Download - Plough

98 The Gospel in Dostoyevsky“You are mad,” Ptitsyn whispered suddenly, going up to himquickly and taking him by the hand. “You are mad! They’ll sendfor the police! Where are you?”“He is drunk and boasting,” said Nastasya Filippovna, asthough taunting him.“I am not boasting, I’ll get the money before evening. Ptitsyn,lend it to me, you loan shark! Ask what you like for it. Get me ahundred thousand this evening! I’ll show that I won’t stop at anything.”Rogozhin was in an ecstasy of excitement…“Is there no one among you who will take this shameless womanaway?” exclaimed Varya, quivering all over with anger.“They call me a shameless woman,” Nastasya Filippovnaanswered back with contemptuous gaiety. “And I came like a foolto invite them to my party this evening. That’s how your sistertreats me, Gavril Ardalionovitch!”For some time Ganya stood as though thunderstruck at hissister’s outburst, but seeing that Nastasya Filippovna really wasgoing this time, he rushed frantically at Varya and seized her armin a fury.“What have you done?” he cried, looking at her, as though hewould have withered her on the spot.He was utterly beside himself and hardly knew what he wasdoing.“What have I done? Where are you dragging me? Is it to begher pardon for having insulted your mother and for having comehere to disgrace your family, you base creature?” Varya criedagain, looking with triumphant defiance at her brother.For an instant they stood so, facing one another. Ganya stillkept hold of her arm. Twice Varya tried with all her might to pull