come. Ah, how I need you! Sit down to the table. What will you havecoffee? Yes, please, said Alyosha, sitting down at the table. I am very hungry. Thats right, Fenya, Fenya, coffee, cried Grushenka. Its been made a long time ready for you. And bring some little pies, and mind they are hot. Do you know, weve had a storm over those pies to-day. I took them to the prison for him, and would you believe it, he threw them back to me: he would not eat them. He flung one of them on the floor and stamped on it. So I said to him: I shall leave them with the warder; if you dont eat them before evening, it will be that your venomous spite is enough for you! With that I went away. We quarrelled again, would you believe it? Whenever I go we quarrel. Grushenka said all this in one breath in her agitation. Maximov, feeling nervous, at once smiled and looked at the floor. What did you quarrel about this time? asked Alyosha. I didnt expect it in the least. Only fancy, he is jealous of the Pole. Why are you keeping him? he said. So youve begun keeping him. He is jealous, jealous of me all the time, jealous eating and sleeping! He even took it into his head to be jealous of Kuzma last week. But he knew about the Pole before? Yes, but there it is. He has known about him from the very beginning, but to-day he suddenly got up and began scolding about him. I am ashamed to repeat what he said. Silly fellow! Rakitin went in as I came out. Perhaps Rakitin is egging him on. What do you think? she added carelessly. He loves you, thats what it is; he loves you so much. And now he is particularly worried. I should think he might be, with the trial to-morrow. And I went to him to say something about to-morrow, for I dread to think whats going to happen then. You say that he is worried, but how worried I am! And he talks about the Pole! Hes too silly! He is not jealous of Maximushka yet, anyway. My wife was dreadfully jealous over me, too, Maximov put in his word. Jealous of you? Grushenka laughed in spite of herself. Of whom could she have been jealous? Of the servant girls. Hold your tongue, Maximushka, I am in no laughing mood now, I feel angry. Dont ogle the pies. I shant give you any; they are not good for you, and I wont give you any vodka either. I have to look after him, too, just as though I kept an almshouse, she laughed. I dont deserve your kindness. I am a worthless creature, said Maximov, with tears in his voice. You would do better to spend your kindness on people of more use than me. |
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